Step by Step Guide to Registration

Appendix B

STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO REGISTRATION

Background

The Engineering Council (EngC) is the body that holds the UK Register of Engineers. It sets the standards and defines the requirements for all registered engineers. The RAeS is one of forty Engineering Institutions licensed to undertake the registration process on behalf of the EngC. All Engineering Institutions work, therefore, to the same standards and ensure the same requirements are met, though the procedures for achieving this vary slightly form Institution to Institution.

All Engineering Institutions work to UK-Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK- SPEC), the EngC’s document defining the standards, and they must all carry out a Professional Review Interview (PRI).

1. Membership of the RAeS

In order to register as a Chartered Engineer (CEng), Incorporated Engineer (IEng) or Engineering Technician (EngTech), applicants need to hold or apply for the appropriate grade of membership of an Engineering Institution such as RAeS. Please visit the Membership pages of the website at http://www.aerosociety.com/Membership/whichmembership for full details of the entry criteria and how to apply. The Registration Application Form is to be used by all applicants for registration including members already holding the appropriate grade of membership, those applying to upgrade their membership and those who are currently not in membership.

If applying for CEng you must - be a paid up Member (MRAeS) or Fellow (FRAeS) or - submit an application to upgrade from another grade (using the Registration Application Form) or - make a first time application for Member (using the Registration Application Form).

If applying for IEng you must - be a paid up Associate Member (AMRAeS) or - submit an application to upgrade from another grade (using the Registration Application Form) or - make a first time application for Associate Member (using the Registration Application Form)

If applying for EngTech you must - be a paid up Associate (ARAeS) or - submit an application to upgrade from another grade (using the Registration Application Form) or - make a first time application for Associate (using the Registration Application Form) 2. What are the requirements for registration?

Interim registration

For those who hold accredited qualifications for CEng or IEng it is possible to apply for Interim Registration. This can be applied for using either the Society’s Membership Application Form. The Qualifying Report, is not required but proof of your qualifications must be included. Details of the exemplifying qualifications can be found in Annexes A and B below. The Society accepts any accredited course for registration, regardless of the accrediting Engineering Institution. For a list of accredited courses go to: http://www.engc.org.uk/education--skills/accreditation/accredited-course-search

Applicants should add the course number to the application form.

CEng, IEng and EngTech registration

Requirements for registration are three-fold:

a) Academic qualifications that provide the necessary knowledge and technical preparation for each level of registration. See Annexes A-C at the end of this document for more information on the academic requirements for each level of registration.

b) Competence to practice and responsible experience at an appropriate level for each level of registration. Details are given in UK-SPEC, a link to which can be found on http://www.aerosociety.com/Professional-Recognition/Registration/stepbystep-guide. See also section 3 d) below for more information.

c) Professional Review Interview: all applicants for CEng and IEng registration must successfully undertake a PRI. EngTech applicants are not normally required to undertake an interview but, in certain instances, the Registration Committee may determine that it is necessary.

3. Getting ready to apply for full CEng, IEng EngTech registration

You should decide which closing date and interview date (CEng and IEng applicants) you are aiming for. You then need to ensure you have all the necessary information to hand before making your application. The key information will be contained in the Qualifying Report (QR), which is the second part of the Registration Application Form, and the supporting documentation required. Details are given below. a) Completing the Qualifying Report (QR) The QR provides the opportunity to give examples to demonstrate how you have achieved the competences set out in UK-SPEC and to demonstrate commitment to on-going professional development; it helps the Society decide if an applicant should proceed to interview and gives assessors an indication of possible areas of strength or weakness. It also is an excellent preparation for the PRI, helping you call to mind and assemble information that you are to be questioned on.

The five sections in the QR are taken from UK-SPEC. This sets out the competences A - E and commitment for registration to be demonstrated which vary for each level of registration:  For CEng go to pages 20 – 27 of UK-SPEC  For IEng go to pages 12 – 19 of UK-SPEC  For EngTech go to pages 8 – 11 of UK-SPEC It is important that you read and understand the UK-SPEC requirements before you attempt to complete your QR.

