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Questions on CEng, and also is it right for me?

KQ16


Hi All,

I’m looking for some advice.

Lately I’ve been contemplating an application for CEng.

I’m currently IEng registered with the UK Engineering council and have an accredited partial CEng BEng(Hons) in Electrical Engineering. I work for a well known organisation in the nuclear industry, designing safety critical reactor protection equipment. I’ve worked for other organisations developing power electronic systems and providing technical support on products for customers.

I feel I am at a cross roads in my career. I have undertaken a PGDip in business administration with the view to working towards completing an MBA. I have been looking at some managerial roles which ask for CEng in the application (the reason I’m contemplating CEng) although I must admit to me I feel that CEng should be reserved for the engineers who make the critical sign off decisions which if I’m honest I don’t think I have such experience to do this yet. As an IEng I have enough understanding and knowledge to know when a design is a little bit suspect perhaps, although I might not have the full technical understanding to resolve the issue.

CEng, as I understand it is for engineers who innovate products and have subsequent technical knowledge to solve problems and develop new analytical techniques.
What I would like to know is what counts as innovative, is it a new product based on an existing model. So for example is an iPhone5 (or whatever we are on nowadays) innovative or was it the mobile phone device which was the innovation?

I am a Senior Electrical & Instrumentation designer which sounds a nice title, but when I analyse myself critically to me I think it means nothing more than a ‘glorified draughtsperson’ whom creates models, drawings and formal bills of materials based on an engineers instructions. Would I be correct it thinking this type of role would not be ideal if one was looking to pursue CEng?

Furthermore, when it comes to underpinning knowledge and understanding for competence A, I notice that there is a caveat for people whom do not have the routine undergrad degree and MEng/Msc whereby a person can provide evidence of appropriate further learning to Masters level. How does this work? Is a PGDip in business admin relevant in this context? Is knowledge of range of software such as AutoCAD / Inventor appropriate further learning?

Also for some competencies, can one use previous examples, which were used in the IEng report? So if I had an example of where I promoted quality throughout the organisation in a previous role in my Ieng report to demonstrate some aspects of competence C could this be re-used? Or does one have to start from scratch with entirely new examples to satisfy for CEng?

Apologies for the long thread I just thought it might be wise to get some answers on these questions before proceeding with the application if I have not yet reached the competency level and/or perhaps CEng might not be what I’m looking for.
Cheers, K

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  • 0
    K,
    Alasdair’s advice is sound.

    However, I don’t think that you will find any of the discussions/debates in these forums about IEng at all helpful. These are mostly about the history and politics of why Engineering has two overlapping categories of professional engineer, when most professions don’t. Any division potentially creates rivalries and differences of opinion.

    Historically, IEng and CEng registered engineers were members of different institutions (i.e. clubs). Some people moved, but for most engineers their academic qualifications determined which club would admit them.

    The current situation isn’t that simple, there are so many different messages and inconsistencies, that it is virtually impossible for someone in your situation to see a clear pathway.    

     
    From what you describe, I would expect that most IET advisors would think that you are a little short of CEng. I’m influenced by your own modesty and realism, which is commendable, but others may be keen to secure CEng ASAP, seeing it as a “passport to advancement”. You may find that some people with a similar degree, similar experience, similar age and doing similar work have achieved CEng, either with IET or another engineering institution?

    I would tentatively suggest that by choosing to pursue management development rather than technical, you have already slipped off the “ideal pathway” to CEng. There is nothing wrong with IEng, except that it isn’t CEng. In practice this means that someone who pursues an MBA or similar, with CEng already under their belt, is seen as “one of the engineering elite”, whereas an IEng with an MBA isn’t, they are just “a manager with a technical background”.  

    I don’t know if CEng is for you or not? If as I suspect, you are a little short right now, some additional experience, work-based learning and responsibility could get you over that line. You need your employer’s cooperation to achieve that. I don’t see any obvious problem with your academic qualification. You simply need to show how you have researched, evaluated and made recommendations about a technically complex issue.  This could be as part of a team, but explaining the nature and extent of your personal contribution is important.     

    If you see obvious opportunities to progress in a management role, then pursuing them doesn’t necessarily “burn your bridges” for CEng in the future, if you remain technically engaged.  However, there are many senior roles that don’t require CEng.

    Those where the organisation values CEng “sign off” or oversight, are usually influenced by the organisation’s wish to have a high technical reputation, or to be mitigating engineering risk. This is mainly due to the enhanced respect offered to a CEng by other CEng. There are situations where IEng may bring similar respect, but this is risky because there is quite a lot of professional snobbery, so it is rare these days to find a senior IEng, although a few are “in the closet”.   

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  • 0
    K,
    Alasdair’s advice is sound.

    However, I don’t think that you will find any of the discussions/debates in these forums about IEng at all helpful. These are mostly about the history and politics of why Engineering has two overlapping categories of professional engineer, when most professions don’t. Any division potentially creates rivalries and differences of opinion.

    Historically, IEng and CEng registered engineers were members of different institutions (i.e. clubs). Some people moved, but for most engineers their academic qualifications determined which club would admit them.

    The current situation isn’t that simple, there are so many different messages and inconsistencies, that it is virtually impossible for someone in your situation to see a clear pathway.    

     
    From what you describe, I would expect that most IET advisors would think that you are a little short of CEng. I’m influenced by your own modesty and realism, which is commendable, but others may be keen to secure CEng ASAP, seeing it as a “passport to advancement”. You may find that some people with a similar degree, similar experience, similar age and doing similar work have achieved CEng, either with IET or another engineering institution?

    I would tentatively suggest that by choosing to pursue management development rather than technical, you have already slipped off the “ideal pathway” to CEng. There is nothing wrong with IEng, except that it isn’t CEng. In practice this means that someone who pursues an MBA or similar, with CEng already under their belt, is seen as “one of the engineering elite”, whereas an IEng with an MBA isn’t, they are just “a manager with a technical background”.  

    I don’t know if CEng is for you or not? If as I suspect, you are a little short right now, some additional experience, work-based learning and responsibility could get you over that line. You need your employer’s cooperation to achieve that. I don’t see any obvious problem with your academic qualification. You simply need to show how you have researched, evaluated and made recommendations about a technically complex issue.  This could be as part of a team, but explaining the nature and extent of your personal contribution is important.     

    If you see obvious opportunities to progress in a management role, then pursuing them doesn’t necessarily “burn your bridges” for CEng in the future, if you remain technically engaged.  However, there are many senior roles that don’t require CEng.

    Those where the organisation values CEng “sign off” or oversight, are usually influenced by the organisation’s wish to have a high technical reputation, or to be mitigating engineering risk. This is mainly due to the enhanced respect offered to a CEng by other CEng. There are situations where IEng may bring similar respect, but this is risky because there is quite a lot of professional snobbery, so it is rare these days to find a senior IEng, although a few are “in the closet”.   

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