The Fellow who's putting something back

摘要

You might not expect someone busy maintaining his company's success in the cut-throat international market for radio frequency equipment to pay too much attention to the IEE's ongoing efforts to recruit and retain members. But for Gerald David, Chairman of Chesham-based Aerial Facilities Ltd, finding out at first hand what the IEE can do to make itself a more attractive organisation is an everyday part of his job. Now past the age at which most engineers would be thinking of retiring, Gerald sees himself as the classic example of someone who, having admired the IEE throughout his life and joined it late following the 1987 merger with the IERE, has enjoyed every moment of trying to give it some token of gratitude for a long and enjoyable career in electrical and radio engineering. An important part of putting something back is helping to recruit the next generation of members. But encounters with AFL's young engineers have convinced Gerald that' the IEE has to be more aware and understanding of the complete sea change in the philosophy of young people entering industry. 'If we're going to be neaningful as an institution in the next decade, we have to interpret their aspirations into tangible assets which they can enjoy,' he says.