Engineering practice: Civil engineers in the Workplace La pratique du génie : l'ingénieur civil en milieu de travail
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Engineering Practice:
Civil Engineers in the Workplace
La pratique du génie :
l’ingénieur civil en milieu de travail
spring / printemps
2010 27.1
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features
page 12
Career Development — A Personal Perspective
page 14
The New Civil Engineer
14 page 18
Responsible and Registered: The Value of the
Engineering Licence in a Changing World
page 22
Foreign Competition: A Challenge to Canadian Engineering
columns
4 from the editors / mot des rédacteurs
6 presidential perspective / perspective présidentielle
8 profiles / profils
10 membership matters / question d’appartenance
21 the career development committee / le comité de perfectionnement
18 21 lifelong learning / l’éducation permanente
25 coming events / calendrier des activités
28 history notes / notes historiques
A P R O F E S S I O N A L E N G I N E E R C A N S E E W H AT O T H E R S C A N ’ T.
cence means they have the education and experience to give them a more comprehensive perspective.
al engineer is committed to public safety and health, and to the highest standards set by the profession.
N G. C A F O R M O R E R E A S O N S W H Y H I R I N G A P R O F E S S I O N A L E N G I N E E R P R O V I D E S A N E X C E L L E N T R E T U R N O N YO U R I N V E S T M E N T.
22
From the editors / Mot des rédacte urs
louise newman louise @csce .ca
Brian C. Burrell P.Eng., FCSCE—Chair , CSCE Career Develop ment Comm ittee; P résident
Dé veloppement Professionnel .
27.1
T
his issue of CIVIL is on the theme ranking in the 1950s and 1960s. The public
The Canadian Civil Engineer (CCE) ISSN 9825-7515
is published bi-monthly by the Canadian Society for of Engineering Practice: Civil no longer perceives engineering as one of
Civil Engineering (CSCE). Engineers in the Workplace. the top five professions in Canada, and its
L’Ingénieur civil canadien (ICC) ISSN 9825-7515 est Practising engineers in consulting firms, ranking among the professions probably
publié bi-mensuellement par la Société canadienne government offices, and industry are the would have fallen further if not for the
de génie civil (SCGC).
core of the profession. Therefore, learned influx of immigrants from countries where
CSCE / SCGC societies, such as the CSCE, need to engineering is still held in high esteem.
4920 de Maisonneuve W., Suite 201
Montréal, QC H3Z 1N1
address issues related to the civil engineer- There are hopeful signs that Canadian engi-
Tel: 514-933-2634 Fax: 514-933-3504 ing practice. neering associations are becoming increas-
E-mail: info@csce.ca The intrinsic nature of engineering as an ingly aware of the need to promote the
www.csce.ca
applied science is the use of knowledge for profession.
CSCE Office / Office de la SCGC practical ends. Despite this, engineering Civil engineers in essence sell knowledge,
President / Président
Gordon Jin, P.Eng., FCSCE (St. Johns, NL) learned associations traditionally empha- and this knowledge only has a commercial
Senior Vice-President / Vice-président senior
sized engineering education over workplace value if deemed worth purchasing by a
Vic Perry, P.Eng., FCSCE (Calgary, AB) issues. The intent of engineering education client. If potential clients are unsure what
is to provide qualified engineers who can civil engineers provide relevant to other
CCE Board / Conseil de l’ICC
CSCE Publications Committee Chair successfully practice civil engineering for groups or if they believe other professions
Présidente, Comité des publications de la SCGC the betterment of society. It is the applica- have more appropriate, relevant or updated
Dagmar Svecova, MCSCE (Winnipeg, MB)
tion of knowledge not its acquisition that knowledge, then they will seek expertise
CCE Editor / Rédactrice de l’ICC
Louise Newman (Montréal, QC)
ultimately is important. elsewhere. This applies not only to the con-
The status of the engineering profession sulting community but also to employer-
Editorial Committee Members / Membres du comité éditorial
David Lau, P.Eng., FCSCE (Ottawa, ON) in Canada has fallen relevant to law and employee relationships.
O. Burkan Isgor, Ph.D., P.Eng., MCSCE (Ottawa, ON) medicine, with which it had a comparable
Annual Subscription Rates / Abonnement annuel
Canada & U.S.A. $35.00
L
other countries / autres pays $45.00
single copy / au numéro $7.50 e présent numéro de L’ICC est con- public ne perçoit plus le génie comme étant
agency discount / rabais aux distributeurs 10% sacré au thème la pratique du génie : l’une des cinq plus hautes professions au
Design / Production l’ ingénieur civil en milieu de travail. Canada, et le statut de la profession serait
AN Design Communications (Ottawa, ON) Les praticiens au service des ingénieurs- probablement tombé encore plus bas sans
613-744-0444 conseils, des gouvernements et de l’industrie l’arrivée d’immigrants issus de pays où le
www.an-design.ca
représentent le cœur de la profession. C’est génie jouit toujours de la faveur publique. Il
Advertising / Publicité pourquoi les sociétés savantes comme la y a des indices encourageants selon lesquels
Dovetail Communications Inc.
T: 905-886-6640 SCGC doivent se préoccuper des problèmes les associations regroupant la profession
F: 905-886-6615 reliés à la pratique du génie. sont de plus en plus conscientes de la néces-
Janet Jeffery 905-886-6641 ext. 329
E: jjeffery@dvtail.com
L’utilisation du savoir à des fins pratiques sité de faire la promotion de la profession.
constitue la nature intrinsèque de cette Au fond, l’ingénieur civil vend un savoir,
The opinions expressed in the papers are solely those of the science appliquée qu’est le génie. Malgré et ce savoir n’a de valeur commerciale que
authors and the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering is
not responsible for the statements made in this publication. cette réalité, les sociétés savantes du secteur dans la mesure où un client désire acheter
du génie ont toujours privilégié les questions ce savoir. Si des clients en puissance sont
Les opinions exprimées dans les articles sont la seule
responsabilité de leurs auteurs et la Société canadienne de
de formation plutôt que les questions reliées incertains quant à ce qu’offre le génie, com-
génie civil n’engage pas sa responsabilité dans les propos au milieu de travail. Le but de la formation parativement à d’autres professions, ou s’ils
exprimés. est de produire des ingénieurs diplômés en pensent que d’autres professions offrent un
All commentaries and questions about this publication mesure de pratiquer efficacement le génie savoir plus pertinent, plus approprié ou plus
should be forwarded to the Editor: pour le mieux-être de la société. En dernière à jour, ces clients iront vers d’autres savoirs.
