INTERVIEW
D
&Ri
has interviewed
the last threepresidents
of the IDEupon their
accession to theoffice, and like
his predecessors, IDEpresident
DuncanRudall has some firm
goals inmind for his termof office.
Talking at the recent IDESpring
Seminar at theRoyalArmouries inLeeds,
he said: “Themain aim that I have for thenext
twoyears is to see the status of the Institute
raised to ahigher levelwithin the industry, but
alsowithin the general construction industry
aswell. In addition, Iwant to see the entrance
criteria elevated toprovide a goodgrounding
of qualification andback-up to ensure that the
skills of ourmembers are recognised.”
“It is fair to say that thedemolition sector
has beenviewedby the general construction
industry as being at the lower end,maybe less
well educated in amoredemanding sector.
I thinkwehave flipped that on its headover
recent years –wehavebecome a verywell
educatedworkforce aswell as beingvery
well qualified.Weneed toget thismessage
out to awider audience that there is an
engineering institute inplace for the
demolition sectorwhosemembership
ismadeupof a fullyqualified
and experienced engineering
fraternity.”
In recent years, the IDEhas
made efforts to internationalise
itsmembership.However,
these efforts have to a large
extent failed togenerate a large
up-take fromdemolition
specialists fromoutside the
UK.Duncan saidof this
effort: “Itwas agreat idea
andwedo reallywant this to
happen– the issue ismanaging
the examinationprocess
overseas.Obviously,wenow
have someEuropeanmembers
and that is slightly easier,with
contact possible at the various
demolition events that take
place, such as your Summit.”
“Thenewmembershipgrade thatwas
announced at our recentAGM, TechIDE,
shouldhelp in this regard. This grade is
aimed atmanagement level individualswho,
forwhatever reason, arenot able to sit the
examinations but aremore than capableof
doing thework.Webelieve that thiswould
bemore fitting for overseas individualswho
wish to join the Institute since there is a lesser
requirement for gaining formalContinuous
ProfessionalDevelopment (CPD) points as is
laiddown for theothermembershipgrades.”
The announcement of thisnewgradewas
such that itwas intended tobe amembership
grade for at lower level demolitionpersonnel
within theUKwhodidnot suit the existing
grades so
D&Ri
askedDuncanhow thiswould
work.He answeredby saying: “That is perhaps
an impressionwedidnot really intend to
give.While it is true there ismuch less of an
examination framework involvedwith the
TechIDEgrade and it is aimed at the lower end
of the site-basedpeople, there are still a lot of
individuals out therewhohave the skills to
‘tear abuildingdownwith their eyes shut’ but
sitting an examinationwouldnot be their forte
or for other reasons. Becauseof this criteria
formaintaining amembership, it fitswell for
potentialmembers overseas.”
Duncanwent on to say that hebelieves
that themore individuals fromoutside theUK
industry takeup thismembershipgrade, the
better itwill be for both the industryglobally
and theUK industry itself. “I think theUK
is already streets aheadof themajorityof the
world in terms of best practice, and especially
where thequalificationpath is concerned,
something I believehas been recognised for
quite some time. Trying to administerwhatwe
want to administer in regionswhereperhaps
theworkingpractises havenot quite caught
upwith thewaywework– Iwouldnot saynot
in the same leaguebutmorenot in the same
sort of controlled environment – thatwill
beharder.However, to try and capture these
people, perhaps theTechIDE is theonlyway
cando it. But nomatterwhatwedo, itwill
D&Ri
editor
Lindsay
Gale
spokewith new
Institute of Demolition
Engineers president
DuncanRudall
at the
Institute’s Spring Seminar in
Leeds about his hopes for
his term of office
Trying to administer what wewant to administer
in regionswhere perhaps theworking practises
have not quite caught upwith theway wework
– I would not say not in the same league
butmore not in the same sort of
controlled environment – that
will be harder.
IDE president DuncanRudall
Raising the profile
>
10
IDE president DuncanRudall addresses the
delegates at the IDE’s Spring Seminar at the
Royal Armouries in Leeds, UK
9
d
&
ri
MARCH-APRIL 2015
