Category: Chair’s Blog

From previous initiatives within group it was agreed that large events, tasks, initiatives, etc could be best managed by forming ‘subgroups’ primarily made up from group council members and others with special interest and/or skills/knowledge.

A ‘Champion’ to lead each subgroup would be agreed who would lead and co-ordinate the actions of the sub-group and its supporters/volunteers.

The following sub-groups and ‘champions’ were agreed

Website

Role – Website (including some Marketing, Branding, Logo, and other Social media)

Champion – Andy Stevenson, IMechE

2020 Great Exhibition of the Tees Valley (GETV)

Role – Great Exhibition event organisation. Great Exhibition of the Tees Valley (GETV) flyer attached which forms the basis of the event.

Champion – Paul Ingram, The RSA

2025 events

Role – how groups can help with City of Culture / Stockton to Darlington

Champion – Paula M^cMahon, ICE (temporary)

Current funding landscape

Role – Task is to find possible funders (‘without stepping on toes’).

Champion – Neville Winter, IET

 

The Engineering Together Committee in the Tees Valley is pleased to announce that it has agreed an official Constitution for our Council.

This outlines obligations for voting, key roles, length of terms and other formalities, allowing us to move forward with ONE VOICE.

It is acknowledged that Professional Engineering Institutions (PEIs) are the core of the group, however others who share our aims are welcome.

We agreed that as a group we stand by our previous objectives and strategy and when decisions are made we stand as ONE VOICE.

We agreed the following represents our culture:

Outcomes not ownership

Nurturing networks

Enabling efficiency

Value one vision

Operating openness

Influencing with integrity

Collaboration with compromise

Emphasis on equality

We agreed a name to better reflect the inclusive approach and make ourselves more accessible to a wider audience whilst keeping the foundation of our beginnings…

Launch date and venue agreed 20^th June with Ormesby Hall.

Paula presented her first draft of the presentation which outlined our goals and what we planned to achieve.

Some extracts from Paula’s first draft…

Although many of you work with others this group, our Council, to our knowledge is unique.

Each has a differing primary focus; various branches of engineering, arts, historic preservation, STEM, equality, sustainability.

However we all have an overarching desire to benefit society and a need to do it more effectively.

We all have an overarching desire to benefit society and a need to do it more effectively.

We can raise the profile:

• Of local projects which benefit society
• Of STEM work already being undertake in isolation or with current limited partners
• Of speakers and collaborators as some of our events shall be high profile

At our meeting we noted that not all institutions involved are accreditation bodies.

We agreed to concentrate on outcomes and extend our group beyond the traditional organisations we have worked with.

We agreed institutions who operate with a Teesside focus who align to our objectives can have representation on this Council. 

All encouraged to think about new punchier name (aim three words or less) with logo. To do big reveal at Launch Event.

After some of us met at an IChemE Dinner our first meeting was held at the Sir Robert McAlpine A19 DBFO Offices in Billingham.

MEETING AIM

This is an initial meeting to see what we can do better serve our combined goals or indeed decide if this is a bad idea.

WE AGREED

Together we should be able to do more with fewer active volunteers per institution.

The Council agreed we are to show a unified front for all engineering disciplines though:

• Public engagement events
• Schools events engaging with under 16s, parent and teachers

For all events we shall aim to promote the possibility of having a bigger pool of Engineers which more closely aligns with the demographics of society.

We feel that our objectives will help raise aspirations of children in the north east and improve social mobility.