Pour vos commentaires ou de plus amples informations,
contacte la rédactrice : analyse, c’est la mise en œuvre du savoir qui Ceci est valable pour le génie-conseil comme
Louise Newman, louise@csce.ca 514-933-2634 ext. 23 est importante, et non son acquisition. pour les relations employeur-employés.
Return Address / Adresse de retour : Le statut de la profession au Canada a Employeurs et clients appuient les pro-
The Canadian Society for Civil Engineering diminué par rapport au droit et à la méde- fessions qui, selon eux, offrent des services
La Société canadienne de génie civil
4920 de Maisonneuve W., Suite 201 cine, alors que ce statut était comparable comparables, surtout si elles coûtent moins
Montréal, QC H3Z 1N1 dans les années cinquante et soixante. Le cher. D’autres professions ont graduellement
Employers and clients will employ and of other professions or occupations to do Ken Peck provides the benefit of 30 years
support the profession or occupations they this work. of experience in his article. He highlights
consider have comparable skills, especially if Engineering underemployment and the changes in the workplace he experienced
cost savings may accrue. Other professions cyclical unemployment in different sectors during his career.
and occupations have occupied gradually of civil engineering seem to be subjects In their article, Alan Perks and Reg
the fringe areas (sometimes called the gray largely ignored by engineering associations. Andres describe how social, economic and
areas of civil engineering practise) thereby Employment issues of civil engineers need financial pressures affect the set of skills
gradually eroding the scope of civil engi- to be better studied and the demand (rela- and abilities that civil engineers need in the
neering practise. The loss of peripheral areas tive to supply) for civil engineers, both in workplace.
of engineering work may eventually lead the short term and long term, needs better In his article, William Meyer reminds
to a loss of employment opportunities for quantification. us that the holders of a professional licence
engineering graduates, particularly during Although individual engineers may be are legally and morally responsible for the
economic downturns. able to isolate themselves from societal safety of their work.
Many of these soft engineering topics change, the profession as a whole cannot. Rishi Gupta and Brian Burrell con-
relate to the management of infrastruc- The individual engineer may be able to tend the future success of Canadian civil
ture and resources. These include traffic afford being uninvolved with professional engineering in the international market
management, water resources planning and issues, but collectively such an attitude is for engineering services requires market
management, urban planning, and trans- detrimental to the future of civil engineer- research, strategy development, and finan-
portation planning. These “management ing in Canada. cial investment.
functions” often involve decision-making The authors of the four articles in this Practising engineers need to be
that directly affects engineering, such as issue on civil engineering practice take dif- involved with the professional associa-
infrastructure prioritization and budgeting, fering approaches to the subject of civil tions. The CSCE provides opportunities
and the individuals holding these positions engineers in the workplace, but each article to serve on committees, such as the Career
often become the higher-paid supervisors of provides insights and perspectives that Development Committee, for the better-
engineers. Some civil engineers still work in deserve further consideration and discus- ment of the profession. n
these areas, the trend is towards the hiring sion within the profession.
occupé certaines zones limites (parfois Le sous-emploi des ingénieurs et le Ken Peck profite de ses 30 années
appelées les zones grises de la pratique du chômage cyclique dans divers secteurs du d’expérience pour commenter les change-
génie), réduisant ainsi le champ du génie génie civil semblent des sujets oubliés par ments qu’il a vécus dans le milieu de travail.
civil. La perte de ces zones périphériques les associations d’ingénieurs. Le dossier des Alan Perks et Reg Andres décrivent
pourrait éventuellement provoquer une débouchés pour les ingénieurs civils mérite comment les pressions de nature sociale,
perte d’emplois pour les diplômés en génie, plus d’attention, et la demande (par rapport économique et financière affectent les quali-
surtout lorsque la conjoncture économique à l’offre) pour les ingénieurs civils doit être fications dont l’ingénieur civil a besoin en
est mauvaise. évaluée de façon plus précise. milieu de travail.
Plusieurs de ces secteurs sont reliés à Même si chaque ingénieur civil, au William Meyer nous rappelle que les
la gestion des infrastructures et des res- niveau personnel, est en mesure d’éviter les détenteurs d’un permis de pratique profes-
sources, comme le contrôle de la circula- conséquences des mutations de la société, sionnelle ont une responsabilité morale et
tion, la planification et la gestion de l’eau, l’ensemble de la profession ne peut s’y sous- juridique en ce qui a trait à la sécurité de
l’aménagement urbain et la planification traire. L’ingénieur civil, peut, à titre indi- leurs œuvres.
des transports. Ces « fonctions de ges- viduel, se permettre de ne pas s’occuper Rishi Gupta et Brian Burrell soutiennent
tion » comportent souvent des décisions des enjeux professionnels, mais une telle que le succès futur du génie civil canadien
qui affectent directement le génie, comme attitude, pour l’ensemble de la profession, sur le marché international des services de
l’établissement des priorités et des budgets ne peut que nuire à l’avenir de la profession génie exige des recherches de marché, une
en matière d’infrastructure, et les détenteurs au Canada. stratégie de développement et un investisse-
de ces fonctions deviennent souvent les Les auteurs des quatre articles publiés ment financier.
superviseurs (mieux payés) des ingénieurs. dans ce numéro portant sur la pratique de Les praticiens doivent participer à la vie
Certains ingénieurs civils travaillent tou- la profession examinent divers aspects qui de leurs associations professionnelles. La
jours dans ces domaines, bien que la ten- méritent plus d’attention de la part de la SCGC leur donne l’occasion d’être mem-
dance actuelle soit d’embaucher d’autres profession. bres de comités comme le comité de perfec-
professions pour ces travaux. tionnement afin d’améliorer l’avenir de la
profession. n
Printemps 2010 • l’ingénieur CIVIL canadien • 5
Presidential Perspective / perspective pré sidentielle
Gordon Jin P.Eng., FCSCE
O
ur first issue of CIVIL for 2010
focuses on Professional Practice—
Civil Engineers in the Workplace.
