ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the nature, the history, and the scope of engineering work and the essential role it plays in society. The world's first engineering works, associated with early civilisations such as those in Jericho and Iraq, resulted in public buildings, fortifications, roads and irrigation works. Many of the early engineering works concerned irrigation for agriculture, water supplies for cities, the construction of roads, and the fortification of cities. A large part of modern engineering work is also concerned with the maintenance and upkeep of existing facilities. Engineering work is largely concerned with solving the problems that arise from community needs, as these relate to the physical infrastructure. Indeed, one of the first steps to be taken in engineering work is to identify the real needs of the community that are to be satisfied, as distinct from initial community perceptions.
