The Society of Professional Engineers
(Established 1969)
For the Promotion of the Qualification and Status of the Professional Engineer Worldwide
David Hardcastle
PEng, HonFSE, MSPE, FCMI, BIng(Germany)
David Hardcastle was born in 1933 in Wimbledon completing his education at Kingston Polytech College [ now Kingston University], after a much disrupted and complicated period through the war years. In the National Service he was in the Royal Engineers, this included some involvement in the Coronation Ceremony for Queen Elizabeth.
With Surveying and Engineering qualifications he joined E.W Avent Ltd, a firm of Civil Engineering contractors specialising in all aspects of gas and water distribution in the South and West of England. Memorable incidents included the completion of steel integration mains after rationalization and alas the construction and planning of the valving, mains alternation and services for the conversion of town to natural gas.
After 32 years, ten of which as Contract Director, the purchase of the company caused redundancy which was followed by 12 years highway and motoring maintenance with Surrey County Council and partnership Consulting Engineers for the Highway Agency.
David has a passion for inter-disciplinary requirements of Engineers to obtain efficiency with safety and the requirement qualifications to be agreed by all the many governments and institutional authorities. He became a Member for the Society of Engineers in 1954 [now the IET] and the Society of Professional Engineers after it’s inception. Although the ideal aims are accepted internationally it would seem that the “devil” is in the detail and much work remains to be done.
We must be optimistic and trust that the up and coming generation will also support these aims, and urge everyone to join the multi-disciplinary and international Society of Professional Engineers.