As the bells ring in 2010, we bid farewell to
an unforgettable 2009 and welcome a prom-
ising New Year. The world has experienced
the greatest economic downturn since the
Depression. As we lead into the next decade,
civil engineers have an obligation to help
our country and further the goals of our
Society. We look forward to renewed success
as we forge ahead in our mission.
We will be in the midst of National
Engineering and Geoscientist Month by
the time you read this issue. It’s an oppor-
tunity for all civil engineers to celebrate our
accomplishments and promote our major
achievements. Too often, the engineering
profession has been deemed the “silent”
profession. We do not do enough to pro-
mote ourselves. Proclaiming the true value
of our contributions to society makes us
uncomfortable. Our preference is to let our
built works and infrastructure speak for
us. Unfortunately, that approach does not
always work and adequately inform others
about the value that we provide every day.
Among our recent accomplishments, the Order of the Engineer Ceremony (Oct. 31, 2009). From left to right: Pat Natale, ASCE Executive Director; Gordon Jin, CSCE
President; Blaine Leonard, ASCE President; and Wayne Klotz, ASCE Past-President.
highly successful CSA S16 structural steel
design code course was offered in ten (10) We saw the departure of Mr. Peter to meet with Doug during his travels to
cities across Canada last fall. Due to an Casquinha, Executive Director; from CSCE your respective Section/Region in the com-
overwhelming demand, the S16 course was following our Fall Board. Peter joined the ing months.
offered again in Vancouver early this year. CSCE in early 2006 when the Society was I shall also be visiting as many of our
At the 139th Annual ASCE Civil facing severe financial restraints. As a result Sections/Regions where possible during my
Engineering Conference held in Kansas of Peter’s fiscal management practices, our term as President. A Presidential Visit to
City, Missouri last October, I met with Society fared reasonably well, but we are meet with our colleagues in the CSCE
my colleagues from around the world and still suffering from a decline in member- Hong Kong Branch and our sister engi-
discussed issues of relevance to all civil ship. We have much to be proud of as a neering Societies in China is scheduled for
engineers. I also had the opportunity to learned Society and must maintain our mid-April. I hope to strengthen our existing
attend the Order of the Engineer ceremony fiscal management approach and plan for relationships and develop new ones while
(the American equivalent of the Iron Ring long-term sustainability of programs and waving the CSCE flag overseas.
ceremony in Canada)—see attached photo. services. We wish Peter every success in his We will continue our efforts to bring
As an Alternate Warden of Camp 20, it was new endeavours. new programs and services to our members,
indeed a humbling experience to be part of In early fall, an Executive Search present ourselves on the international stage,
this event. Committee for our new Executive Director broaden our perspectives and dedicate our-
The CSCE Fall Board workshop on was formed under Vic Perry’s leadership. selves to the goal of making the Canadian
Vision 2020 led by Vic Perry, Senior VP; Extensive work was undertaken in the Society for Civil Engineering the voice of
was a success. It provided the Society fur- subsequent months and in mid-January, civil engineering in this country. I look
ther direction and priorities going forward the Executive Search Committee recom- forward to hearing from you on what ideas
into the next decade. We have captured the mended Mr. Doug Salloum to the position you have to offer. Please drop me a note at
feedback from all participants and will initi- of Executive Director effective January 18, president@csce.ca. n
ate further action. 2010. I hope you will have the opportunity
6 • Canadian CIVIL Engineer • spring 2010
L
e premier numéro de L’ICC en 2010 Notre directeur exécutif, Peter Je rendrai également visite à plusieurs
est consacré au thème suivant : la Casquinha, nous a quitté peu après la s ections/régions au cours de mon mandat.
pratique du génie : l’ ingénieur civil réunion d’automne du c.a. Peter s’était Une visite est prévue à la section de Hong
en milieu de travail. En ce début d’année, joint à nous au début de 2006, alors que Kong et à nos homologues de Chine à la mi-
nous laissons derrière nous une année 2009 la SCGC devait affronter une situation avril. J’espère raffermir nos relations et en
marquée par la pire crise économique depuis financière délicate. Grâce à sa gestion ser- créer de nouvelles, tout en faisant connaître
la grande dépression. À l’aube d’une nou- rée, la SCGC se porte relativement bien, la SCGC à l’étranger.
velle décennie, l’ingénieur civil hérite du malgré une légère diminution du nombre Nous poursuivrons nos efforts en vue
devoir d’aider le pays et de souscrire aux de membres. Nous sommes fiers de notre d’offrir de nouveaux programmes et ser-
objectifs de notre Société. Nous espérons statut de société savante et nous devrons vices, d’être plus présent sur la scène inter-
accumuler les succès dans la poursuite de poursuivre cette gestion serrée, tout en nationale, d’élargir nos horizons et de faire
notre mission. élaborant des programmes et des services de la SCGC la voix de la profession au pays.
