ELAZIG GUNISIGI NEWSPAPER - December 2010
DECEMBER 19 - CIVIL ENGINEERS' DAY
The Chamber of Civil Engineers held its first general assembly on December 19, 1954, and since that day, this date has been celebrated as Civil Engineers' Day every year. I intentionally use the word "celebrated" rather than "celebrated" because, unfortunately, Civil Engineers' Day remains limited to a few newspaper articles.
Today, the number of civil engineers registered with the Chamber has exceeded 80,000. When considering those who are not registered, the number approaches 100,000. There are civil engineering departments in more than 40 universities in our country, and every year, hundreds of people join our profession.
Until a few years ago, I didn’t even know that there was a day for civil engineers. When I was a student and even long after graduating, no one around me had any knowledge about such a day. Although one in every 750 people in our country is a civil engineer, I realize that our profession does not receive the attention it deserves.
It is now common knowledge that our country is located in an earthquake zone and faces significant structural risks. One of the most important measures to be taken against the inadequate seismic resilience of our building stock is the training of civil engineers who are experts in their field. This requires the provision of sufficient personnel and technical facilities in the civil engineering departments of universities.
Like in every country, the construction sector constitutes about 40% of the national economy in Turkey. I believe that even this figure is sufficient to emphasize the importance of the profession.
The problems of the civil engineering profession should at least be voiced today, and the opinions of those who play a significant role in the future of the country should be heard. It is even difficult to write pages about this subject… For example, the civil engineering department in Elazığ has been established since 1967. This department has contributed over 3,000 engineers to the profession over the past 43 years. This figure accounts for more than 3% of the civil engineers in Turkey. Unfortunately, in such a city, the Chamber of Civil Engineers (İMO) is still represented by a branch. The situation in Elazığ, as it deserves, should be the establishment of an İMO branch in our city.
It is an injustice to not transform the Elazığ İMO into a branch under the pretext of some unfortunate past events. I hope Elazığ will soon reach the position it deserves in this regard.
Civil engineering is a difficult profession with heavy responsibility, but it is also a very rewarding one. When a building, road, bridge, or dam is completed, knowing that you had a hand in it brings great happiness and makes you forget all your fatigue.
I highly recommend the civil engineering profession to all young people who are considering their career options. Civil engineering is a culture, from the ink in the project to the dust on the construction site. Every project you prepare, every structure you build, is an important service, and it is of great significance for the future of our country. This consciousness and responsibility are the unquenchable pleasures of our profession.
In Elazığ, there are over 500 civil engineers due to the regional directorates related to construction. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all my colleagues on Civil Engineers' Day.
In fact, I wish that all engineers and architects would have a common day. Because all of these people are service-oriented individuals, and they should raise their voices together.
According to the Turkish Language Association, an engineer is someone who has specialized in fields such as civil engineering, agriculture, food, physics, chemistry, biology, electricity, electronics, and technical and social areas, and has received the necessary education. An engineer is, therefore, a service person, an action-oriented person. They are not the problem but the solution to the problems.
I extend my respectful greetings, wishing that all professions serving our country and its people receive the attention and recognition they deserve.