IET: The Apprentice: engineers cant turn their hands to business
Alan Watts, Vice President of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, said:
“Lord Sugar says 'I have never come across an engineer who can turn his hand to business…' He clearly doesn't get out enough to meet the wide variety of successful engineering businessmen. Engineers and technologists in most years form around 15% of FTSE 100 companies’ directors. Sir James Dyson, Sir John Rose (Rolls Royce) and Sir Robin Saxby (Arm) are just a few of the better known engineers and designers who can 'turn their hands to business' and do it very well.
“And then there are the many engineers who are the driving forces behind the new high-growth knowledge economy start-ups. I run Halo, the Northern Ireland business angel network, and we see any amount of these future success stories at their earliest stages. These are companies who will fuel future growth in this country.
“I realise Lord Sugar's comment was meant to be somewhat tongue in cheek and certainly makes good television. However in the real world engineers do turn their hands to business and do it rather well in fact.”
Robert Beahan
Press Officer
The IET
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