Lorsque vous lirez ces lignes, nous serons durables pour l’avenir. Nous souhaitons Je vous invite aussi à me faire parvenir vos
en plein mois national du génie et des bonne chance à Peter Casquinha dans ses idées et suggestions, à l’adresse president@
sciences de la terre. C’est l’occasion, pour nouvelles fonctions. csce.ca. n
les ingénieurs civils, de célébrer nos réus- Au début de l’automne, un comité pour
sites et de faire connaître nos œuvres. Trop le recrutement du directeur exécutif a été
souvent, notre profession pèche par excès de créé, sous la direction de Vic Perry. Ce
silence et ne fait rien pour faire connaître ses comité a bien travaillé, de sorte qu’à la
œuvres. On dirait que nous sommes gênés mi-janvier, il a été en mesure de recom-
par l’idée de faire connaître nos réussites, en mander l’embauche de Douglas Salloum,
croyant que nos œuvres vont parler d’elles- à compter du 18 janvier 2010. J’espère que
mêmes. Malheureusement, cette discrétion vous aurez l’occasion de le rencontrer dans
ne sous sert pas et n’informe pas les gens de votre région/section au cours des prochains
la valeur des services que nous rendons à mois.
chaque jour.
Parmi nos réussites, mentionnons le
fait que notre cours sur le nouveau code
CSA S16 sur les charpentes en acier a été
offert dans 10 villes du pays au cours de
l’automne. Suite à une forte demande, ce
cours a de nouveau été offert à Vancouver
en début d’année.
Lors du 139e congrès de l’ASCE, à Kansas R.V. Anderson
Associates Limited
City, au Missouri, en octobre dernier, j’ai
rencontré des collègues du monde entier et
j’ai discuté de questions qui préoccupent engineering · environment · infrastructure
tous les ingénieurs civils. J’ai également
eu l’occasion d’assister à la cérémonie de
l’Order of the Engineer (l’équivalent de
la cérémonie de remise de la bague, au
Canada). (Voir photo ci-jointe). Ce fut toute
une expérience!
L’atelier d’automne du c.a. de la SCGC
sur « Vision 2020 » a été animé par Vic
Perry, premier vice-président, et fut un suc-
cès. Cet atelier a contribué à l’orientation
et à la définition des priorités pour la pro-
chaine décennie. Nous avons enregistré les
commentaires de tous les participants et
nous poserons des gestes concrets.
Printemps 2010 • l’ingénieur CIVIL canadien • 7
Canadian Civil Engineer
4.875” x 3.625”
Profiles / P rofils
Doug Salloum BSc, MBA, PMP, Executive D irector/Directeur Exéc utif—dou g.salloum@csce .ca
G B
reetings fellow Civils! This is my first contribution to the onjour à mes confrères civils ! Ceci est ma première contri-
CSCE magazine. It will also, without a doubt, be my least bution à L’ICC. Ce sera aussi, sans doute, ma contribution
informed contribution. The deadline for this article was la moins fouillée, dans la mesure où j’ai dû rédiger cet
the end of my fifth day on the job. article après seulement cinq jours en fonction.
I have a great deal to learn as I take on the role of Executive J’ai beaucoup à apprendre dans mes nouvelles fonctions de
Director and I thank you in advance for the understanding and directeur exécutif et je vous sais gré à l’avance pour votre com-
patience I know I can expect from you, the members and staff of the préhension et votre patience, à l’heure où je m’initie aux structures,
Society, as I get caught up on the structure, services and processes aux services et aux façons de faire de la maison.
of the CSCE. Mon prédécesseur, Peter Casquinha, s’est employé à réduire
Peter Casquinha, my predecessor, focused his attentions on les frais d’exploitation et à instaurer une structure administrative
reducing operating costs and establishing an efficient administra- efficace. Avec un budget particulièrement modeste, lui et les perma-
tive structure for the Society. With a shoestring budget, he and the nents ont réussi, avec l’aide des bénévoles à travers le pays, à mainte-
National Office staff worked with willing and able member volun- nir et à développer les services aux membres. J’ai la chance d’arriver
teers across the country to maintain and develop member services. I à un moment où la SCGC jouit d’une base financière saine et se
am in the fortunate position of being able to step in at a time when retrouve prête à assurer son avenir en adoptant de nouvelles priorités.
the CSCE is on a stable financial footing. The ground is prepared Lors de mon entrevue de recrutement, on m’a dit que le directeur
for the future of the Society as we turn our attention to a new set exécutif, en plus de surveiller le budget de la SCGC, devait œuvrer
of priorities. de façon créative avec le c.a. pour élaborer des stratégies de crois-
As I was interviewing for this “I realize the key to sance et assurer la mise en œuvre de ces stratégies. Je me rends
position I was told the Executive compte que la clé, en matière de recrutement, est d’offrir des
membership growth
Director, in addition to maintain- avantages et des services à un nombre croissant d’ingénieurs civils
ing a close eye on the bottom line of is to provide benefits au Canada. L’accroissement des avantages offerts aux membres
the Society, now needs to work cre- fera en sorte que plus d’ingénieurs civils
and services to « L’accroissement du renouvelleront leur appartenance ou se
atively with the Board of Directors to
develop membership growth strate- more and more nombre de membres joindront à la SCGC. L’accroissement
gies and then to manage the imple- du nombre de membres signifiera une
civil engineers in signifiera une
mentation of these strategies. I realize hausse des revenus (et des services aux
the key to membership growth is to Canada.” hausse des revenus membres) et une présence plus mar-
provide benefits and services to more quée de la SCGC et de la profession au
and more civil engineers in Canada. Increasing member benefits (et des services Canada. Ce rayonnement permettra à la
will result in more civil engineers renewing their memberships or aux membres) et SCGC de mieux représenter la profes-
joining the Society for the first time. Increased membership means sion au pays, face à des dossiers critiques
more revenue (which will result in more services for members) and une présence plus et à un monde en pleine évolution, et
a higher profile for our Society and our profession in Canada. More marquée de la SCGC notamment à des dossiers comme le
profile will allow the Society to represent the Civil Engineering besoin de renouvellement des infrastruc-
profession as this country faces critical national issues and trends, et de la profession tures durables, l’urbanisation croissante
including a need for sustainable infrastructure renewal, increasing au Canada. » et les questions d’offre et d’utilisation de
urbanization and national energy supply and utilization policies. l’énergie.