As applications for registration are scanned it is essential you ensure that:

 all documents are printed in black, on one side only, unstapled and unbound.

 any charts or other documents on A3 paper are reduced to A4 size before sending, as all documentation

You should also bring a copy of your application/QR when you attend your interview, together with any documents you may wish to refer to as supporting evidence. NB; For Military candidates who hold Letters of Authority for any aspect of your appointment, it is essential that you bring these to the PRI.

When completing the QR, note that the column Project Name/Evidence Reference should be used to identify the relevant item(s) in your CV to which the evidence of competence relates.

Exemplars of completed reports, which include appropriate evidence to demonstrate competences and commitment, can be found on the Society’s web site: www.aerosociety.com. Visit the Registration and Accreditation pages.

There is specific guidance available on the web site for Military, MOD Civilian and Academic applicants. b) Role of the Professional Referee Your application has to be signed by a registered engineer (who is registered at or higher than the level you are applying for), who acts as a referee. It is important that the referee works with you to prepare the QRF and reviews the submission with you before signing the application form. They can provide valuable support and guidance, and might have gone through the same process to gain registration. Signing the application is confirmation not only that they have checked the paperwork, but also that they support your application for registration.

Referees are asked to bear in mind when reviewing applications that PRI assessors will not necessarily be familiar with organisation specific jargon or acronyms and should offer advice accordingly.

The submission should only contain evidence and documents that are sufficient to support the application; the Society committees and assessors are busy people and do not have time to plough through pages of unrelated paperwork. You are advised to show the referee this Guide to aid discussions. c) QR Appendices A number of documents have to be appended to the application and QR

i. Copies of all your qualifications including a Notification of Performance for HND / HNC qualifications. Include also a translation of any qualification that is not in English and legal evidence of any change to your surname, if it has changed since you obtained them. If you do not have the exemplifying qualifications (see Annexes A-C at the end of this document for more information on the academic requirements for each level of registration) and you are confident that you can adequately demonstrate how you meet the competence requirements, you should submit your application in the normal way. The Society’s Individual Assessment Panel will review all the information you provide and determine whether you have been able to demonstrate learning to the appropriate level. If it is agreed that no further learning is required your application will proceed; if, however, further learning is required, you will be advised of the options available to you.

ii. An organisation chart of your company and your position in it. (This is not required for MRR (Military Route to Registration) /CRR (MoD Civilian Route to Registration) applicants or for EngTech applications]

iii. A list of relevant training courses attended. Please do not send copies of certificates

iv. A list of papers produced (if applicable) [not required for EngTech applications]

v. A Development Action Plan showing your plans for continuing professional development in the short, medium and long term. Commitment to maintaining competence is a requirement for all registrants. In order to demonstrate this, you are asked to submit a brief summary of your plans to continue your professional development in the short, medium and long term. This may include further study, personal research and so forth.

vi. An account of a technical task: include title and details of your role and achievements. This should be 2 pages maximum (optional for MRR/CRR applicants and not required for EngTech applications) This should illustrate your application of engineering knowledge and your awareness of the interaction of your work with other disciplines.

For IEng: if you are a Licensed Aircraft Engineer it is suggested that you refer to a modification you had to embody and how you resolved, with the design staff, the 'difficulties' that always become apparent. For other IEng level engineering professionals, the Society suggests you take a project - for example an Integrated Project Team job - and emphasise the tasks that you personally did.

