Oz NDY – IMechE CEng CPR Application Issues – Forewarned is Forearmed
This blog highlights some issues experienced of the IMechE CEng Chartered Professional Review Application process and previous academic review documentation. It also discusses hints and tips on CPR submission.
The main issue seems to stem back to the initial academic review submission that is required if your first degree is not accredited by the IMechE. I submitted my academic review back in 2012, at which time I wasn’t really clued-up on the whole chartership process. It is possible other E&M students on Ph2 might have had to do the same and could unknowingly be in a similar situation I found myself in. If so or unsure, now is the time to check and avoid it being a surprise and slight embuggerance if something needs to be submitted short notice.
The Issue
When you submit you CEng CPR application, more on that below, someone from the membership team will review it alongside your previously submitted academic review. One question on your academic review asks what level of registration you want to be assessed against. Make sure you have ticked the box for either CEng or Both. I ticked IEng only, thinking I would be awarded IEng form that point onward not realising that I would also need to submit CPR evidence and sit an interview at that stage. This was something I wasn’t planning on, thinking that I’d just wait until I had completed the MSc and simply submit CEng CPR evidence then (as I have done).
This sparked the notification that the IMechE can’t assess you for CEng if you haven’t ticked that CEng box (or Both) on the academic review. I’m still not entirely sure why, especially after explaining that nothing has changed from the initial academic review (which has IEng ticked) to the latest one I have had to submit (which has CEng ticked). Just seems like a whole lot of wasted time and effort due to a tick in the wrong box, but the process is the process and clearly some other internal shenanigans that can’t be messed with.
As for the CEng CPR application this is relatively straight forward but there are a few hints and tips I’d like to share to make it that bit smoother for when others come to do it:
- The IMechE website isn’t the most intuitive to navigate so use the link below to the application process.https://www.imeche.org/membership-registration/become-a-member/chartered-engineer/application-guidance
- Download the PDF doc and fill that in with the ability to easily edit and see what it looks like in the form.
- Download the exemplar as a guide or ask one of my cohort for a copy of theirs.
- Irrespective if you have used the PDF form or not you will still need to complete and submit the on-line form as this is linked to the application payment method. Once complete you can download a PDF of that on-line submission.
- I found it best to initially write in a word doc then copy and paste across – that way you can ensure you are within the word count, which although they say ‘approximately/around 400 words’ for each competence, they actually mean ‘no more than’ as some sections won’t let you progress if over the limit.
- The PDF form asks for signatures of your two sponsors yet the on-line form just asks you to confirm (via tick of a box) that they have read a copy of your application before you actually send it – so no need to actually get the PDF copy signed. IMechE send an email out to your sponsors anyway with a ‘no action’ verification statement.
- The on-line form initially asks you to complete your personal details prior to the competences sections. This is easiest entered prior to completing the form by going through the My Profile in Your Account. Of particular note is ensuring you enter phone numbers under the Personal and Work tabs, even though the work tab phone numbers are not *stared. I just added SI PET’s for the direct dial landline – but I’d like to think they’d call you on your personal phone first. Without these numbers entered the form seems to stop you continuing to the next section when completing on-line.
- There may be some other glitches I haven’t come across so anyone else who’s submitted forms feel free to comment.
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Thanks for the heads up Fran, I am sure the Phase 2 students will find it extremely useful.
Jim,
No worries. I just felt it would have been handy if this kind of info was available from the senior cse to me – then again maybe they didn’t have any issues.
Fran
Thanks for the insight from an applicants viewpoint. These issues are probably coming to light because you are now required to apply before you leave the RSME and we’ll be addressing them this year by getting Phase 1 to apply for academic assessment before they leave here and will look at Phase 2 soon.
To explain the assessment piece (the ticking of CEng, IEng or both) the Institution’s guidance from the Engineering Council is that you should only be assessed against what you apply for hence the initial confusion, the academic assessment form has “both” for people who are looking for guidance as to the best level of registration (this is becoming more frequent on applications).
The problem is then compounded by internal processes that don’t allow a CEng application to progress to PRI unless it has a green light against it from academic review. It’s important to recognize that Academic Review and PRI applications are handled by different departments
For Phase 2 – by all means use exemplars that you have easily to hand but remember that all of you are being interviewed on the same day and by the same people (up to a maximum of 5) so do make them your own and avoid repetition of key phrases – especially in the DAP section at the end. By the end of the day the reviewers are frazzled and they will have had chance to look at your application for at least 3 weeks prior to you sitting in the chair so similarities will stick out like a sore thumb.
Mark,
Thanks for the info. The only thing I would say is that the DAP section is limited to 50 words per paragraph and it would take some rather selective wording to appear not too similar – especially given the fact the career path post PET cse is pretty narrow initially. Either: 170 Gp as a STRE 2IC then ICSC(L) or ICSC(L) then a Tech Staff job before STRE Comd. There are a few variances, my situation for example, but not many.
The only addition I can think that may stand out as different is if individuals write about further major CPD activities, like an MBA, PhD or even ACSC(L) as a Lt Col.
Fran,
Thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed blog about the process. Hopefully in a year I will be able to find it again and follow your advice. Hopefully with the changes made for the current course most of the problems won’t crop up again.
Hope everything in Perth is going ok, and you aren’t too depressed about having to go back to the UK!
James
James, as a local would say ‘too easy’.
Unless you remember which box you ticked on your academic review I’d check that now. Otherwise, type in Oz NDY into the blog search browser in a year’s time and it should bring up all my blogs to sift through.
With the weather turning considerably south I’m actually looking forward to getting home now!
Another one to look out for is to check your degree was accredited by IMechE. My degree is pure Mechanical Engineering and when I was doing it I was told it was accredited by IMechE, they even came in and did a presentation to us. I checked on the university website and it says it is accredited. However when I submitted my CEng paper work I was informed that in fact it wasn’t accredited, and neither were the courses either side of mine. I’m not sure why this was the case, maybe an admin error by the mickey mouse university I went to. Anyway the end result is the same – an academic review. The problem is when you do it, depending on your previous qualifications and experience it may be beneficial to wait until you have the MSc.