When UKM drops its M

That’s quite a struggle when you want to be accredited as a Chartered Engineer in the UK but holds a Malaysian engineering degree. That’s what I realised recently when I was making attempts to be a “professionally qualified” engineer in this country.

It’s not that it will make a huge difference in status or that it’s valued when I go home. But since I’m here, I might as well work towards something that is valued here.

Then again, I found myself caught in a logistical quagmire - going in circles and trying to clear a path through the dense forest with no clear directions. There are like hundreds of lines of explanation and things to remember in order to get to point B from A, but every time when I feel like I’m getting somewhere, there are obstacles. It’s like one of those Indiana Jones treasure hunt experience – it’s in front of you but you have to wade through scorpions!

At some point I wished I were a Singaporean or a citizen in any of the Washington Accord signatory countries. Their engineering schools are first of all, accredited by the engineering institutes here and secondly, their professional qualifications are convertible into a UK one! Recognition is not only confined to engineering qualifications but also other qualifications like driving.

So what if Malaysian engineering degrees are not accredited overseas?

Not a lot if you aren’t thinking of progressing to be a Chartered Engineer or anything more than just being employed. But if you are, there’re a few steps extra and every stage of progression is £££. That means it can be “costly” without accreditation.

I did find myself disadvantaged and peeved in some ways. Our entire engineering education system is based on the British systems. We have good researches happening at home. It’s understandable if the US demands some form of topping up courses because of the irregularity of standards between two countries. But not being recognised by the country that we based our engineering standards from is just strange. It seems wrong too!

Okay, though I must admit we used AASHTO and the ASTM in some areas. But that’s because they appear to be more robust and sound in areas where the BS-es aren’t.

I want to blame someone but I do not know who. Sometimes I blame our government for not doing enough. I can’t help but think, “why aren’t we bloody signed up to the Washington Accord??!! What’s stopping us??” Then I would concede that we may not measure up to international standards after all? We have too much to do with existing undergraduates who are not meeting industries’ expectations. So, that’s like asking a toddler to run before knowing how to walk.

Sometimes I blame myself for not doing my undergraduate overseas. The thought of turning down a scholarship to study in Singapore highlights one of the bad decisions in life. Or why don’t I just blame the UK institutions for being such a snob, right?



Wrong.

I think the reason is multiple and complicated. Perhaps the question is: Is it really important getting into the Accord and trying to be known by the signatory countries? Why should we when the rest of the hundred over countries aren’t? Why the UK? Why not Japan? Why not Germany? After all, these countries are also known for their engineering prowess worldwide.

I have stopped passing the buck. In fact, I don’t think there is a buck to pass. Complaining isn’t going to solve problems. Making the first move is.

SLSC Aquathlon Series 2

Organised by the South London Swimming Club and held at the Tooting Bec Lido, this is a four-series swim and run event. In Malaysia, we call it a Biathlon Race. Here it's Aquathlon. Oh well...here are the numbers....

1000m Swim time : 20mins 37 secs
8km run time : 36mins 02sec

It is the most rubbish 1000m swim time I've ever achieved in a race. It's so slow that Pat's kids would have reached puberty by the time I finish.

The Fear

The water temperature was 16 deg C. Anyone who's not Malaysian, who doesn't wear Arena or not lacking in common sense would probably come in a wetsuit! But not me. I was only in a tri-suit. Fortunately I didn't look too awkward. A few others were just down to basics - just swimming trunks!

The Challenger

I was shivering. But shivering before the race started was a bad sign. When I started changing into my swimming attire, the body reacted like someone who's trying to drive a car in 5th gear from rest.

The whole incident altered the way I see rubber now!

90 of us were divided into two starting times. They put me with the faster swimmers in the second wave. The pool was 100 yards in length, one of the longest and rarest in the UK. So we just needed to swim 11 laps to complete the swimming event.

Once in the water, it wasn't too bad. Just needed to keep moving. That's when the body felt less cold. The people in wetsuits were like seals. Their added buoyancy provided the lift to swim pass me without an effort! I was left competing speedboats with two oars!

When I started overtaking a few swimmers in wetsuit, I gained confidence. But I was still far away from the rest.

The marshals were very observant. With so many swimmers to track, they were able to keep time of my laps. On the 11th lap, they shouted for me to get out of the pool and run!

Wearing a tri-suit has its advantage during transition. People in wetsuit may need an extra minute or two to peel off the suit.

I was reeling while wiping myself dry and picking my pair of shoes. I couldn't balance at all. I looked drunk to the spectators. Of course, that translated to a funny moment to the crowd and me. I wished I could smile back but my mouth was still shivering.

I didn't bother with the socks so I just slipped on the shoes, picked up my bib and shot off. The treads were heavy and confined. The body was still recuperating from the cold.