For CEng: The task should ideally demonstrate your technical responsibility for the job as well as your managerial responsibility (such as cost, resources, and schedule). It could include:

 Design or modification of a piece of equipment, indicating the requirements which need to be taken into account from other groups and disciplines (e.g. structure / aerodynamics trade-offs, fuel system / engine / structure interaction)  Introduction of new technology or components, again showing cross-discipline interaction and requirements  Investigation into a failure explaining the methodology employed to get to the cause of the problem and the analysis and design work leading to recommendations for a fix  Design of a test campaign for a piece of equipment showing which tests were selected and why and how the testing supports the design / certification / verification of the process

When making a reapplication for registration, those applicants who have previously been unsuccessful at PRI should clearly indicate in their re-submission the steps taken to address the areas of weakness notified to them in their decision letter. d) The Competence Requirements The competence requirements are detailed in UK-SPEC and are divided into Standards A – E with sub-headings for each one. Different aspects of your qualifications, work experience and professional development can apply to several sub-headings. Evidence must be provided for each sub-heading.

Standard A should focus on the means by which you have enhanced your underpinning theoretical knowledge to adapt to the requirements of your work environment.’

Standard B is essentially about the application of theoretical competence into type / equipment specific detail. Please give examples of what engineering work you actually perform and for which you hold individual personal responsibility, e.g. part of a team, team leader, sole responsibility or joint author.

Standard C (specifically C2) asks for examples of budgetary oversight. This can be fulfilled, even if you do not personally hold a budget, by being involved in for example, forecasting staff- hours or parts replacement options. C3 and C4 enable you to demonstrate competence in selecting, interviewing, motivating and mentoring staff for whom you are responsible.

Standard D requires you to give examples of presenting or working with information to the many levels of aerospace engineering interface. Include examples of any kind of presentation or talk given, whether at work or in social situations.

Standard E should include examples of how you plan to develop as a Professional Engineer; this should be backed up by your Development Action Plan. In addition, you should recognise that professionals of any kind should have the willingness and competence to support society in general (be it in a professional capacity or getting involved in activities in your local area) and you will be expected during the interview to give examples of what you do or plan to do. e) Supporting evidence You may bring to the PRI Interview any documents which you feel you may wish to refer to during the interview, in support of statements you have made in your application.

Important: The Qualifying Report and any other documentation should not include information that is commercially sensitive, or that needs security clearance. Evidence should be presented in such a way that allows all committee members and registered assessors to view it. The assessors are bound by the professional code of conduct in the Society’s By-Laws, but are not necessarily security cleared, nor is the office environment secure to the necessary standard for handling sensitive information. NB: The application and QR documents remain the property of the RAeS and will not be available to anybody outside the authority of the Society.

Send your original, signed application and all supporting documents to:

Professional Standards Officer Royal Aeronautical Society 4 Hamilton Place LONDON W1J 7BQ

4. What is the Professional Review Interview?

The Professional Review Interview (PRI) is the final stage of the application process for registration at CEng and IEng level. As a general rule, applicants for EngTech are not routinely interviewed. Details of dates and PRI venues are given on the PRI page of the web site: www.aerosociety.com and you should state your preferred grade of registration, interview date and location on page 2 of the Membership Application Form.

Two experienced and trained registered engineers carry out the interview, the purpose of which is to check that candidates exercise the appropriate level of responsibility and can demonstrate the competences defined by EngC and also have the commitment to maintain and develop their professional knowledge and abilities. A Society or EngC observer may also be present.

Commitment to future professional development is demonstrated by the submission of a Development Action Plan (DAP), which is a brief outline of the candidate's plans in the short, medium and long term to keep up to date.

5 What happens after the Society receives the application?

An e-mail will be sent to confirm receipt of your application. Additional information may be requested, if necessary. Payment will be taken for the appropriate administration fees.

If you have submitted an application for membership or to transfer to the appropriate grade, your application will be considered by the Society’s Membership Grading Committee which meets approximately every two months.

All the information provided for registration is assessed by the Registration Committee to check that you have a reasonable chance of being successful at interview. If the documentation shows significant gaps or apparent weaknesses, you will be advised accordingly.

They will be looking for evidence that you have demonstrated that you meet EngC’s competence and commitment requirements for registration. You will be advised as to whether it has been agreed that you can go forward for the PRI.

If you do not hold the exemplifying qualifications, your application will also be reviewed by the Individual Assessment Panel whose purpose is to ensure that the academic requirements for registration have been met, either by suitable study or learning in the workplace. An application for registration cannot proceed if there is insufficient evidence that the academic requirement has been met.

