Evona Teh: giving back to the profession that shaped her career

Becoming a Professional Registration Interviewer (PRI) was a natural way for Evona Teh to give back to the profession that has shaped her career. After becoming a Chartered Engineer in 2019, it was her own professional registration interview that left her a lasting impression. 

"It was a genuine conversation with someone who took the time to understand my engineering journey," she explains. Inspired by that experience, Evona now volunteers to support candidates working towards professional registration, helping them reflect on their achievements in a more meaningful and open way.  

Moments of reflection 

One of the biggest surprises for Evona has been the impact these conversations can have on candidates. 

While she expected interviews to be structured discussions, she has found that many of the conversations become moments of genuine reflection, where engineers are able to recognise and articulate their achievements in a way they may never have done before.  

“At times, candidates realise for the first time just how much they’ve achieved,” she explains. Being part of those moments is something she finds both rewarding and humbling. It also challenges her to develop her own skills, requiring fairness, empathy and sound judgement when speaking to engineers from all backgrounds and career stages.  

A global perspective  

Through her volunteering, Evona has gained a broader perspective on engineering and professional recognition around the world. Her work as a PRI in Malaysia and the UK, alongside her involvement in the Sino-Foreign Engineering Competency Assessment Programme in China, has shown her how differently professional recognition is approached across cultures and context. 

Despite those differences, she often sees the common challenge of helping engineers to truly recognise and communicate the full value of their work.  

These experiences have strengthened her appreciation of our professional registration frameworks and reinforced her sense of belonging within the engineering community. 

Taking the next step 

Evona believes we already provide strong support for volunteers through clear frameworks, training and well-defined pathways into roles such as PRI.  

However, she also sees opportunities to reach many engineers who may not realise professional registration is still open to them.   

By helping more people understand that they already belong within the industry’s professional registration pathways, she believes we can unlock even greater participation and engagement.  

Her advice for volunteering?  

For engineers who are considering volunteering but are unsure whether they have the time, Evona offers one simple piece of advice: “You do not need to wait for a quieter season.”  

Starting small can make a meaningful difference and often one conversation is enough to show why volunteering matters. 

Looking ahead 

Alongside her volunteer work, Evona leads a solar-powered rural healthcare initiative in Kenya - an experience that has shaped her perspective on engineering and its impact. Reflecting on the project, she says: "Engineering in that context means something different. It means understanding what the community needs, adapting what you know and building solutions that will outlast your involvement." 

These experiences have strengthened her passion for international engineering practice and the importance of creating meaningful pathways for global professional mobility. As the profession becomes increasingly interconnected, Evona is committed to helping ensure engineering remains inclusive, relevant and accessible for all future engineers. 

Ready to give back to the profession that shaped you? Join the IET’s volunteer community at volunteer@theiet.org.