I bring to this position experience in municipal infrastructure, J’apporte à ces fonctions mon expérience en matière
business and international development in both the public and the d’infrastructures municipales, d’affaires et de développement inter-
private sectors. I will draw on lessons learned in all these arenas as national, dans les secteurs public et privé. Je profiterai des ensei-
I find ways to benefit CSCE members and develop the image of the gnements que je retiens de ces expériences pour trouver des façons
profession. I am looking forward to justifying the confidence placed d’offrir des avantages aux membres et de faire rayonner l’image
in me by the Board. de la profession. J’entends bien honorer ainsi la confiance que m’a
I also look forward to meeting and talking to many of you in accordée le c.a.
the months leading up to our Annual Conference in Winnipeg. I J’ai hâte de rencontrer et de travailler avec vous au cours des pro-
welcome your suggestions and advice as well as your pent up frus- chains mois, d’ici au congrès annuel de Winnipeg. Il me fera plaisir
trations and complaints. You can expect me to listen closely and d’écouter vos suggestions et vos conseils, aussi bien que vos plaintes
respond to the full extent of my abilities. I work for you so don’t et vos frustrations. J’essayerai d’y répondre le mieux possible. Je suis
hesitate to tell me what is on your mind. n à votre service. n
8 • Canadian CIVIL Engineer • spring 2010
WANTED: RECHERCHONS :
CIVIL ENGINEERS INGÉNIEURS CIVILS
“I’ve always enjoyed helping others. Now I have « J’ai toujours voulu venir en aide aux autres. Et
the opportunity to do just that. Whether helping c’est exactement l’occasion qui m’est donnée ici.
out with flood relief, or building a school where Que ce soit en participant aux efforts de recons-
there was none, I know I’m making a difference.” truction après une inondation ou en érigeant une
2nd Lieutenant JAMES KIM école où il n’y en avait pas avant, j’ai la chance
d’exercer un métier que j’aime. »
Sous-lieutenant JAMES KIM
FORCES.CA 1-800-856-8488
FIGHT WITH THE CANADIAN FORCES COMBATTEZ AVEC LES FORCES CANADIENNES
Printemps 2010 • l’ingénieur CIVIL canadien • 9
members hip matters / question d’appartenance
V.H.(Vic) Perry FCSCE, FEC, MASc., P.E ng., S enior Vice-President / FSCGC, FEC, MAS c., ing ., Premier vice -président
VISION2020 VISION2020
I have been a member of the CSCE con-
“The image of the CSCE brand has Je suis membre de la SCGC depuis mes
tinuously since I was a student in the 1970’s. années d’université, vers 1970. Je suis devenu
I joined the Society because I believed I had to change if CSCE expects to exist membre de la SCGC parce que j’estimais
an obligation to give back to the organiza- devoir faire quelque chose pour l’organisme
beyond 2020!”
tion that helped develop civil engineering qui avait contribué à faire du génie civil une
into a profession that is highly recognized
« L’image de marque de la SCGC profession reconnue contribuant à planifica-
as honorable, dependable and provides plan- tion, à la conception, à la construction et à
ning, design, construction, and maintenance doit changer si nous tenons à l’entretien des infrastructures qui permettent
of infrastructure—infrastructure that allows
exister encore au-delà de 2020! » aux Canadiens de transporter de façon sécu-
Canadians the ability to safely and efficiently ritaire les personnes et les marchandises. Ces
move people and goods: the fundamental infrastructures constituent les réseaux qui
“Civil engineers and CSCE need
networks that support our quality of life and garantissent notre niveau de vie et notre
our standard of living. to raise their profile.” qualité de vie.
Of course my philanthropic beliefs were Mes préoccupations altruistes n’allaient pas
also a little selfish: what is in it for me? As « Les ingénieurs civils et la SCGC sans un certain égoïsme, et j’espérais bien
a young graduate I realized that I had just
doivent rayonner davantage. » y trouver quelque avantage! Jeune diplômé,
received a good technical foundation in civil j’étais conscient d’avoir reçu une bonne for-
engineering; however, I didn’t feel I was fully competent in the mation technique de base en génie civil, mais je sentais que je
“soft-skills”—negotiating, effectively dealing with people, leader- manquais de compétence dans les aspects non-techniques comme
ship or public speaking. What better place to learn and refine these la négociation, les rencontres avec les gens, le leadership ou l’art de
soft skills than by being on a committee with other civil engineers, parler en public. Il n’y a pas de meilleure place pour apprendre et
where I could practice without my employer being judgmental. At améliorer ces aspects que d’être membre d’un comité, avec d’autres
the same time I could build my networks, which would provide ingénieurs civils, sans risque d’encourir les jugements de mon
immediate and future opportunities for developing business in employeur. En même temps, je créais mes réseaux, ce qui m’assurait
my current job or future employment prospects. Now that I am des possibilités, dans l’immédiat comme pour l’avenir, de faire
nearing the other end of the employment life cycle I am constantly de meilleures affaires. Étant maintenant plutôt en fin de carrière,
observing bright young engineers, serving on CSCE Committees, j’observe souvent de jeunes et brillants ingénieurs qui se dévouent au
as future potential employees. sein de nos comités et qui pourraient devenir de futurs employés…
So in 2009, when I was asked by the CSCE to let my name stand Lorsqu’en 2009, la SCGC m’a invité à poser ma candidature au
for Senior Vice-President, I was honored and humbled; however I poste de premier vice-président, j’ai éprouvé des sentiments à la
also realized that this position comes with a large responsibility—to fois de fierté et d’humilité. Ce poste me conférait une importante
serve Canadian civil engineers. responsabilité, celle de servir les ingénieurs civils canadiens.