Where the Membership Grading Committee approves the grade of membership applied for, an e-mail is sent to confirm the decision and the fees that will be deducted from your credit card shown in the membership application form. The certificate of election is sent to applicants and the names of elected members are published in the Society’s magazine.

Where the Registration Committee approves IEng or CEng registration, subject to a successful interview, an email is sent to confirm the venue, date and time of the interview.

Applications for EngTech are normally approved by the Registration Committee, however, in certain circumstances, an interview may be required.

After the PRI Interview the Registration Committee meet to discuss the assessors’ recommendation based on the interview and make the final decision as to registration. If successful, the applicant is sent a congratulatory e-mail advising that the EngC entry fee will be collected. Once payment has been received, details of successful applicants are submitted to the EngC who complete the registration process (taking up to twenty days) and, once your submission has received EngC approval, they will contact you directly with your Registrant ID number.

Applicants not approved for the level of registration requested will be provided with feedback including outline advice on areas for improvement prior to re-submission. Where an application is not satisfied with the outcome, every attempt will be made to address their concerns. There is also an appeals procedure in the event that the applicant feels that the published procedures have not been followed. Details of all relevant procedures, including the Appeals Procedure are published in the Registration Handbook. Go to: www.aerosociety.com/registration Annex A Academic requirements for CEng

Chartered Engineers are professionals who:

 Develop appropriate solutions to engineering problems  Use new or existing technologies, through innovation, creativity and change  Develop and apply new technologies  Promote advanced designs and design methods  Introduce new and more efficient production techniques; marketing and construction concepts  Pioneer new engineering services and management methods  Engage in technical and commercial leadership, and  Possess effective interpersonal skills.  Engineers become competent for registration through a mixture of education and professional development.

The academic requirements for those seeking CEng registration are:

Applicants with UK qualifications:

Applicants who started their UK studies after 1 September 1999 will need the following exemplifying qualifications (or equivalent):

 EITHER an accredited Bachelors degree with Honours in engineering or technology, plus o an appropriate accredited Masters degree o or appropriate further learning to Masters level,  OR an accredited integrated MEng degree.

Applicants who started their studies before 31 August 1999 will need:

 an accredited Bachelors degree with Honours in engineering (or equivalent).

The Society accepts any accredited course for registration, regardless of the accrediting Engineering Institution. For a list of accredited courses go to: http://www.engc.org.uk/education- -skills/accreditation/accredited-course-search Applicants should add the course number to the application form if the degree is listed.

Applicants with non-UK qualifications:

If your qualification was gained in USA, Canada, South Africa, Hong Kong, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Japan, Taiwan, Korea or Singapore it might be an acceptable equivalent if it is listed under the Washington Accord*.

A European qualification might be an acceptable equivalent if it is recognised by FEANI*.

Submit a copy of the web page with your application if your qualification is shown on either database.

Qualifications at universities in countries such as Egypt, Russia, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Malaysia have been assessed by UK professional engineering institutions as being equivalent to a CEng accredited degree; check the list of accredited courses. Add the course number to the application form if your degree is listed. Applicants with other or no qualifications

Regardless of your educational background, if you are an experienced and responsible engineer, you are encouraged to apply for Eng Tech, IEng or CEng registration. If you do not have recognised qualifications, we will review your application (including the Qualifying Report) to determine if you a) already have the underpinning knowledge and understanding for professional competence or b) need to take some further action to meet the EngC’s requirements in full, in which case, advice is given.

