Ha, finished my degree in ‘94 and registered my part 1 CEng in ‘99 (to ensure my degree was accepted as a suitable qualification).

I did start my membership application seriously two or three times (changed jobs, had other competing interests) but when I took on my current job advised that I’d get CEng within a year (it actually took 14 months). That was 2018, only 19 years…

All, bar the professional interview, was undertaken in my own time.

For me, it has given me the standing and authority to oversee external design teams work and be respected (I pay £300+/annum, I damn well use my letters esp on my email signature!).

My institution (CIBSE) provides a whole wealth of guidance documentation (available free on download) and during lockdown has provided a multitude of webinars to keep up to date on the ongoing developments regarding covid and ventilation requirements, how to make buildings ‘safe’ for (re-)occupation, Net Zero and the circular economy amongst a whole raft of other things. I’m averaging two or three webinars a month at the moment.

It is also helping me backfill my ‘knowledge’ of electrical matters (I’m primarily of a mech and public health background).

Ironically, pre-CEng days I was of a similar mind of the all that money for what brigade. Probably save me £3k+ in fees though… 🤪

So congrats OP on your personal achievement.

Well done OP, from the people I’ve supported through the process a few of them have said how it has made them more confident, or deal with some kind of (completely unjustified) ‘imposter syndrome’. A decent workplace recognition step in any event.

What my institute does for £300 a year I can’t fathom, but as work pay for it I’ll keep writing the cheque every December. I wouldn’t bother otherwise, but if you are practising it’s almost mandatory in my sector in terms of ‘proving’ competency to clients.

Two good points in here. Once you hold memberships at a certain grade, you accept that you are subject to a code of conduct and can face investigation if you get something wrong. I think that’s a good thing in many areas of work.

On the ‘what you get’ thing, I have two professional bodies I belong to, at chartered/full member. One is really good, fights for professional recognition, releases really good technical guidance and does loads of engagement. The other seems to do very little indeed, but guess which one costs more and has the nice HQ..? 😀

Pfft 10 years in engineering and I’m only just about to have BEng on the end of my name.

Much debate going on at the moment as the company only pays full chartership membership… And everytime they ask they look confused when everyone says no to any other professional status.

Well done OP. I actually quite enjoyed the application process, reflecting on all the previous projects I’d been involved in over the 20 years I should have been trying harder to become chartered. 😁

I’m also in the can’t really see what you get for the money club, but don’t let us cynical gits take the shine off YOUR achievement. 👍

PS, if your company don’t pay the fees for you, you can get tax relief on them which gets you a few quid back.

PS, if your company don’t pay the fees for you, you can get tax relief on them which gets you a few quid back.

Thank @tthew – wasn’t aware of that!

Once again thanks all 👍

Personal achievement is surely the best reason to do it in my opinion, bonus if you end up getting paid more ultimately.
My degree is accredited for working towards Incorporated status too, I think if work offered (Aerospace) then I’d possibly go for it.
I’d like to do my masters one day but that’s only really because I enjoyed studying more than I realised at the time and it would purely be for the sake of proving to myself that I’m capable.

I almost started the process but was struggling to understand true benefits to doing so other than the feeling of a personal achievement (which in this case doesn’t do a right lot for me).

The answer is very little as far as I can tell. I’ve been in Electronics / Telecoms R&D for 30+ years and honestly can say I don’t really see the point of it. If I was a consultant, selling my wares on the open market then maybe having more letters after my name might have some benefit; but that’s about it.

I’ve been working in civil engineering for nearly 20 years and not yet professionally qualified. It doesn’t help that every couple of years ICE change their requirements meaning previous work may no longer be valid, or different requirements are set out.

Also not helped by my experience that Chartered Engineers seem to have less of a clue about what is actually deliverable with the available resources, and consistently produce unfeasible designs.  The best engineers seem to be those that are always too busy doing their jobs to chase after getting the right letters after their names!!