The How becoming a registered Engineering Technician (EngTech) could advance your career eBook n The benefits of EngTech n Find out how to become professionally registered and the requirements for becoming an EngTech n Studying engineering? Discover what you can do now to help your future career n Engineering Technicians share their experiences and explain how professional registration has helped their careers n FAQs and useful links EngTech eBook page 2 www.engc.org.uk Contents The benefits of EngTech 03 Serious about your career in engineering? Gain professional registration 04 Eligibility 05 How to become professionally registered 06 UK-SPEC competence and commitment requirements for EngTech registration 07 Studying engineering as an Apprentice or in FE? 08 EngTech case studies 09 FAQs 13 Useful weblinks 14 EngTech eBook page 3 www.engc.org.uk Becoming a registered Engineering Technician recognises your skills Achieving EngTech status marks you out as a skilled professional. Customers – and the public more widely – are likely to have a higher level of confidence in individuals listed on a professional register. You will: n Gain a professional title that recognises your hard work and expertise n Enhance your employability n Stand out from the crowd n Enjoy greater influence within your organisation n Have access to life-long learning resources “Gaining EngTech has provided ‘‘Whilst I rely on my engineering opportunities for career progression knowledge and experience, gaining that were previously unavailable, professional registration as an EngTech enabling me to move into positions of is proof to others that I am working at responsibility that are more demanding, a certain level.’’ as well as being more satisfying both financially and vocationally.” Andrew French EngTech LCIBSE MBIFM Richard Griffin EngTech MIED RCADMan EngTech eBook page 4 www.engc.org.uk Serious about your career in engineering? Reward your skills Do you have the skills and experience to solve practical engineering problems? “EngTech registration Are you responsible for supervising staff or managing technical projects, with has made me more knowledge of how to apply safe systems of working? employable, confirming my Do you make a valuable contribution to the design, development, manufacture, commissioning, decommissioning, operation or maintenance of products, equipment, previous qualifications and processes or services? experience. It bridged the If so, then you should be seriously thinking of gaining the professional title gap when I left the military Engineering Technician (EngTech). and helped my career Engineering Technicians are concerned with applying proven techniques and progress.” procedures to the solution of practical engineering problems. They carry supervisory or technical responsibility, and are competent to exercise Steve Eley creative aptitudes and skills within defined fields of EngTech, MSOE, MIRTE technology. Professional Engineering Technicians contribute to the design, development, manufacture, commissioning, decommissioning, operation or maintenance of products, equipment, processes or services. Professional Engineering Technicians are required to apply safe systems of working. EngTech eBook page 5 www.engc.org.uk Eligibility UK-SPEC Individuals aspiring to registration need independent assessment of their competence. Recent research suggests that there are at least 600,000 people currently working The UK Standard for Professional as engineering technicians, who already hold the necessary qualifications, skills Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC) and/or experience that would make professional EngTech registration relatively provides the means to achieve this. straightforward. UK-SPEC describes the value of EngTech status is attainable through demonstration of the required standards of becoming professionally registered professional competence and commitment. These are set out in the professional as an Engineering Technician, standard, UK-SPEC, and are typically developed through training/education and Incorporated Engineer (IEng) or work experience. This could be, for example, within an approved engineering-based Chartered Engineer (CEng). It Advanced/Modern Apprenticeship programme. However many other qualifications describes the requirements that have may be acceptable. to be met for registration, and gives Potential EngTech registrants who do not hold formal qualifications can often examples of ways of doing this. demonstrate that they have acquired the necessary competence through substantial For more information see page 7 working experience. Your institution will be able to advise on Why wait? the different ways in Apply for EngTech today by which you can meet completing our enquiry form the requirements, or please see our website for further details. EngTech eBook page 6 www.engc.org.uk Professional Engineering Institutions There are 36 Professional How to become professionally registered Engineering Institutions (PEIs), each covering specific engineering disciplines, so it shouldn’t be difficult finding the right one for you. Join a Professional Engineering Institution licensed by the Engineering Council to Click here for a full list of licensed 1 assess candidates for EngTech registration. The institution you choose is most likely Institutions or go to page 14 to be one that relates to your engineering discipline or area of work. for direct links to their websites. There are also 19 Professional Record your professional development. The evidence might come through academic Affiliates that have agreements or vocational qualifications, an employer’s training and development scheme, and/ with PEIs to process registration 2 or from a personal record showing how you gained your professional competences - applications for their members. guidelines will be available from your institution. As soon as you feel that you are able to demonstrate the required technical and Start early personal competences, apply for assessment by your institution. 3 Many engineers and technicians join an institution while studying or training and follow the junior Professional engineering grades through to full membership registration – what’s in it for me? and registration. However, it is just as beneficial to The Engineering Council video on apply for institution membership and YouTube explains what becoming registration at any time in your career. professionally registered as an Professionally registered engineers engineer means, the benefits to the and technicians also tend to retain individual, organisations and wider their title throughout their working society and briefly explains how to lives, and often well into retirement. apply for registration. EngTech eBook page 7 www.engc.org.uk UK-SPEC competence and commitment requirements for EngTech registration An outline of the necessary competence and commitment appears below. Examples of activities which could demonstrate that you have achieved this, can be found in the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence, UK-SPEC UK-SPEC Competence and Commitment Standard for Engineering Technicians. Engineering Technicians must be competent throughout their working life, by virtue of their education, training and experience, to: A Use engineering knowledge and understanding to apply technical D Use effective communication and interpersonal skills. and practical skills. This includes the ability to: This includes the ability to: n A1 Review and select appropriate techniques, procedures and n D1 Use oral, written and electronic methods for the communication in methods to undertake tasks English¹ of technical and other information n A2 Use appropriate scientific, technical or engineering principles n D2 Work effectively with colleagues, clients, suppliers and the public B Contribute to the design, development, manufacture, construction, E Make a personal commitment to an appropriate code of commissioning, operation or maintenance of products, equipment, professional conduct, recognising obligations to society, processes, systems or services. In this context, this includes the the profession and the environment. In order to satisfy this ability to: commitment, they must: n B1 Identify problems and apply diagnostic methods to identify causes n E1 Comply with the Code of Conduct of their Licensed Institution or and achieve satisfactory solutions Professional Affiliate n B2 Identify, organise and use resources effectively to complete tasks, n E2 Manage and apply safe systems of work. with consideration for cost, quality, safety and environmental impact n E3 Undertake engineering work in a way that contributes to sustainable development C Accept and exercise personal responsibility. n E4 Carry out continuing professional development, including This may include the ability to: opportunities for this offered by their Institution, to ensure n C1 Work reliably and effectively without close supervision, to the competence in areas and at the level of future intended practice appropriate codes of practice n C2 Accept responsibility for work of self and others 1 n C3 Accept, allocate and supervise technical and other tasks Any interviews will be conducted in English, subject only to the provisions of the Welsh Language Act 1993 and any Regulations which may be made in implementation of European Union directives on free movement of labour. EngTech eBook page 8 www.engc.org.uk Studying engineering as an Apprentice or in FE? “Getting recognition of my professional achievements Although your immediate focus may