"Achieve CEng" is a meaningful goal but needs to be broked down into its constituent elements in order to define meaningful actions.

UKSPEC is your new best friend. Assess each competence in turn, asking "Do I have sufficient evidence of a sufficient competence level here?"

Note that I am putting the question in specific terms and NOT asking "Am I sufficiently competent?" Competence, and evidence of competence, are two distinct things. The professional registration process depends on the second one.

Once you have identified specific gaps in your evidence, your most efficient path to CEng should fall into place more easily. Specific CPD actions may then play a part in closing those gaps.

I suspect there may also be a rather homeopathic element to CPD, which is that undertaking voluntary activities (whether for solely personal benefit or something wider) may make a candidate seem attractive from the IET's point of view. However I think we would all hope, as professionals, that the evidence of competence remains the main focus of professional registration. No amount of reading E&T (etc) can compensate for a lack of evidence of competence. So my recommendation is: identify the gaps in your evidence of competence and where necessary, target your CPD to close these down. The way I see it, if you choose to prioritise professional registration, all the other CPD that you choose to undertake is merely a form of recreation.

(I am also an IET mentor, both in-company and voluntary. However I have no evidence of competence in that role! Any suggestions on how to find my first mentee?)

"Achieve CEng" is a meaningful goal but needs to be broked down into its constituent elements in order to define meaningful actions.

UKSPEC is your new best friend. Assess each competence in turn, asking "Do I have sufficient evidence of a sufficient competence level here?"

Note that I am putting the question in specific terms and NOT asking "Am I sufficiently competent?" Competence, and evidence of competence, are two distinct things. The professional registration process depends on the second one.

Once you have identified specific gaps in your evidence, your most efficient path to CEng should fall into place more easily. Specific CPD actions may then play a part in closing those gaps.

I suspect there may also be a rather homeopathic element to CPD, which is that undertaking voluntary activities (whether for solely personal benefit or something wider) may make a candidate seem attractive from the IET's point of view. However I think we would all hope, as professionals, that the evidence of competence remains the main focus of professional registration. No amount of reading E&T (etc) can compensate for a lack of evidence of competence. So my recommendation is: identify the gaps in your evidence of competence and where necessary, target your CPD to close these down. The way I see it, if you choose to prioritise professional registration, all the other CPD that you choose to undertake is merely a form of recreation.

(I am also an IET mentor, both in-company and voluntary. However I have no evidence of competence in that role! Any suggestions on how to find my first mentee?)