Channel Islands

The Channel Islands are a British Crown Dependency, situated in the English Channel.

The Islands are governed by two Bailiwicks; the Bailiwick of Guernsey, spanning the islands of Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, Herm; Jethou, Brecqhou and Lihou and the Bailiwick of Jersey, responsible for the largest of the Channel Islands, Jersey. The CIGPE is proud to represent the rich and diverse engineering community in both Bailiwicks.

Jersey

Jersey is the largest of the Channel Islands with an area of approximately 45 square miles (116 square km) and a population of around 90,000. It lies just 14 miles from the coast of France. Its main industry is international finance services supported by tourism and agriculture.

Engineering plays a significant role in the local economy; construction of new buildings ever being in demand and high technology underpins the finance industry – and modern day life. Being an island, marine engineering is an essential discipline. There are many local professional engineers who design and deliver the infrastructure of the island both for the private sector and the local government; The States of Jersey.

The small population of the island cannot support branches for each of the engineering institutions so in 1961 the Channel Islands Group of Professional Engineers was formed to represent the UK’s engineering institutions in the islands. The main three supporting institutions are the IET, ICE and IMechE. The group promotes several lectures each year on an engineering or related subject in both Jersey and Guernsey. It also promotes engineering as a career at careers’ events and by organising lectures in schools.

Guernsey

The Island of Guernsey is located in the English Channel, roughly 30 miles from the French coast and some 70 miles from the south coast of England. The Island has an area of approximately 24 square miles with a population of just over 60,000. The Bailiwick of Guernsey includes a number of islands in addition to Guernsey – Alderney, Sark, Herm, Jethou, Brecqhou and Lihou. Although Guernsey is geographically closer to the Normandy coast than the south coast of England, it is a dependency of the British Crown.

Financial services, such as investment banking, fund management, insurance, trust and fiduciary services, is the major industry and accounts for about 23% of employment and 32% of total income. Engineering plays a vital role in sustaining the finance industry enabling Guernsey to be a major offshore player in the global financial market. Construction, civil and structural engineering is by far the largest sector of the local engineering industry. A broad and surprising range of other engineering disciplines can be found on the Island in particular telecommunications, IT, software, mechanical, agricultural, marine, electrical and electronic.

Guernsey also has a long history and diverse range of manufacturing businesses. From boat building to state-of-the-art manufacture of medical products and light engineering businesses.