Chartership

sparktest

Hi.

I've a degree in Elec Eng and have 5/6 years decent industrial experience in the big bad world. I have been toying with the idea of chartership as I recon it's a nice to have and would look good on my CV. Has anyone had any experience of getting chartership 5/6 years after college? Is this a ridiculous question?

Also, it would be through the IET in the UK as I believe the IE is geared towards the Civ Eng field?

Is anyone a member of the IET? Previously the IEEE.
I plan on joining this week and applying for chartership.

Any info or direction would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Sparktest.

godtabh

I got did it last year.

Had 4 and half years experience when I handed in the report.
As long as the work you've done is meaningful and you can show you know yourstuff there shouldnt be a problem.

Dont focus on what jobs you have worked but rather the roles you've had on thoese jobs

sparktest

Thanks for the info godtabh - PM sent.

Sparktest.

matsil

I would concur with godtabh.

Download the criteria and see if you can meet them. Don't be put off when you first start reading them...... think hard about each one and you'd be surprised at how many you will fulfill.

You may find that the areas of most difficulty are being able to demonstrate commercial leadership or mentoring. Remember you do not have to be able to demonstrate 100% competence in everything - but you do need to show strong awreness of everything. So, if you do not have experience in mentoring, approach your boss and ask if you can play a role in mentoring the summer work expeirence student, or the new guy that started last month, or whatever - in your report you can then demsontrate that "I recognised that I did not have much experience in the mentoring of juniors, so I approached my boss and agree an action plan to the mutual benefit of myself and a newly initiated member of staff..... the program included a training awareness action plan, where I took on the responsibility of providing direction for CPD activites and in house trianing......".

To be honest - if you feel you are ready, then you probably are. If you feel your experience is solid and you have been given a good deal of autonomy in your role then you will be fine.

The report is actually an excellent tool for growth as it makes you think about where your stengths and weaknesses lay.

P.S. I had a little more experience going for mine, and wish I had gone sooner.

Dilbert75

Got mine last year 12 years after graduation. They were a bit amused at me having left it so long but I was able to demonstrate that I was capable and met the criteria. Good experience, even if being technically interviewed by 3 highly experienced Engineers for 1 hour wasn't my favourite experience ever.:D

matsil

Dilbert75 wrote: »

Got mine last year 12 years after graduation. They were a bit amused at me having left it so long but I was able to demonstrate that I was capable and met the criteria. Good experience, even if being technically interviewed by 3 highly experienced Engineers for 1 hour wasn't my favourite experience ever.:D

I suppose this is one attirbute that deserves mention..... my interviewers were very nice, but they were ready to challenge me technically. I think that the technical content of answers are less important than your ability to answer confidentally. For example, I described how were proposed a biomass boiler for a project but the interviewer felt a LPG gas boiler would have been more suitable - rather than arguing with him, or submitting to him, I described the basis for our recommendation and he was satsfied with that. He felt gas would be more suitable for the client as it is less hassle to operate - I rebutted this by saying "this may be so, the technical aspects of the boiler have been outlined to the client, as have the savings and risks, and the decision is their to make".....

My point here is that while it is important to be technically competent (you can lead the interview by including your preferred topics in your report) is not something to worry about as long as you can justify yourself..... as you would in any medium level meeting with clients etc.

godtabh

matsil wrote: »

My point here is that while it is important to be technically competent (you can lead the interview by including your preferred topics in your report) is not something to worry about as long as you can justify yourself..... as you would in any medium level meeting with clients etc.

This is a very important point. You can lead the interview by giving reference to certain topics ie give a statement that will illicit a question from the panel

MotteDai

Myself and a mate are thinking about doing the same, we'd be project managment/Pocess engineers mechanical. We thought it may be a little daunting. The IEI would like 2 reports and the inteview, you should also be sponsored by 2 other chartered engineers which we dont think we'll be able to find.

Is IEI the right place for process mechanical engineers? Also is it truly daunting?

godtabh

MotteDai wrote: »

Myself and a mate are thinking about doing the same, we'd be project managment/Pocess engineers mechanical. We thought it may be a little daunting. The IEI would like 2 reports and the inteview, you should also be sponsored by 2 other chartered engineers which we dont think we'll be able to find.

Is IEI the right place for process mechanical engineers? Also is it truly daunting?

Contact Engineers Ireland. There are other ways around it if you cant get two chartered engineers.

I'm not sure what reports you are refereeing too. Is it the two essays?

jomo99

I have more experience than most here, but I only have a HND from the UK in Mechanical Engineering. How do I got about being a chartered Engineer, or is it possible.

John

godtabh

jomo99 wrote: »

I have more experience than most here, but I only have a HND from the UK in Mechanical Engineering. How do I got about being a chartered Engineer, or is it possible.

John

Contact Engineers Ireland

sparktest

I am due to sit my chartership interview in a few weeks.

As preperation I am planning on coming very prepared with drawings/notes/report pages/schematics etc in a bound notebook for each interview panelist to discuss thru the interview.

Overkill?

Any advise, thoughts etc very welcomed.

Thanks,
Sparktest.

godtabh

Read the regs.

There are guidelines to what you can and cant bring in. You are limited in size to a a4 page

Bring your report with you. Bring a few samples of work but dont go over board

paraicr

Sparktest,

I did mine before Christmas and it was quite informal. Obviously the interview panel and style will vary, but i would think it is unnecessary to bring much technical suport with you.
Initially you will be asked to do a verbal discussion of your career and experience,; no need for any supporting docs here. This will allow you to possibly provide some "bait" for the interview panel if you wish.
After that it is Q & A. The interview will be based mainly on the content of your report. Be confident that you can answer any questions on any part of it. They may end up asking you a question on a seemingly insignificant term or detail of your report, so no point in trying to predict too much.

Being organised is obviously an advantage, but no need to go overbard. If your report is good and you are confident in your knowledge you should be fine.

paraicr

Irish_Elect_Eng

jomo99 wrote: »

I have more experience than most here, but I only have a HND from the UK in Mechanical Engineering. How do I got about being a chartered Engineer, or is it possible.

John

Yes, it is possible, but I would advise going with the Institute f Mechanical Engineers. http://www.imeche.org

folan

ive been thinking about this for a while. ive a MEng in Electronics, but have spent most of my career to date in software - QA and Infrastructure roles.

This sometimes (but not often) gets derided as not being a proper engineer, even though I studied mainly in Electronics.

Anyway, this has occasonally led to me thinking that perhaps my line of work isnt going to get me chartered.

So what im wondering is if theres anyone else out there who has gone a similar route to becoming a chartered engineer (via software projects)?

godtabh

It is possible.

If you class yourself as an engineer in the work you do speak to Engineers Ireland.

If your degree/post grad is level 8/9 accredited you should have no problem applying

RobHill

jomo99 wrote: »

I have more experience than most here, but I only have a HND from the UK in Mechanical Engineering. How do I got about being a chartered Engineer, or is it possible.

John

Hello John,

In order to gain a CEng from the IMechE you need to have a Masters. For example I have a Masters in Mechanical Engineering and have just begun on my professional development towards CEng.

Have you looked at the TechEng route? It relies more on experience and less on pieces of paper.

My mentor has put many colleagues through TechEng and if you have any questions I would be happy to pass them along.

All the best

Rob