CONSIDERING IET MEMBERSHIP OR YOU ARE ALREADY A MEMBER

John, I miss the old forum, this X forum where we are now has a mixed up format and it must be a nightmare for new and (past forum members  to find this  place,  login has been made very  difficult for newcomers I have been a member for over 25 years and let my membership lapse end last year for a couple of months, although I have renewed they now call me Mr x without post-nominals so don’t know if I still a member or registered with EC.

Keep up your good work

Regards

Jcm

Understandable, however an enquiry via BSI to the JPEL/64 committee received a response shutting down the query and listing out the individual committee members (including the IET) with a suggestion to contact them or a consultant. 

I just spoke to an IET member on the phone that some of you may remember as a forum member, Perspicuous aka Bod who I attended some IET Local Group meetings and other events with such as Elex as well as conversing through this forum.

He enquired if I am still persevering with this forum, as he gave up on it when the format changed, I said I am but I don’t use it as I did.

There are now posts I don’t even bother looking at if the heading doesn’t catch my eye, because actually trying to read through a post from beginning to end is just ridiculous with no logical progression to the conversation,

At one time I actually paid for an Associate Membership of the IET and attended IET Local Group meetings on a regular basis, but somewhere along the line the IET has lost its mojo, both online and in the real world. 

Still no membership cert. after two letters.

Z.

It has happened again, a reply slipped in before posts from over a week ago.

There’s absolutely no rhyme or reason to this forum.  

Bod certainly knew his stuff and his replies were very informative. A loss to us now that he has gone.

Edit. Spelling mistake corrected. Sorry.

Z.

Being a member, I am concerned with member benefits as is.

Taking, for example, the recent reduction in membership discount on IET BS 7671 & related publications from 35% to 25%.  An erosion of benefit is it not?

Looking at this one point for a moment, if anyone is unhappy about this as a member or fellow, then I would encourage you to write to the IET membership department enquiring as to the change in status of your membership benefits, which I see personally as a reduction in benefit.

As far as benefits go, discounts on books and IET courses, even to the extent of some being free to members would be something I would applaud.

Some institutions have links with Professional Indemnity Insurers and other tangible arrangements which can get members discounts.

The Volvo car scheme is nice, but the discounts are not fantastic, and how many members know about this.

Membership benefits are not widely publicised.

This forum is ok, the old "Fuse Talk" software was easier to use, I feel, outdated or not, this was the platform the old Wiring Regulations Forum ran on for many years, back as long as I have been a forum member here.

The forum itself, whilst funded by the IET, isn't specifically a benefit of membership, as anyone can join.

There are other areas such as regional and specialist groups that may be member-only, though I am unsure because the platform is so difficult to navigate.

Again, the webinars John mentions are great, and funded by the IET, but delivered by volunteers, and open to all comers, so not really a membership benefit.

Some chartered institutions with a charitable remit, manage to retain some events, and information which are provided to members only, and are thus a benefit of membership, and they do this without breaching their charitable requirements.

Access to information and knowledge would be helpful British Standards E-Books both by the IET and others, yes there are some, but how many members know how to access them, so publicity to the members to illustrate and remind them of the benefits would help.

I attended the volunteer conference recently where a statement was made that the IET have circa 4k employees globally, and circa 40k volunteers.

The IET cannot exist without its volunteers, aside from the direct benefits of volunteering, primarily personal, what else do volunteers get?....

I would encourage anyone unhappy with membership and the benefits thereof to write to the membership department explaining what you are unhappy with, how else will the staff get to know about this?

If you have things you would like to see as membership benefits, please post them here for John.

When I worked for the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, there was a huge drive to get everyone signed up to the IET. I went through the process, got my EngTech accreditation and continued with membership for the next few years until I left the FCO and British Council after that.

I personally didn't feel I got any benefit from the membership, and at the time only continued with it so I could get some letters after my name on my business cards!

I don't think I would get any benefit from signing up again. This forum has been good over the years, but no different technically in my opinion to other electricians forums. I would say that the IET forums are not filled with forum jargon and emojis, nor the occasionally gatekeeping found in other forums.

I have recently enquired to the IET via their technical@iet address, however this has not been replied to, leaving me in limbo with the CPS I am applying to.

I think that I.E.T. staff are all on holiday, on strike or working from home and communication is suffering. I have had NO response to two separate letters sent about my membership renewal.

Z.

Unknown said:

I attended the volunteer conference recently where a statement was made that the IET have circa 4k employees globally, and circa 40k volunteers.

Hi Paul, not sure where these figures come from but they're certainly not correct! 

There are around 630 staff globally with the vast majority based at our newly named Futures Place office (formerly Michael Faraday House) in Stevenage in the UK. Other smaller staff teams are located in our offices in India, Hong Kong, the USA and China as well as elsewhere in the UK at our venues in London and Birmingham. 

IET Volunteer numbers are currently around the 4,800 mark and not 40,000 although I'm sure we'd love to have an extra 35,000 volunteers.