Towards a GloCal Engineering

In this contemporary time, the most dynamic and evolving area is engineering. Such an observation may seem at first to be a mere truism but closer considerations of its impacts in medicine, entertainment, energy and surgery will rapidly dispel any such dismissive judgment.
Engineering is transforming all fields. Future medicine looks as a field where robots will seamlessly help doctors and surgeons get patients to work quicker and healthier. The future of global energy looks promising because engineers are breaking barriers daily in the quest to deliver affordable, efficient and clean sources of power.

From entertainment to security, nothing is spared. Today's wars are technology wars fuelled by engineering geniuses acquired, advanced and processed over centuries. The bravery of a modern warlord is the engineering feat of someone who may never have to shoot. We are living in an era where discovery is not celebrated, not because they have become easier, but because they are happening regularly.
Engineering practice has changed so much and in a radical form from what it was a few decades ago. The global energy problem is engineering problem. The global health challenge is engineering problem and daily engineers are faced with burdens to solve major world problems. While the politicians enact the energy bills, the engineers make the energy practically available.

The bold and optimistic challenge to help engineer bio-grade artificial human organs is an assessment that managing what Nature gives us has limitations. Why not get a new artificial brain if the one that exists is troublesome enough?

But these advances pose serious ethical challenges which the engineers are not providing answers. In most cases, that is not their job; someone has to regulate them and put them on the path of keeping sanity on this earth.

Technical Writing

The educational background required in technical writing is demanding, because of the inherent difficulty of the job. It can be quite difficult to write a technical report, but with the right research and knowledge of basic report formats, you should be on your way to writing a good one. If you enjoy reading and writing, an education in Technical Writing can prepare you for an exciting career as a proof-reader, editor, or technical writer.

Online Technical Writing training may be provided by accredited and non-accredited career education schools and technical writing courses prescribe a dominant format and organization to make information readable, available, and accessible. These programs may include courses in prose, technical disciplines, advanced technical skills, and documentation, among others.

If you like explaining hard-to-understand processes and concepts in a plain language and with a consistent vocabulary, and like simplifying complex processes and make them easily accessible, then you'll enjoy technical writing while saying goodbye to your financial worries. Unless you are already an expert in a technical field and limit the scope of your writing to that, you will probably be required to quickly learn the details of certain processes - even entire industries. Depending on where you live and the local economic conditions, you'd be surprised at the number of employers who would be willing to give a novice with no track record a head start in technical writing.

If you are the type of writer who is more creative than systemic, you will find it hard to succeed in a technical writing job. In other words, the job profile of a technical writer involves writing and designing user guides, brochures and white papers for a plethora of products.

Business plans, technical report writing, grant writing, instruction manuals, and business correspondence are just a few of the more common types of technical writing jobs available. So, in the present world of complicated gadgets, technical documentations require more than just writing. This trend, may give the Technical Writing profession the impetus it requires.

Technical Writing Tips and Tricks

Technical writing is a fabulous career for anyone who loves research and writing. If you have a degree in accounting, engineering, biotechnology, or computer technology, consider becoming a technical writer (technical author in the UK). You don't necessarily need a degree to become a technical writer but it doesn't hurt. The alternative is to get a technical writing certificate. It's imperative to know how to write for technical and non-technical audiences. If you're able to convey information to both of these audiences, you'll have a successful career as a technical writer.

Technical Writing Tips and Tricks
Know your target audience. Are you writing for a technical or non-technical audience? These are two different audiences. One will understand 'technical jargon' and the other won't. Make sure you use verbiage that the end user will understand.

What is your writing goal? You can write the most comprehensive manual or users guide but if you get lost in the details, your goal will be lost in translation! Don't get lost in the details. Step back from your work and look at the big picture. Does your writing make sense? Will the target audience understand what you wrote? If focus solely on the details your message will get lost. Review your writing now and again to make sure you're on track with your writing goal.

Use examples. Help the end user out by using examples. You may understand the information back and forwards but don't assume the end user will. Provide examples within your writing, especially if you're technical writing is for computer software. Make sure the examples are relevant and the audience can understand them.

Give credit to your resources. Do you remember when you had to write research papers and were required to quote sources and provide a bibliography? Make sure you reference any resources you use. Give credit whenever you can.

