To make it easier to remember, we’ve created the acronym TWAVES which stands for:
- Training courses
- Work experience
- Academic study
- Volunteering
- Events and seminars
- Self-study.
We encourage members to use reliable CPD resources, however, CPD activities do not need to be approved or accredited and don’t have to be provided by the IET (but you are, of course, encouraged to make the most of your membership).
Training courses
Examples of activities that fall into the category of training courses:
- Soft skills courses
- Technical courses
- E-learning/distance courses
- In-company training courses
- Courses leading to qualifications, e.g. PRINCE2
- Preparing materials for training courses
- Delivering training courses.
What support do we provide when it comes to training courses?
Work experience
Examples of activities that fall into the category of work experience:
- Learning by doing the job and developing experience
- Talking to suppliers, customers or specialists and working with
- them to determine their technical requirements
- Receiving coaching from others
- Secondments and job rotation
- Job shadowing
- Apprenticeships
- Promotion to a new role
- Coaching/training others
- Supervising/managing/leading others
- Presentations to external clients, colleagues, etc.
- Preparing and presenting reports
- Managing projects, budgets, teams, etc.
Where can I find more information about gaining work experience?
Academic study
Examples of studies that fall into the category of academic study:
- Master’s degree (e.g. MEng, MSc)
- PhD/Doctorate
- Bachelor’s degree (e.g. BEng, BSc)
- Degree apprenticeship
- Foundation Degree (e.g. FD)
- HND
- HNC
- City & Guilds
- NVQ
- ONC
- OND
How can we help with your academic studies?
Volunteering
Examples of activities that fall into the category of volunteering:
- Professional body volunteering roles e.g. mentoring, local network roles, professional registration interviewer, committee roles, etc.
- Other volunteer roles that support the development of soft skills/financial/leadership skills e.g. scout/guide leader/school governor, charity work, local organisations, etc.
- Speaking at an event
- Membership of a technical expert group.
What opportunities do we provide when it comes to volunteering?
Events and seminars
Examples of activities that fall into the category of events and seminars:
- Conferences
- Networking events
- Technical visits
- Exhibitions
- Seminars
- Lectures
- Organising meetings or events
- Speaking at an event
- Lecturing or teaching.
What do we provide when it comes to events and seminars?
Self-study
Examples of activities that fall into the category of self-study:
- Reading books, journals and articles
- Research through Internet searches and digital information sources
- Online technical communities and discussion forums
- Authoring.
How can we support you when it comes to self-study?
We’re upgrading our contact centre to make it quicker and easier for you to speak to the right member of our team.
From Thursday, 30 to Friday, 31 October, our phone lines will be temporarily unavailable while we upgrade our systems. For any urgent enquiries during this time, please email membership@theiet.org and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
From Monday, 3 November, we’re moving to one central phone number for all enquiries - which will be 0333 049 9123. This change will make it easier to reach the right team quickly and improve your experience.
Thank you for your patience as we improve how we connect with you.