Over the past several years that I have been involved with the En travaillant, au cours des dernières années, dans les comités
CSCE on the Board and on various committees, I have noticed that et au c.a., j’ai remarqué que le nombre de nos membres était stag-
our membership has become stagnant and has even seen a slight nant, accusant même une légère baisse, ce qui constitue un signal
downward trend—a trend that is alarming! Since the CSCE Annual d’alarme. Depuis l’assemblée générale annuelle tenue à St. John’s
Meeting in St. John’s, NL in May 2009, I have traveled coast to (TNL), en mai 2009, j’ai traversé tout le pays et rencontré des mem-
coast meeting with both CSCE members and non-members, vol- bres et des non-membres, des bénévoles et des non-bénévoles, des
unteers and non-volunteers, civil engineers and non-civil engineers, ingénieurs civils et des non-ingénieurs, afin de mieux saisir ce que
to better understand what CSCE means or should mean to people. la SCGC représente ou devrait représenter pour les gens. Pourquoi
Why do some civil engineers choose to join our Society while others certains ingénieurs civils choisissent-ils de devenir membres de la
choose not to? SCGC alors que d’autres ne le font pas?
When asked “What image of the CSCE brand do you have?”, À la question « quelle image de marque avez-vous de la SCGC? »,
the response is not an image of a vibrant organization where young on ne m’a pas dit que la SCGC était un organisme débordant de vie,
engineers feel they need to be seen or belong. This is well supported auquel les jeunes ingénieurs éprouvaient le besoin d’appartenir. Les
when you review our membership statistics. Associate Members statistiques sur nos membres reflètent cette constatation. Les mem-
(< 4 years since graduation), the future of CSCE, total less than bres associés (< 4 ans depuis l’obtention du diplôme) sont l’avenir de
100 (< 2%); and the 10-year trend is downward. However, over la société et il n’y en a pas 100 (< 2%). Et les projections sur 10 ans
the same period the number of civil engineering graduates was indiquent une baisse. Cependant, au cours de cette même période,
continued on page 25 suite à la page 25
10 • Canadian CIVIL Engineer • spring 2010WANTED: RECHERCHONS :
ENGINEERS INGÉNIEURS
“My job is constantly evolving, but I was given « Mon métier est en constante évolution mais
the training to deal with whatever comes my heureusement, j’ai été entraînée pour faire face
way. Updating our technology, repairing heavy à l’inattendu. En une seule journée, je peux
machinery, solving problems. It’s all in a effectuer la mise à niveau de nos technologies,
day’s work.” résoudre une variété de problèmes ou même
Lieutenant (Navy) AMY O’RIELLY réparer de la machinerie lourde. »
Lieutenant de vaisseau AMY O’RIELLY
FORCES.CA 1-800-856-8488
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Printemps 2010 • l’ingénieur CIVIL canadien • 11Development
A Personal Perspective
I volunteered to write this article on career teamwork in a very real sense and knew
Ken Peck P.Eng. development with the intention of offering how useful it was for my brothers and me
Senior Geotechnical Engineer, AMEC Earth & Environmental, some direction to today’s younger engineer- to develop practical skills.
Fredericton, NB
ing talent. To that end, I offer the following Neither of my parents discussed career
career story for your consideration even development with us. Unlike today, there
though it might interest you to know that I weren’t that many careers to consider and
have three grown sons and not one of them fewer options about being able to select
is intending to be an engineer! one. Their advice related more to the need
Let me begin by saying that I am one of to get an education, then a good paying job
those dam engineers. My interest in dams with a pension. That’s what taking the best
and soils started when I was a kid con- career path was about to them, so going to
structing small crib works out of sticks and university was very much expected of me.
branches on soil slopes at my family’s sum- My first degree was in science. Although
mer cottage. After filling the back side with I majored in geology, I also took some
earth and rocks, a few fire crackers made the chemistry and I threw in two classes of
whole thing go away with a “Bang!” and a engineering math for good measure. After
minor landslide. That fun of a childhood graduation it took one seasonal job for me
summer was an ingredient in for my life- to realize that, as much as I liked being
long interest in how things work. outdoors, geology had its limitations as a
Perhaps more fundamental to my early career. Perhaps I lacked sufficient imagina-
destiny for an engineering career was my tion to be able to take the geological train-
Dad’s desire to move every boulder on our ing to something beyond field work. Maybe
cottage property into the lake. This was it was because I did so much of my geology
done using logs for rollers and small trees work alone without senior guidance.
as pry-bars for leverage. Grade school sci- I do not consider my studies in geology
ence didn’t have a lot more to teach me a wasted effort—quite the contrary. As a
about mechanical advantage after several geotechnical engineer, my geology back-
summer vacations doing that kind of work. ground has helped me greatly to understand
There was also the unspoken lesson from site conditions and the geological field work
my father that chores needed to get done. helped refine my observation powers. It
They should get done safely and with satis- has allowed me to venture into projects
faction. He had started his career as a town that involve engineering geology, environ-
labourer digging for ditches and under- mental engineering, geomorphology, rock
ground services with hand tools during the mechanics, as well as the more traditional
Depression. He understood manpower and soils and foundation engineering. It was
12 • Canadian CIVIL Engineer • spring 2010a great introduction into projects associ- “Instead, for career advancement, you need to move yourself into
ated with the mining industry dealing with
tailings management and the development situations where you can excel with the capabilities and training
of mine infrastructure. Experience in the that are part and parcel of your own professional repertoire.”
soils lab, in a variety of field situations and
several graduate courses in soils and geology bility. I had positions that sent me to remote background are sought after. This is how
allowed me to understand the bigger picture northern outposts for weeks and months you garner respect from your fellow employ-
of geotechnology. I compare this to junior while my wife was home with a young ees and associates.
