Dear readers,
This month’s spotlight in IWP&DC appears to fall on hydro industry personnel. Eliane Avles Portela and Joa Bento explain that many dams outlive those who have created them and, as the skills and expertise of engineers are not always easily transferable to others, this can cause problems. The authors claim that expert system technology can help remedy this to ensure continual monitoring and the safety of dams.
Erik Björling takes a different approach to the subject and focuses on the fact that an increasing number of hydro employees are set to retire over the next few years. One great concern is that as greater numbers of new staff require training this may create demands which cannot be met.
Björling introduces the hydro competence network on pp38-40 and gives an indication of how hydro education is set to develop throughout the twenty-first century.
Sue Pritchard, Editor