Capt C M Warner MEng MInstRE AMIMechE RE
Weel done to everyone in the Corps – we are clearly all engineers!! I paste…
The Institution Royal Engineers is the oldest of the Corps organisations and originally served only the officer cohort. As a member of the Engineering Council it is the only military institution recognised as being of EC standard. The Institution RE is authorised to register Engineering Technician, Incorporated Engineer and Chartered Engineer.
With effect from 1st May 2012, all serving members of the Royal Engineers will automatically become members of the Institution of Royal Engineers. Those in Sapper rank will be classed as Apprentice Technicians. The remainder of the Corps will become full members of the Institution RE and are authorised to use the post-nominal MInstRE. For those already holding Fellowships, FInstRE may continue to be used. No action is required by those serving in the Corps. A full briefing note will be disseminated in due course outlining web details and associated services. Until that time, could I ask the chain of command to brief this detail to all soldiers under command, emphasising that this is an historic moment in Corps history as we are now [CGS] for the first time ‘All of One Company’.
Colonel Seán P F Harris, Colonel Royal Engineers, Headquarters Royal Engineers, Ravelin Building, Brompton Barracks, CHATHAM, ME4 4UG.
Email: Dii EinC(A)-RHQRE-RegtCol, regtcol@rhqre.co.uk Mil: 94661 2227 Civ: 01634-822227. Mobile: 077716 77397
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Chris
Thanks for this, I take it that it came via the Adjt net that you are now plugged into or did you get it by other means?
Jim
It was a CC1 to all COs, 2ICs and RSMs to go on Part One Orders. I guess that is what this forum is for, right?
All and every comment welcome.
Well, it will make sure the InstRE is taken seriously.
I’m not so sure Ben…does it not devalue being a member of an organisation if everyone gets it without significant academic qualifying criteria? I’m not anti it at all and welcome the change but thinking of the civilian perception…will it add anything to a soldiers cv or just be brushed over as a gizit that everyone got? To get the MICE post nominal I haveto prove myself and get chartered…not everyone will get that just because they worked for a particular org.
I think we were both making the same point… my sarcasm didn’t transmit well over text!
Yes by everyone having it, it will be devalued, however by many people having it, it may at least be the employers will have heard of it, and see it for what is now is – an indication of Ex-Sapper / Old Boys network opportunity.
I’m changing my tag to McFryTheBarbarian MInstRE
So I guess it means that we don’t have to pay professional fees to IMechE/ICE to be able to practice as a Chartered Engineer within the Corps, as we are, by default, members of an accredited institution.
Hmm, hmm?
Unfortunately not Chris, the titles of member and chartered were separated about ten years ago to allow incorporated engineers and technicians to become full members of the institutions. The other issue is that although you could become chartered via the InstRE, it would be as a military engineer. In order to be deemed competent as a PQE, this would not be sufficient as the guidance from the Engieering Council is that to be deemed competent for certain duties, you must be chartered with an institution relevant to your engineering practice. The InstRE, unfortunately is too generic to be of use to you at Chilwell in this capacity. Additionally, the professional development opportunities that the bigger institutions offer are far more attractive for PQE when they eventually leave the service.
I certainly don’t dispute that IMechE would offer more professional development opportunities than InstRE and that it is more attractive on one’s CV when leaving the service. It is remarkable, however, that InstRE is not seen as competent by the Royal Engineers at Chilwell!
To follow Ben’s line of thought, I can’t see why the InstRE wouldn’t be taken seriously…
It is because we are dealing with a very legalistic definition of competence. In this context it is being used to define competence in the production and underwriting of technical designs. Being CEng with the IMechE is acknowledged by the courts as a demonstration in principle that the holder of the qualification was an appropriate individual to be put in charge of a complex mechanical design or undertaking. They would not, however, consider someone Chartered with the InstRE with a general combat engineering background to be competent in the same circumstances. It is a bit like having the right CE quality mark for the right product; a manufacturer issued one for a specific product line can’t then transfer it to one of his other products that hasn’t been assessed using the same criteria.
The InstRE are recognised as competent by Chilwell within their specialisation, it is just that the specification in question isn’t at the heart of their business.