soils engineers nowadays who must learn family. With time, I moved into positions Engineers are facilitators. We take an
the trade in the absence of access to a soils where I supervised others doing that type idea or a problem and move it to a work-
lab, or sufficient field training. of regular travel and then I moved onward able outcome or solution. We understand
While I was a geology student, learning to senior management. It surprises me to the mechanics of systems and have train-
seemed to be an individual pursuit. Each this day how little training senior manage- ing in how to build and construct things.
one of us was expected to study the mate- ment offers to middle managers in how to Individually, we might focus on different
rial and then explain relevant parts of it run business operations and develop team aspects of a job and we are likely better at
during an exam. In contrast, engineering work, company loyalty and leadership. It some things that others. Some of us write
students often work as a team to complete seems the required management skills have reports well. Some of us are good at client
assignments. It took me a long time to to be acquired from experience, hard work relations and business development. Others
understand the value in this “engineering and self-initative. of us are experts at estimating project costs.
team” approach and I only grasped it solidly The next phase of my career involved It takes many different talents to complete
once it became so evident to me, as a profes- nearly a decade running my own business an engineering project.
sional engineer, how engineers working on out of my home as an engineering con- Every team has a leader. Some engineers
a particular project are dependent on one sultant. This included several stints as a are naturals at this while others are not.
another. I now know that having the ability contract employee. The basics of the work Influencing and directing others is a subtle
to share a work load and break down tasks environment are the same: keeping on bud- talent. A successful senior manager not only
into components is a true art form. Good get, spending less than the earnings, doing recognizes and develops leadership skills of
project managers gain this artistry at the good work for reliable clients, providing his or her junior staff but provides oppor-
university level, if not before. cost effective, efficient designs and being tunities and funding to support individual
After I graduated from engineering, my in the right place at the right time with growth and fostering of leadership skills. A
first job was as a junior member in a local the necessary talent. A lot of business can good leader sees this as an investment in
office of a multi-national company. I soon be developed based on who you know. the future.
learned that designation as a “local office” Networks, connections, recommendations Change inevitably happens and some-
meant a variety of projects with limited and cordial relationships are indispensible. times it is hard to understand how we can
staff to do the work. The “multi-national” Not all of the networking happens through move forward in a career given the changing
part meant that you could expect to con- the business world either. I made connec- conditions. Changes in technology, envi-
nect with individuals at the senior level tions that ended up providing me with con- ronmental awareness, and socio-economic
who might be elsewhere in the country but tracts through being a scout leader, serving demands on the profession are matters that
who had lots of experience to share with on local committees and attending events force civil engineers to seek the continu-
you. Once a rapport was established, the of local professional associations. Overall, ing education and project experience that
senior cadre was an ongoing source for good as a self-employed engineer, I learned that would keep them near the forefront of engi-
advice and technical guidance. effort needs to be expended before you can neering practice. Not all change is seen for
My first reports were typed by a secretary expect rewards. the better, but nevertheless, we sometimes
using carbons to make multiple copies. I Thinking back on these past thirty years are faced with the need to adjust to new
remember using colored pencils to highlight of my life as a professional engineer has (and sometimes what we feel as backward)
different soil strata in the final borehole logs made me realize that even during my first approaches. As professional engineers, we
and stratigraphic sections before the reports engineering projects I was aware that the have to develop engineering knowledge that
were sent out. Reports were often delivered way to succeed is not just showing up and is compatible with previous learning and
by mail. It may have taken a month or more trying to do good work every day. Instead, marketable to employers and clients. This
for a client to review a draft so that the final for career advancement, you need to move is not easy in an era of globalization where
version could be produced. Compare that yourself into situations where you can excel technological growth and communication
to today when this cycle is often expected with the capabilities and training that are of ideas is increasing rapidly.
to be completed within a single working day part and parcel of your own professional Hopefully my story may be of some ben-
thanks to email! repertoire. You can make a reasonable liv- efit in helping you write yours. There is an
Development of my engineering career ing and feel satisfied in a supporting role, old saying: “Good judgment comes from
followed a journey that was probably not but professional fulfillment comes more experience. Much experience comes from
unlike others seeking a variety of project often from contributing fully in a situation bad judgment.” n
experiences and increased levels of responsi- where your experiences, knowledge and
Printemps 2010 • l’ingénieur CIVIL canadien • 13The New Civil Engineer
Alan R. Perks P.Eng., FCSCE How should civil engineers be prepared providing innovative management and
Past President CSCE, Senior Consultant, for the workplace today? What is the right operational strategies for improved, sus-
R.V. Anderson Associates Limited, Ottawa, ON balance between “number crunching” and tainable solutions. Instead of jumping to
Reg Andres P.Eng., FCSCE “management skills”? the latest, highest technology, lower cost-
Vice President, R.V. Anderson Associates Limited, Toronto, ON Preparing new graduates for the world of demand management solutions may in fact
infrastructure involves such questions as: be preferred.
• What will new graduates face? The question civil engineers must answer
• What do they need to know? and has changed; it is not only about “how”,
• W hat qualifications will make them it is about “why”. In the modern public
“saleable”? environment, the “why” question (justifi-
After graduation, engineers need lifelong cation, effectiveness, relative cost, public
learning to gain the skills and experience acceptability and downstream impacts) has
required to be successful in the workplace to be clearly explained and communicated
today. to the public long before the “how” ques-
In an increasingly populated and tech- tion can be addressed (design, construction
nology dependant world, civil engineering and operation). The implications of that
strategies and solutions are subject to more new question have been rippling through
social, economic and financial pressures civil engineering over the last two decades.
than ever before. Technology is more com- Foremost among those implications are the
plex, decision-making is multi-dimensional, skills and abilities civil engineers need in
and the public does not readily accept the workplace.