Use visuals. Most people are visual and will appreciate a table of contents, graph, or chart. Use these whenever you can because it will help the end user understand the information quickly.
Proofread your work. If you don't have an editor or manager proofreading your work, make sure you proofread. It can be embarrassing for a company to send out a manual or guide that's filled with errors. You'd be surprised by the amount of errors found in newspapers, magazines, newsletters, books, brochures, and other writings. Ask someone to proofread your work to make sure all errors are found and corrected.

Technical Writing and Communications

Writing is a method of communication that most of us are able to do although some are better at communicating with the written word than others. Technical writing is a formal style of writing for producing documentation in a wide range of industries such as engineering, biotechnology, aerospace, rail, electronics and robotics to name a few.

Technical writers are expected to explain complex systems and related plans to both technically and non-technically minded people. Technical writing can cover systems as complex as the wiring for a military vehicle or as mundane as operating manual for a television remote control.
A technical writer will need to understand who their audience will be and their level of experience and education. They will then gather information from existing subject documentation, for instance, wiring diagrams and from the manufacturers or designers of the subject matter.

Technical documentation includes training guides, maintenance manuals and parts catalogues and many technical publications departments also include a technical illustrator who can create technical drawings to supplement the instructions in the documentation.

Rather than tie up valuable resources in employing technical writers, illustrators and buying all the necessary equipment and software, many firms find it economically more sensible to outsource their technical publications requirements. By doing this you have often have more control over the budget and can factor the costs on to the customer.

Technical Job Descriptions

You may have started your engineering career in the UK, but have you ever considered some wider options? You don't have to go too far to try your hand in a slightly different engineering environment. There are a whole range of different countries that are recruiting for lots of different engineering roles. It is always useful to at least be aware of what opportunities are available to you.

There are some great engineering opportunities in Ireland at the moment. A little online research will show you just how many different job roles you can apply for. But before you do, here is a little taster of what's out there:
Wind Turbine site technician
The main function of this job is to fix and repair faulty wind turbines. Surprisingly this job also requires a high level of administration skills. This is because every problem that is encountered needs to be documented and recorded in detail. Wind turbine site technician also need to monitor different equipment parts and order new ones if required. Safety is also a high priority so regular quality control inspections should be done.
Infrastructure support engineer
Some of the daily activities for this role include things like performing installations, assisting buyers, looking for new and relevant IT procedures, putting together problem solving information and taking incident calls and questions.

Computer Aided Design support engineers
Candidates who take on this role will be expected to be able to provide high quality support to CAD specialists. The role involves a substantial amount of problem solving and require attention to detail. The function of this role is to provide comprehensive software solutions for sustaining infrastructure.
Wind Farm Project Manager

If you care about the environment and believe that renewable energy is the way forward then this could be the perfect role for you. You will need to spend a few years getting some relevant experience and qualifications because this role is for an experienced manager.

The UK's Civil Engineering Industry in Global Recession

It cannot be denied that we are in a very tough market at the moment. The constant "doom and gloom" headlines from press and trade journals are trying their best to dampen the spirits of even the best of us.
The best performing sector in recent months, civil engineering, is no exception. With some private companies opting to "recruit from within" before looking for an external resource, mixed with an air of nervousness from job seekers hesitant to dip their toe into the market, there is no way of ignoring that there are fewer positions available.
According to a recent figure reported by Sky News, there were 14,849 job losses from June 2008 to November 2008 in the civil engineering sector. Some of the UK's leading engineering consulting firms have all shed their jobs during the last quarter of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009, states New Civil Engineer (NCE) news.

What's more, a continuous increase in the prices of steel and cement is adding fuel to the fire. The economic advisor of Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA), Jim Turner, confirmed that their January 2008 survey showed biggest ever rise in the materials cost. He believes that this is certainly a tough time since clients are not going to be tolerant on higher tender prices and this might lead to a lower volume of work.
On the contrary, a recent research shows that the civil engineering market has started to bounce back as it has shown growth in January 2009. According to analysts Glenigan, compared to December 2008, a sharp rise in the civil engineering sector is witnessed. The sector has also shown an increase of 18% compared to a year ago.

