Anyone CEng?

big_white_dog84 · 6 Jan 2015 at 22:34

I have just submitted my application to the IET so it's now a wait to see if they will take me to their interview panel. The few reviews I have been able to find about the process don't fill me with much confidence - seems to be pretty much 'we run with volunteers so please don't expect anything to happen quickly, efficiently or professionally'.

Does anyone have recent experience of the process? - especially with the IET?

Dis86 · 6 Jan 2015 at 22:45

I am with the ImechE. Process was quite quick to be honest although they're a much larger organisation and I was already incorporated. The company I worked for at the time also had an excellent sponsorship and guidance program. We had quite a few fellows.

Jokester · 6 Jan 2015 at 22:50

If your application is good, the interview will largely be a friendly chat over coffee. If you get a grilling they're trying to establish that you have the required Engineering Council competencies as this won't have come out in your application. After that I think it takes a couple of months to hear back.

Diddums · 6 Jan 2015 at 22:52

What's the point of this? Legit question btw, I'm in the middle of exploring my degree options, haven't heard of this before.

Dis86 · 6 Jan 2015 at 22:53

Also yeah, as said the interview was really just a chat about things I'd worked on. Projects I'd run etc.

delta0 · 6 Jan 2015 at 23:19

I have it. Everything was efficient and the interview held in London went well. They were very happy with the application and if you are getting through to the interview stage it is more than likely your application has passed you anyway.

It is a good step to take especially earlier on in your career as it establishes you as being at a level where you are competent and able to work independently. It has a positive contribution to your salary too. It also looks very good on the CV.

M1k3H · 6 Jan 2015 at 23:27

I want to do my CEng as soon as I can, as Cyprus does not recognize 3 three year degrees for Engineering, so my UK degree is worthless

A CEng is recognized in most countries in the world as the highest membership in engineering and you are allowed to sign nearly anything in your industry.

I'm in my 3rd year as an engineer, as soon as I get the minimum experience I'll start filling out an application. As mentioned, it helps with any future job applications and salary leverage.

Kenai · 6 Jan 2015 at 23:35

The interview will be more of a chat but be prepared to talk about anything in your application, no matter how minor, I wasn't and got slightly tripped up

The Professional Review Committee meet quarterly, with the last one having taken place on Nov 21st, so if you get an interview soon, you'll hopefully hear back by end of Feb, or early March.

I got my response just under 2 weeks after the Nov PRC date.

Edit - if you get to the interview stage, rest assured that the pass rate is around 93%, essentially they won't bother to invite you to interview unless they think you'll be good enough, so once you manage that you're half way there!

grumpysculler · 7 Jan 2015 at 10:34

Mine was IET, done in 2012.

How long it takes depends a lot on where you are. Some regions have more volunteers than others.

IET forums in particular are full of the cases with a bad experience which are a minority, but do still happen.

We have a special process at work so some of the process is dealt with internally. Took about a month I think from submission to interview.

I was worried after the interview that it felt too easy. In hindsight, I think they more or less make their mind up on the application form (so if you get an interview you are probably getting CEng) but they do the face to face to make sure you are what you say you are.

And then come the fees.

Sarah469 · 7 Jan 2015 at 10:48

just beginning to start mine, need to decide on ICE or IStructE or both.. (working as a structural engineer with a civil engineering degree)

AshD93 · 7 Jan 2015 at 10:57

Will be watching this thread with interest as I will be starting mine once I've graduated.

Funnily enough, everyone at work seems to think I should not bother. Mainly because the pay increase that most stipulate never occurs.

Whats the general experience of this? I've heard a average earning figure of £63k for CEng Engineers but I'm skeptical.

(And yes I'm money driven)

alx · 7 Jan 2015 at 11:04

AshD93 said:
Will be watching this thread with interest as I will be starting mine once I've graduated.

Funnily enough, everyone at work seems to think I should not bother. Mainly because the pay increase that most stipulate never occurs.