Details of accredited Masters are given on the searchable EngC website: http://www.engc.org.uk/registration/acad/search.aspx

For details of work-based and flexible learning qualifications go to:

Cranfield University Aircraft Engineering MSc: http://www.cranfield.ac.uk/soe/aircrafteng the Open University: http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?C01T398 the University of the West of England CPDA: http://www1.uwe.ac.uk/et/edm/cpda/postgraduateawards.aspx the Engineering Gateways: http://www.engineeringgateways.co.uk/ Portsmouth University Partnership Programme: http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/academic/learningatwork/partnershipdegreeprogramme/

* Website addresses:

Washington Accord: http://www.washingtonaccord.org/

FEANI: http://www.feani.org/site/ Annex B Academic requirements for IEng

Incorporated Engineers are professionals who:

 Act as exponents of today’s technology through creativity and innovation  Maintain and manage applications of current and developing technology  Undertake engineering design, development, manufacture, construction and operation  Engage in technical and commercial management, and  Possess effective interpersonal skills

The academic requirements for those seeking IEng registration are:

Applicants with UK qualifications:

Applicants who started their studies on or after 1 September 1999, will need:

 An accredited Bachelors or Honours degree in engineering or technology  OR a Higher National Certificate or Diploma or a Foundation Degree in engineering or technology, plus appropriate further learning to degree level  OR an NVQ4 or SVQ4 which has been approved for the purpose by the Society or other professional engineering institution

Applicants who started their studies before 31 August 1999, will need an Higher National Certificate or Diploma.

Applicants with non-UK qualifications:

If your qualification was gained in Canada, South Africa, Hong Kong, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand it might be an acceptable equivalent if it is listed under the Sydney Accord.*

A European qualification might be an acceptable equivalent if it is recognised by FEANI*. .

Please submit a copy of the web page with your application if your qualification is shown on either database.

Qualifications gained at universities in countries such as China, Hong Kong, Australia or Singapore, Sri Lanka and Trinidad have been assessed by UK professional engineering institutions as being equivalent to an IEng accredited degree. Please check the list of accredited courses.

Applicants with other or no qualifications

Regardless of your educational background, if you are an experienced and responsible engineer, you are encouraged to apply for Eng Tech, IEng or CEng registration. If you do not have recognised qualifications, we will review your application (including the Qualifying report) to determine if you a) already have the underpinning knowledge and understanding for professional competence or b) you need to take some further action to meet the EngC’s requirements in full, in which case, advice is given.

Details of accredited courses are given on the searchable EngC website: http://www.engc.org.uk/registration/acad/search.aspx

For details of work-based and flexible learning qualifications go to:

The Open University: http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?C01T398 The Engineering Gateways: http://www.engineeringgateways.co.uk/ Portsmouth University Partnership Programme: http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/academic/learningatwork/partnershipdegreeprogramme/

* Website addresses:

Sydney Accord: http://www.washingtonaccord.org/ FEANI: http://www.feani.org/site/ FEANI link to participating country websites: http://www.feani.org/site/index.php?id=12 Annex C Academic requirements for EngTech

Engineering Technicians are professionals who:

 Apply proven techniques and procedures to the solution of practical engineering problems  Carry out supervisory or technical responsibilities  Exercise creative aptitudes and skills within defined fields of technology  Contribute to the design, development, manufacture, commissioning, decommissioning, operation or maintenance of products, equipment, processes or services, and  Apply safe systems of work

The academic requirements for those seeking EngTech registration are as follows.

Typically, applicants will have successfully completed an Advanced/Modern Apprenticeship or other work based learning programme approved by the Society or other professional Engineering Institution. This can lead directly to Engineering Technician registration. Alternatively, applicants will hold, alongside appropriate working experience: - Edexcel BTEC Level 3 Certificate or Diploma in Engineering or - a qualification, approved by a professional Engineering Institution, in engineering set at level 3 (or above) in the Qualifications and Credit Framework or at level 6 (or above) in the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework or - equivalent qualifications approved by their professional engineering institution

Though the Society does not have a list of approved UK qualifications, the EngC has an online searchable database*. If your qualification was gained outside the UK, it might be an acceptable equivalent if it is listed under the Dublin Accord*.

* Website addresses:

EC searchable database: http://www.engc.org.uk/registration/acad/search.aspx

Dublin Accord: http://www.washingtonaccord.org/