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Professional Registration – what is it, and when should you begin working towards it?

Professional Registration is an important part of an engineer’s career plan; don’t overlook it!

In a nutshell, Professional Registration recognizes your skills and experience and demonstrates your commitment to professionalism. The Engineering Council UK (ECUK) maintains a register of professional engineers, and licenses the IET to award the titles of CEng, IEng and EngTech to those who can show commitment and competence to perform professional work to the necessary standards. The IET registers more engineers each year than any other institution in the UK; approaching half the engineers on the Engineering Council’s register are IET members.

“People like it because it is peer recognition of professional competence. It’s not just about the book learning, they’ve actually demonstrated they work to a particular level, and the whole process is assessed by registered engineers, so it’s within the peer community; it’s a peer judgment process,” explains the IET’s Eleanor Pritchard.

Registration isn’t something that you can apply for straight out of university.  However, you can always be considering the work you’ll need to have under your belt ready to apply (consider how your work to date has fulfilled certain competence requirements), and should realistically be considering Professional Registration as part of your medium to long-term career plan when walking away from university and into your first job.

We spoke to the IET’s Registration and Standards department about what Professional Registration entails and what new graduates should be considering once university is over; starting with what skills they may already have behind them.

“There are five competences; A through to E, that you are assessed on when applying for registration,” notes Derek Shields. “A and B are to do with acquiring  and applying knowledge, so in any university course quite a large amount of A;  knowledge and understanding, will be acquired in a very academic fashion. Some of B (contribute to design, development and manufacturer amongst others) will be acquired through group projects and individual projects, and the application of that knowledge. C, D and E are to do with leadership, communication and commitment. Parts of those can be acquired through the university course; for example, making presentations, writing things up - even wanting to do a degree is an example of commitment - but in the main, the competences are going to be acquired at work, and so by taking  your first job, and possibly one that offers an accredited training scheme, you’ll be acquiring the competences that will prepare you for applying for registration.”

There’s a lot to Professional Registration and it isn’t something to be taken lightly, as working towards it takes time and dedication. To find out the details in full check out the IET’s Professional Registration section of the site, but to give you a taster, here’s a little about each title and what they stand for.

Chartered Engineer - CEng

Chartered engineers are characterized by their ability to develop appropriate solutions to engineering problems, using new or existing technologies, through innovation, creativity and change.

 They may develop and apply new technologies, promote advanced designs and design methods, introduce new and more efficient production techniques and marketing and construction concepts, and pioneer new engineering services and management methods.

Chartered engineers are variously engaged in technical and commercial leadership and possess effective interpersonal skills.

Incorporated Engineer – IEng

Incorporated engineers are characterised by their ability to act as exponents of today's technology through creativity and innovation. To this end, they maintain and manage applications of current and developing technology, and may undertake engineering design, development, manufacture, construction and operation.

 Incorporated engineers are engaged in technical and commercial management and possess effective interpersonal skills.

Engineering Technician – EngTech

Professional engineering technicians carry many responsibilities. They contribute to the design, development, manufacture, commissioning, operation or maintenance of products and services and are required to apply safe systems of work.

 Professional engineering technicians are involved in applying proven techniques and procedures to the solution of practical engineering problems and carry supervisory or technical responsibility.

Apprentices completing an IET approved apprenticeship are eligible to apply for EngTech and TMIET via a special fast-track route.

These titles can be looked upon as standalone titles; you can become and happily stay an EngTech for life, or you can consider each title a progression; the choice is yours. Either way, it’s never to early to look into what Professional Registration entails, and what you should be keeping in mind as you begin your career and take your first steps towards registration.

For further information on Professional Registration, go to the IET’s dedicated area at - http://www.theiet.org/careers/profreg/