IET: a home for life

Craig Maclean has always felt the benefit of being part of a professional body, but it’s since joining the IET that he says he has found his professional home for life.

Originally Craig began his career as a labourer in construction, but in his mid-20s he decided to pursue higher education and become an engineer.

He currently works as a senior engineer for Ofgem where his role changes every day. Whether it’s spending time at engineering bases, visiting wind turbines or being at a desk reviewing different engineering documents and papers, it’s a role that gives Craig the variety and diversity he requires.

On his professional journey, Craig joined a number of engineering institutions to try and find the best fit, but with his job being both mechanical and electrical, the multidisciplinary nature of the IET caught his eye. “I’ve been completely supported within my IET career journey. It’s not just an institution for one type of engineer, but for all engineers,” he says. “I found it the most welcoming, most friendly and really informative. It’s these qualities that mean I have found my professional home.”

Since joining the IET, Craig has immersed himself in the culture of the institution and made the most out of his member benefits. By utilising all the opportunities available to him, Craig is making sure that he is at the top of his game and the best engineer he can be. “One of the things you always hear throughout your career journey is networking, networking, networking. And when you are a member of the IET, you have thousands of opportunities to do just that. You have events where you can meet other young professionals or other people more advanced in their development - I’ve had the chance to meet CEOs, as well as new graduates, and it’s a great experience.”

Craig has also felt the benefit of the IET’s different knowledge resources, and they have helped him learn more about his field and discover new interests. “Log into the membership platform, start exploring and you’re going to find so many resources like libraries, videos and networking events – there’s a whole range of things you can get involved in. If you’re an introvert and prefer to do things online, then you can do that or, if you’re an extrovert and want to go out and meet people, then there’s that option too! Everyone’s journey is different and I’m no exception to this.”

Another reason Craig found himself getting the most out of his membership was his goal to develop both as an engineer and a professional. By utilising the IET’s mentor service, Craig was able to gain key insights into what his future could hold in engineering. “I was given a mentor, Daniel Young, and he’s been incredibly useful. What a mentor does is really help you map out your career journey and think about becoming chartered. Although it’s not just about your career, it’s also about your personal development, so it’s really about the holistic approach and encompassing everything.”

Craig is also keen to give back when the time is right and provide a young engineer with the same guidance. “I’m not chartered yet, so I don’t necessarily feel that I’m at that stage to try and give my experience back to other people. However, I mentor some university students through work and as my career develops, I have every intention to be an IET mentor so that I can give that help back.”