Hello, everyone.
This is Enta.
The other day, while I was reading the *Construction News*,
"The Kanto Regional Development Bureau has revised its operational guidelines regarding the installation of nameplates on civil engineering structures and notified its various offices of the changes. The guidelines now allow for the inclusion of the name of the general contractor’s site representative, the name of the engineer in charge, the name of the subcontractor, and the name of the subcontractor’s dedicated chief engineer. The scope of structures covered has been expanded to 12 types. The agency hopes that demonstrating the pride of these engineers will help secure a workforce for the industry. The new guidelines will take effect for construction projects announced on or after June 1.”
Excerpt from the Construction News
That's what it said.
When I looked for it in an article from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, I found it.
This is it.
Here is a close-up of the plaque engraved with the names of the engineers involved in the construction project.
~Installing nameplates that showcase the pride of engineers will help secure the next generation of professionalsOkay~
There are just a few places where my name appears on nameplates—in the Tokai region and the Kyushu region, for example.
So, what made me go, “Whoa!” wasOnly the very first timeAnd then...
Right now, I'm thinking, "Who even looks at nameplates??"
On top of that, I don't even remember where I put it (lol)
Motivation?? Does a nameplate really boost your motivation???? Really???
Will this help secure a workforce for the construction industry????? Really?????
No, no, that's not the right spot, is it? Nobody even looks at that spot, and the site supervisor probably (or is it just me?) forgot to put the nameplate there!
Or something like, “I forgot to order the nameplate,” or “We don’t need a nameplate anyway! Who cares!”—I think that’s the kind of situation we’re in.
Recently, a site I worked on...I'd be happier if it showed up on Google MapsRight? lol
It’s not that I’m criticizing nameplates, but this is how I’ve always felt about them.
This is the project I was assigned to when I started at Enta.
It left a lasting impression on me because I served as both the supervisor and the craftsman while carrying out the work.
This is before construction.
This is the scene of the Niigata Chuetsu Earthquake.
On the slope located approximately 1 km from the map, ground anchor work, rebar insertion work, slope framing work, mortar spraying work, and deep foundation work will be performed on both sides (including the river side),
I clearly remember carrying out various other minor construction tasks while working on the design and preparing the technical documentation.
On top of that, I was the only one in charge of the slope (lol), so I worked on the reconstruction project without any sleep—right alongside the general contractors.
At that time, we were desperate to get through the section upstream of this tunnel as quickly as possible.
I remember how I used to take naps in my car every day since I was working shifts day and night lol
The cement didn't show up, the rebar didn't show up, and I really didn't want the site to come to a standstill, so I ran all over the place trying to keep the workers busy~ lol
Looking at our past projects on Google Maps like this really brings back all sorts of memories!
Even when you look at the nameplate... don't you just think, "Huh? What is this again?" (This isn't a criticism of the nameplate—it's just my impression.)
Do you really think young people can feel a sense of pride and fulfillment as civil engineers under these circumstances?
That's not the right place, is it? Aren't there plenty of other places??
That's what I think.
Since the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism itself is already seeing its workforce of young people dwindle and is quite possibly plagued by “old-timer syndrome,” it’s entirely possible they’re only now bringing up the issue of nameplates...
Rather than relying on information on nameplates, wouldn't it make more sense these days to create a list of construction projects on Google Maps, where the names of the contractors are listed for important structures?
That really gets you pumped up, doesn't it? (Though some people might not like it.)
And, just as with civil engineers, it’s the skilled workers who actually carry out the construction.
I feel that it would be ideal to have an environment where directors can take a back seat, allowing for greater respect for the craftspeople.
I bet quite a few of the directors watching this right now will be searching for the construction sites they worked on using Google Maps Street View today! (lol)
See you later.
