XN000022-1979-01-06 — Page 4

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 6, 1979

PWD CAN OFFER WIDE RANGE OF EXPERIENCE TO AN ENGINEER

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THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT CAN OFFER A WIDER RANGE OF EXPERIENCE TO AN ENGINEER THAN OTHER SIMILAR ORGANISATIONS. IN THE WORLD.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, MR. DAV ID MCDONALD IN HIS SPEECH AT THE ANNUAL BALL OF THE GRADUATES AND STUDENTS SECTION OF THE HONG KONG INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS.

THE DIRECTOR WAS GIVING THE YOUNG ENGINEERS AN INSIGHT INTO THE SCOPE OF PWD'S WORK AND THE OPPORTUNITIES IT PRESENTS FOR THEM.

ON THE SCOPE OF THE PWD'S WORK, MR. MCDONALD SAID: IT INCLUDES NOT ONLY THE MORE OBVIOUS FACETS SUCH AS THE CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS, ROADS, DRAINS, SEWERS, SEAWALLS AND RESERVOIRS BUT ALSO MORE SPECIAL ISED STRUCTURES SUCH AS INCINERATORS, ABATTOIRS, COMPOSTING PLANTS, FERRY PIERS, LIGHTHOUSES AND DESALTING PLANTS.

+AN ENGINEER ON JOINING THE PWD COULD FIND HIMSELF INVOLVED IN DESIGNING OR INSTALLING SUCH ESOTERIC ITEMS AS COMPUTER ISED BAGGAGE-HANDLING EQUIPMENT OR FLIGHT-PATH LIGHTING FOR THE AIRPORT, STER IL ISERS FOR HOSPITALS, CATTLE-STUNNING EQUIPMENT FOR ABATTOIRS OR EVEN CAGES FOR FLAMINGOS AT THE BOTANIC GARDENS.

+HE COULD ALSO BE INVOLVED IN SUCH ACTIVITIES AS TESTING LIFTS IN MULTI-STOREY BUILDINGS, CHECKING THE DESIGN CALCULATIONS FOR A CROSS-HARBOUR TUNNEL, STABILISING DANGEROUS SLOPES, PREPARING FEASIBILITY REPORTS AND POSSIBLY APPEARING ON TELEVISION OR RADIO TO EXPLAIN OR ANSWER QUERIES ABOUT PWD PROJECTS.+

MR. MCDONALD EMPHASISED THAT THE LIST WAS BY NO MEANS EXHAUSTIVE BUT GAVE SOME IDEA OF THE IMMENSE VARIETY OF WORK THAT THE PWD UNDERTOOK AND UNDERLINED THE NEED FOR THE ENGINEER TO BE ADAPTABLE, VERSATILE AND TO HAVE A BROAD OUTLOOK.

HE TOLD STUDENT AND GRADUATE ENGINEERS THAT THE KNOWLEDGE THEY GAINED FROM ENGINEERING COURSES WOULD ON ITS OWN BE OF LITTLE VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY UNTIL IT WAS PUT INTO PRACTICE.

THEREFORE, HE SAID, IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO LEARN AND APPLY IT EFFECTIVELY.

MR. MCDONALD SAID IT WOULD ALSO BE NECESSARY TO ACQUIRE THE ABILITY TO COPE WITH THE VARIOUS PROBLEMS THAT WOULD INVARIABLY ARISE DURING THE COURSE OF AN ENGINEERING PROJECT.

+ONE VERY GOOD WAY OF GAINING THIS EXPERIENCE IS TO TAKE UP EMPLOYMENT IN AN ORGANISATION SUCH AS THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WHERE IN MOST CASES AN ENGINEER CAN CONTINUE HIS PRACTICAL TRA IN ING WHILE AT THE SAME TIME DOING USEFUL WORK, HE ADDED.

+ANOTHER QUALITY THE ENGINEER REQUIRES WHICH IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN THE HONG KONG CONTEXT IS THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE.+

/+AN ENGINEER