In addition, the announcement of several new projects has given an extra boost to this sector. The Rail industry, in particular, looks set to have a busy season with Crossrail frameworks being announced in early 2009 as well as major station overhauls and infrastructure upgrades planned on the London Underground. The East London Line Extension, Thameslink and the Olympics will all add to increased demand for experienced candidates.

Once the funding for the £5 Billion M25 widening project gets finalised, an influx of Highway Engineering jobs, both site and design is expected to be seen. This DBFO project is by far the largest Highway Engineering scheme underway in the UK.

Besides that, the demand for skilled personal throughout the whole country remains strong. A huge increase in demand for ITS engineers has been seen recently. Candidates from a broad background are being considered ranging from Civil, Transportation, Electronics or Rail. There are vacancies in key locations across the UK for Assistant Project Managers and Project Managers as well.

The Civil Engineering Job Market In The UK

Civil engineers in the United Kingdom are working in a time where traditional methods of design are being integrated with new technology. Engineers working on new streets, storefronts, or public buildings no longer need to sketch furiously at their desks in order to get their job done. These engineering professionals are now able to utilise drafting and other software that helps them turn concepts into 3-D models that have realistic features. This trend towards a hi-tech workplace for civil engineers is but one way in which the profession is changing in the UK. Graduates and other engineers interested in civil engineering jobs need to understand these various changes in order to appreciate and evaluate the current job market.

The job market for civil engineers in the UK has become a vibrant area of competition for talented engineers from around the world. The rise of the website as a tool for recruitment not only helps graduates in the United Kingdom but professionals from Asia, North America, and elsewhere. Engineering firms are recognising that universities around the world, particularly in Asia, are producing graduates with a growing technological grounding and awareness in technical disciplines, including civil engineering. As such, a UK civil engineer looking for a position with a major firm needs to be able to demonstrate their academic accomplishments and show how they are a better investment than a Chinese or Indian engineer.

Also, the civil engineering job market in the UK has become a place where companies feel it beneficial to adopt new and challenging approaches. Unlike the rigid job requirements of a generation ago, smaller engineering firms are becoming prominent by thinking creatively about their recruiting efforts. Their search for rounded yet innovative personnel means that engineers working on civil projects have to be intelligent and possess exceptional qualifications to even get a foot in the door. However, an applicant with a specific skill or background, be this knowledge of a particular design program or experience overseas assisting developing communities, may spark the interest of weary hiring managers. Young engineers need to highlight the diversity of their experience in order to distinguish themselves.

Floor Heating by Underfloor Heating UK

Demand for underfloor heating is increasing dramatically in the UK with more and more consumers realising the benefits of energy efficiency along with the very real comfort of underfloor heating. Our European and Scandinavian brothers long ago realised the value of electric underfloor heating systems and gradually as ceramic and stone floors become more the norm in the UK, we are also coming round to enjoying the benefits of this type of heating. Investing in a ceramic, limestone, slate or stone floor is enhanced with the addition of underfloor heating at a relatively low cost but high comfort value. The rather poor press for the underfloor heating systems of the 60's has been forgotten and replaced with a new enthusiasm as professionals and consumers alike realise the importance of energy efficiency and technology has catapulted underfloor heating into the 21st century. It is the 'must have' of every design and energy conscious house owner.

In particular Conservatory underfloor heating is very popular as is underfloor heating for bathrooms. Everyone can enjoy underfloor heating as companies suck as Enerfoil Magnum Ltd offer various floor heating systems for all types of areas and floor finishes.

There are many systems on the market with varying degrees of flexibility and quality. It is important to choose the right system for the job, always checking the substrate and floor finish and getting the best technical advice and system design. The UK now has many companies. Many of these companies are offering poor advice and technical Information. Many new companies are merely reselling the products from other countries into the UK and have not expertise or technical knowledge to sell the products.

The refurbishment market is huge and underfloor heating can be used in any room, even the smallest bathroom without complication of raising floor levels.

Low voltage systems, such as Enerfoil, are mainly used in wet areas and can be installed directly onto timber or concrete and under any floor finish, and is only 0.2mm thick. The simplicity of installation is an attractive proposition particularly in en-suite bathrooms in domestic and hotel situations. The Scandinavian wet room concept makes tiles the only real sensible option and in such an area, the safe low voltage underfloor heating system is ideal, keeping the floor warm, comfortable and dry.