“Graduates Ill-Equipped For Practical Work”

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31226, 25 November 1966, Page 16

“Graduates Ill-Equipped For Practical Work”

The engineering courses at the University of Canterbury were becoming so scientific that the bachelor of engineering degree could well be called a bachelor of engineering science, the chairman of the Canterbury branch of the Institution of Engineers (Mr P. G. Scoular) said on Wednesday evening. More theory than practice was given to students and many graduates were not well enough equipped when they left university for practical work, he said in his address at the institution's annual meeting. He said it was important for graduates to become corporate members of the institution and become registered engineers. Membership and registration would help them to learn the practical side of engineering.

Engineers Should learn more about management, he said. It was far better for an engineering company to have an engineer as its manager

than an administrator. New Zealand managers should give their engineers more experience in the administration of business. Similar Programme The meeting decided that the programme for next year should be similar to that of 1966. In all, 24 papers were presented at branch meetings and several luncheon meetings were held last year. Mr H. Simpson asked that the constitution give more active support to the Museum of Science and Technology at Ferrymead. Members decided to consider means of doing so. Officers elected for 1967 were:—Chairman, Mr F. V. Doidge; vice-chairman, Mr G. Ogilvie; secretary, Mr T. A. H. Dodd; treasurer, Mr F. B. Smith; convener of members’ sub-committee, Mr W. F. Newstead; auditor, Mr G. H. Battersby; committee, Messrs P. Yeoman, B. Wood, B. D. Forbes.