Re-application of CEng after being rejected

you can make a new application when ever you wish. There is no minimum cooling off period.  you can also request a new PRA, perhaps one closer to your industry  You can contact staff to find you a better match or use the on line PRA search function to find one. Nothing to stop you checking any PRAs against LinkedIn. 

You can also request a copy of your file including all the comments etc. Send an email t0 compliance@theiet.org and this can be a significant learning exercise. 

Lastly you can make an appeal against the ffindings.Your personal issues you mention may be valid grounds but working with a PRA to sort these is recommended. I understand you have 3 months to appeal. 

hope this helps. 

Just to add to Gerard's excellent post, if you do re-submit in a short space of time you will need to be clear what information you are adding that wasn't considered in the previous application. So, as Gerard says, find out why you were rejected, and then you basically have two options:

1. re-submit when a new work opportunity (a promotion, or just a new role) has allowed you to demonstrate the competences that raised a concern, or
2. re-submit with a very clear statement, ideally against your present role, of additional information that you want to present that was not in your original application.

It's certainly correct that 1 is the more common approach and 2 is riskier (more likely to be rejected), but it's all down to how clearly you can present the additional information. 

Good luck,

Andy

Hi KC,

I wanted to offer some encouragement, as I also faced rejection on my first application—you’re not alone!

After my first attempt, I proactively sought a new role within my company that strengthened my application, which helped me succeed in my second PRI. Like Andy mentioned, I chose Option 1 as it was the lower-risk path. While reapplying quickly is tempting, it’s crucial to provide stronger evidence and carefully consider the PRI feedback once you receive it from the IET.

My key advice: treat your second attempt as a fresh application. You’ll likely have new interviewers who will reassess all competencies, not just the ones you previously fell short on.

Don’t lose hope—I kept going after my first rejection and became a Chartered Engineer in January! Wishing you all the best.

Hi Rebecca,

Thank you for your encouragement as I have just been quite lost these few days. You tell me what to do with real example.

Unfortunately Option 1 is not the best fit as I can only get promoted in the Company when I become CEng.

Could you share you timeline of you first and second application? Thank you very much!

You’re welcome! I completely understand how you feel—I felt the same way at first, but creating an action plan helped me move forward.

Give yourself time to process the results, but don’t give up!

For option 1, a promotion isn’t always necessary. In my case, moving from senior to principal engineer also required CEng, so instead, I made a lateral move within my company to lead more complex safety-critical projects. This directly addressed the only competency gap highlighted in my first application.

Before planning your next steps, review your interview feedback carefully as your gap may require a different action plan rather than a promotion or lateral move.

As for timing, I waited exactly one year between my first PRI result and my second application. This allowed me to execute my action plan, transition to a new division, and re-apply with confidence knowing I bridged the gap. 

Hope this helps!

Rebecca Edojah said:

For option 1, a promotion isn’t always necessary.

Absolutely, it's only about gaining evidence of competences. I helped an applicant very recently who, following a rejection, had a discussion with myself (as PRA) and their line manager about the insufficient competences, and between us all we easily came up with some opportunities within their current role to take on some specific tasks to show those competences. Only a very few months later they passed successfully.

Any sensible line manager should welcome a member of staff who actually want to take on additional responsibilities in their current role! And, quite apart from achieving professional registration, it's also nicely positioning the candidate for future promotion.

Andy Millar said:

Only a very few months later they passed successfully

I speak about this with my line manager frequently - they submitted their application after I did and received confirmation of their success 3 months ago, whilst I am in the limbo of waiting for an answer that will arrive in <insert made-up number> of weeks.  I find this inconsistent approach, interesting...  How do you think the process would stand up if compared to the C competencies?

We both work in consultancies, so sometimes it is not as easy as claimed to find roles to build up your experience (you go where the work is).  But the point that crops up again and again in this forum is timelines.  I am absolutely certain that the applicant you helped was worthy, but what the original poster perhaps needs is firm guidance along the lines of "position yourself to gain experience of a competency, wait <insert absolutely firm, not made-up number> of weeks before re-submitting”.

I would say that applicant was very lucky as he was guided under an ideal PRA. However, you did provide confidence for my next submission! 

That is right. Sometimes i found not solid number of waiting time for resubmission. Quite confused

One problem here is that UKSpec is based on competence not “time served”. So it is not possible to put a firm timeline before reapplying, just guidance as what might be a reasonable time to gain the additional competence, and that will be very individual.

You mention a personal issue that affected your performance at the interview. This is one of the grounds for an appeal, but you would be well advised to consult with a PRA before you do (and as others have said, not necessarily your original PRA but one suited to your new circumstance).

As to time to process an application, the assessors at each stage are volunteers, who give up their spare time to do this work. Matching the skill/experience of the volunteers to the applicant is not always quick as there are a limited number to choose from and then their work/family commitments might intervene. We all try to complete assessments promptly but that is not always possible and delays are sometimes unavoidable.