The on-going situation related to the virus outbreak has cast much worry and doubt into people’s lives up and down the country. Families and businesses have been forced to adapt to social distancing measures and new ways of living and working, and the Society of Operations Engineers is no exception.
In this time of change we have been impressed by the willingness of our members to engage online. A recent webinar run by our professional development team to promote professional registration attracted a large number of participants and has been typical of the appetite among our members to continue their professional development despite the limitations imposed by the virus outbreak.
Despite the challenges of where we are currently, technology really has helped us all to function. As a Society, the investments made in recent years to modernise our own digital platforms has paid dividends in the last few months, enabling us to work remotely while continuing to support our members and operate effectively.
On the theme of digital, I am also pleased to welcome you to our first bumper quarterly print edition of Operations Engineer. As you are aware, Operations Engineer adopted a ‘digital first’ model in April, whereby new content is posted online and collected into a weekly e-newsletter (those who are not yet signed up can do so by visiting www.is.gd/pihubo). This print journal is a manifestation of that digital work, featuring more content, new sections and a high-quality design.
As a Society we are committed to promoting sustainability and delivering public benefit. We are also a licensed member of the Society for the Environment. The changes to Operations Engineer bring a regular stream of online content to the fingertips of members, more sustainable publishing by reducing reliance on print and postage, and retention of a quality print product.
I hope you enjoy this inaugural quarterly edition of the journal and continue to safely navigate these challenging times.