Whats the general experience of this? I've heard a average earning figure of £63k for CEng Engineers but I'm skeptical.

(And yes I'm money driven)

It really depends on the industry in my experience. In oil & gas you can (easily) earn £63k, however oddly oil & gas companies aren't always as pushy as other industries regarding chartership, probably due to the lack of engineers (beggars can't be choosers etc).

I submitted my IChemE chartership application in December, waiting to hear back. Fingers crossed

.

delta0 · 7 Jan 2015 at 11:07

AshD93 said:
Will be watching this thread with interest as I will be starting mine once I've graduated.

Funnily enough, everyone at work seems to think I should not bother. Mainly because the pay increase that most stipulate never occurs.

Whats the general experience of this? I've heard a average earning figure of £63k for CEng Engineers but I'm skeptical.

(And yes I'm money driven)

If you are very senior then it won't give you a boost to salary. As a younger engineer it sets a bar under you. If the company you are working for don't decide to pay you more on your pay review as a result of having this then you can just walk to another company. It carries weight for getting a new job and I certainly have had a significant increase in interest from other companies since I got mine. It makes you eligible to be a signatory and so carried more responsibility which should equal more pay.

alx · 7 Jan 2015 at 11:08

Sarah469 said:
just beginning to start mine, need to decide on ICE or IStructE or both.. (working as a structural engineer with a civil engineering degree)

I have some friends who are structural engineers, apparently to get chartered IStructE status is quite hard - you need to pass quite a lengthly and hard exam. ICE seems more like the other engineering discipline bodies where you basically submit an application detailing your experience and then have an interview.

delta0 · 7 Jan 2015 at 11:12

Let's not get confused with membership and chartership. You charter with the engineering council and no on else. You become a member (or fellow) of an institute such as IMechE, IChemE, IET, IOM3, RAES etc.

alx · 7 Jan 2015 at 11:19

Moses said:
How big a deal is it? I mean, if someone does an engineering degree and is industry for a few years is it a formality, or is it actually special for some reason? Do people have to be in any way standout?

It's more a career milestone really. If you're a half decent engineer with proper experience it's pretty much a formality. The effort and time of writing up your experience, filling out the forms, getting it checked etc is often what delays people from getting chartered sooner than they do.

grumpysculler · 7 Jan 2015 at 11:44

AshD93 said:
Whats the general experience of this? I've heard a average earning figure of £63k for CEng Engineers but I'm skeptical.

There are multiple correlations at work.

Bear in mind that the average age of a CEng is quite high. And older people generally earn more as they are more senior.

It is unlikely to have a direct impact on your salary, but it is a title that sets you apart from those that don't have it. Perhaps more useful on your CV than in your annual pay review.

It makes no difference to my salary at all (but then our HR are *******s and in cahoots with the union to depress salaries).

alx said:
It's more a career milestone really. If you're a half decent engineer with proper experience it's pretty much a formality.

This.

I also think it helps with the status of the profession - a central heating fitter might call themselves and Engineer but they aren't Chartered Engineer. Using the title helps raise awareness of professional engineering, not just KwikFit engineers.

Freefaller · 7 Jan 2015 at 11:47

I really should pull my finger out and get myself to full CEng level - but whilst I work in engineering it's more incidental rather than practical.

Sarah469 · 7 Jan 2015 at 11:52

alx said:
I have some friends who are structural engineers, apparently to get chartered IStructE status is quite hard - you need to pass quite a lengthly and hard exam. ICE seems more like the other engineering discipline bodies where you basically submit an application detailing your experience and then have an interview.

Yeah I have heard this as well, something like only 20% of people taking the test actually pass?

Sunbed · 7 Jan 2015 at 12:03

I'm going for CEng with the ICE in about 2 years. Before I'm 30 ideally. The professional review with the ICE is hard. I have most of the required experience but I just need to write it all up.