imposed solutions. The most cost-effective, For example, public consultation is para-
environmentally benign, easiest to operate mount in virtually every environmental
infrastructure solutions that achieve the assessment protocol. The function, cost and
desired level of service may be the most impacts of public infrastructure projects
sustainable in the end. have to be communicated in very clear,
The civil engineer now has to focus on understandable terms, and the public’s
functionality as well as design standards/ views and opinions must be factored into
criteria in order to present the most appro- the planning and design process in a very
priate solutions for the stakeholders and transparent manner. The French use the
the community involved. This necessar- term “vulgarization” to describe the trans-
ily involves integrating civil technologies lation of detailed technical information
in ways the public can understand, and into clear, concise writing the public can
14 • Canadian CIVIL Engineer • spring 2010comprehend. This is an important skill, as Civil engineers must now also be con- • Multi disciplinary teamwork & consen-
demonstrated by the public discourse over cerned with the very long term, life life- sus building;
civil engineering projects in any city news- cycle impacts of projects and engineering • Facilitation and group dynamics;
paper these days. For example, a combined activities—indeed with sustainable devel- • Public consultation & communications;
sewer overflow into the Ottawa River was opment. This involves a much wider knowl- • Ability to factor in social, economic and
described as “350 Olympic sized swimming edge and understanding of non-technical environmental factors in design; and
pools of sewage”. At the minimum flow in skills like economics, public affairs, govern- • Understanding the process of “learn-
the Ottawa river, some 226,000 Olympic ment and regulations in order to contribute ing” and application of learned knowl-
sized swimming pools would flow past the fully to project development. They need to edge to new situations.
same overflow point during that spill, a consider what the civil project is enabling Civil engineering has indeed contributed
perspective that was never mentioned in the to occur over the long term. For example, greatly to human development and quality
newspapers. the City of New Orleans is situated below of life through the provision of public infra-
Increasingly stringent environmental sea level. The levees and dykes to protect the structure for water supply, pollution con-
regulations and standards, such as water city from flooding were all designed accord- trol, transportation, industrial/commercial
quality and effluent discharge criteria, quite ing to accepted standards of the day, but developments. Such infrastructure makes
often determine the size, cost and com- engineers failed to consider the effects of life more comfortable, convenient, reward-
plexity of a civil engineering project. The piecemeal development and environmental ing, healthy and longer for all. However,
civil engineer needs to question and assess changes that aggravated the flood condition as urban settlements have increased far
imposed standards and explain their impact over time. The present-day rehabilitation beyond the natural carrying capacity of
to the public, and sometimes devise innova- costs now involved would likely have gone the earth, humanity has become technol-
tive options that may be more cost-effective. a long way in the past towards a fail-safe ogy dependant, and the impacts upon the
For example, to reduce phosphorus dis- solution. global environment are becoming increas-
charge into a river, investing in on-farm Many young people likely enter civil ingly obvious. The CSCE was one of the
agricultural improvements may be much engineering because they did well in math, first learned societies to adopt guidelines
less costly than building a tertiary treatment and perhaps were not interested or exposed for sustainable development to inform its
plant for an adjacent town or village. This is to the humanities, arts and literature. They members about these issues and trends.
called water-quality trading. may have been motivated more towards the The CSCE’s 2005 Sustainable Development
The instant electronic access to techni- applied aspects of civil engineering seen Guidelines highlighted the emerging issues.
cal information at every stage of project in the buildings, roads bridges, dams and “The sheer size and scale of that same
delivery has also changed the public’s per- waterways civil engineers designed and built infrastructure is contributing to environ-
ceptions of civil infrastructure. The civil over the decades. The technical skill sets mental degradation. There are increasing
engineer is no longer the main interpreter of honed through five years of post secondary signs that the human population is seri-
technical information on the function and education, and perhaps longer, may not be ously impacting the global environment,
design of public infrastructure, certainly at enough to enable a professional to deal with including the atmosphere. The unin-
the planning stages. He or she is usually one the pressures and public issues discussed tended consequences of modern infra-
of a team of disciplines involved in project above. structure, such as resource consumption,
development, and must accept input and The distinction between the skill sets waste discharges and gaseous emissions,
advice from many other stakeholders. That needed for a technical career versus a proj- now threaten the global environment and
role is very different from the role civil engi- ect management career is now sharper than our life-support systems.
neers have been trained for in past. ever. After university, younger civil engi- Civil engineers are thus faced with
The design criteria and assumptions neers need to become more proficient in an increasingly complex and interrelated
underlying every infrastructure project are areas such as public communications, stra- world; a world that is growing rap-
no longer being accepted without question. tegic thinking, and economics by means of idly in population, and becoming more
Demand projections, peaking factors, his- continuing education programs and “on- urbanized and economically developed.
torical trends, material performance spec- the-job” training. Infrastructure development can no longer
ifications (i.e. hydraulic friction factors) What are the attributes of a new graduate be done in a microcosm on a project level
and modelling criteria are all questioned that make them saleable in the workplace —a more holistic consideration of the
vigorously in the public environment. The today? complex interactions of human society,
civil engineer needs to examine and assess • Good interpersonal communication and the environment upon which we
these assumptions at the earliest stages of a skills—oral & written and listening; depend, is needed.”
project. In a recent value engineering exer- • The practical application of new tech- The “new civil engineer” has to develop
cise, consideration of strategic, short term nologies using traditional engineering the broad skills and experience to function
storage of peak wastewater flows resulted analysis; well in the interrelated world we now live
in the reduction of the cost of a conven- • Effective problem solving—with the in, just like the early civil engineers who
tional sewage pipeline from $60 million to freedom to think out of the box; developed the infrastructure centuries ago
$40 million. • Strategic thinking so that all options the enabled us to enjoy the quality of life we
can be identified and explored; now have. n
Printemps 2010 • l’ingénieur CIVIL canadien • 15Vous pouvez aussi lire