After 6 minutes, the legs started communicating. My speed picked up and some participants were within sight. After a few push, I was able to overtake a few more runners. Of course I was also overtaken by one really fast runner who made up for lost time during transition!

The run was three loops around Tooting Bec Common.

When I finished the third loop, I returned to the pool where the finishing area was. I checked my time; 56mins 39 secs in total.

The Finisher

For the hard work and £14, this is what I got...

The Reward

Lots happened today

It was as if there's no tomorrow.

Just outside my house, there's the Coin Street Festival. Lots of performances.

While walking along the Southbank, there was a book launch by Terry Pratchett. I suspected something amiss when there was an unusually long queue at the Foyles book shop.

Terry Pratchett

Even though I didn't know who that guy on the table signing autographs was, a quick search on Wikipedia revealed that he was the best selling author in the country in 1990. He is a British fantasy, sci-fi and children's book author. I asked my housemate and she instantly associated him to "Discworld".

I also knew there was a Thai Festival happening in Trafalgar Square. So I went for a visit.

This is probably the most hygienic Thai food I've ever witnessed!

There was some sort of an event hijack in Trafalgar Square as well. Up the sky, the RAF was in action when the Thai festival was going on. The planes were basically streaking and screaming across the Square. If this were a conversation between two people, you'd probably say, "How rude!"

I don't know if they were practicing for an event or rehearsal for a show since George Bush will be in London today.

Event hijack by RAF

At another corner in the Square was a demonstration by Kyrgyzstan and Cuban activists. So much were happening here.

Demonstration by activists

Not too far from the Square in Hyde Park Corner, a group of cyclists were staging a naked protest against the use of car and oil. The event was called World Naked Bike Ride. Thousands of them gathered and cycled around the city in nude. I call it a demonstration of love for nature that is not skin deep but deeply in skin!

Naked Bike Ride started in Hyde Park Corner (A more subtle photo I picked from the lot. Don't click to enlarge if you don't want to see details!)

Them passing Leicester Square

Every little helps...

I am beginning to like shopping in Tesco.

Last Friday evening I was there replenishing grocery for the week.

I took a Marmite since it was only 96p. I don't remember paying anything less than £1 previously. So it was cheap.

I have picked up the habit of checking the receipt after paying at the checkout. This was due to several bad experiences of finding things in the receipt and not in the bag.

The price of the Marmite in the receipt was printed £1.29. I was a little hesitant to ask about the difference at first but after thinking that I may have paid for the bigger size one, I might as well get the bigger one. After all, that would probably save me the hassle of buying anymore Marmite for the next 15 years!

So I went to the Customer Service desk and enquired about the price discrepancy. The officer went to the aisle where the Marmite shelf was located and checked if there was an error. He came back and explained there was a mistake on the price at the shelf.

"I'll give you a refund of…err…" he was struggling to come out with an answer.

"33p?" I said.

"Right, so that's 66p. We double the refund of any price difference that's due to our fault. That's our policy." he explained.

I didn't protest..of course not!

With soaring food and oil prices worldwide, one can't be more right than to feel excited getting a Marmite for 30p!

Every little helps...

Working in the Square Mile

That's what they refer to the City of London.

My office is in Holborn, across the Waterloo Bridge from where I live.

View from nearby where I live

I have settled down pretty well in the last few days and observed many new and different things from a conurbation into a metropolitan city.

The daily walk across the Bridge makes me think of two things which I'm still in denial - that I've joined the rat race and two, the sole of my leather shoes will wear off quicker now!

Rat race and Waterloo Bridge

The office is overlooking a musical theatre near Covent Garden. Next to the building is a sports centre which I'll join for obvious reasons - corporate rates, facilities and most importantly, location!

View from the office. Do you see streets or a fan?

If I were blindfolded for 15 days and cut off completely from the sense of time and sunlight, I can now easily guess which part of the day it would be in London. In the morning, the streets would smell coffee and fresh bakeries; evenings there will be Londonpaper or Lite newspapers on the walkways.

I am still trying new routes to work. There will be some trial and errors from time to time. I am thinking of drawing to a close if I couldn't bring down any further the 15-minute journey time from Waterloo. It took me 35 minutes on the first day! It could also be because I've improved my strides and pace!

Cycling into central London can be another way to kill myself easily. I am wary of the recent stabbing cases here. That's quite a stretch to my risk appetite already. I better not cut corners into getting more risk of being ran over by a double decker.

I have been to the Olympics site in Stratford, on the first day of work. I couldn't usually follow what's going on in a meeting as a new joiner, but this time, I could. That's good omen. Well, it's still too early to tell if I like my work. But so far so good.