Benefits of Registration to Business

Does my business need competent engineers to meet its goals?

There are many benefits that businesses can gain by employing registered engineers and technicians:

1. Increased technical credibility with customers
   • A company that employs Chartered Engineers, Incorporated Engineers or Engineering Technicians will enhance its ability to win potential business. In some cases, evidence of employing registered engineers is essential for the award of contracts in the UK and overseas.
2. Evidence that the employee has satisfied a rigorous assessment of their engineering competence
   • To gain registration, each engineer or technician must submit evidence of education, training and professional experience. These are scrutinised by a panel of senior engineers, including industrialists and academics. A formal face-to-face review is then undertaken, drawing on detailed real project submissions judged by the candidate to exemplify the competencies achieved.
3. Confirmation that the engineering credentials being claimed are actually held
   • All documentation submitted by the candidate is verified. Evidence of academic qualifications is checked with the issuing authority. Statements of experience gained and career path are verified by at least two sponsors, who are contacted separately for private reports.
4. Assurance that the employee is keeping up to date with professional codes of conduct and has the means to do this
   • Registrants are expected to observe the requirements of the Code of Conduct of the professional engineering institution they have joined. Institutions are obliged to respond to allegations of infringement of the code and may suspend or remove membership and registration if proven. Institution Codes of Conduct follow the generic framework detailed below.
     
     Each licensed engineering institution places a personal obligation on its members to act with integrity, in the public interest, and to exercise all reasonable professional skill and care to:
     1. Prevent avoidable danger to health or safety.
     2. Prevent avoidable adverse impact on the environment.

     3. a) Maintain their competence.

        b) Undertake only professional tasks for which they are competent.

        c) Disclose relevant limitations of competence.

     4. a) Accept appropriate responsibility for work carried out under their supervision.

        b) Treat all persons fairly, without bias, and with respect.

        c) Encourage others to advance their learning and competence.

     5. a) Avoid where possible real or perceived conflict of interest.

        b) Advise affected parties when such conflicts arise.

     6. Observe the proper duties of confidentiality owed to appropriate parties.
     7. Reject bribery.
     8. Assess relevant risks and liability, and if appropriate hold professional indemnity insurance.
     9. Notify the institution if convicted of a criminal offence or upon becoming bankrupt or disqualified as a Company Director.
     10. Notify the institution of any significant violation of the institution's Code of Conduct by another member.
5. A means to satisfy requirements of the Quality Management Systems standard ISO 9001:2000
   • ISO 9001:2000 (in 6.2.2.a) states that "The organisation shall determine the necessary competence for personnel performing work affecting product quality."
     
     Registration contributes to demonstrating that employees have suitable and necessary competences.
6. Evidence of engineering competence, as required by many customers
   • Many customers require evidence of engineering competence and ECUK registration is an accepted way of satisfying this. This has assisted engineers with gaining recognition in many countries including Australia, Canada, Hong Kong & USA. For further details see international. EC^UK registration is recognised under European law through Directive 2005/36/EC.

However, recruitment of technically qualified staff is complicated and uncertain. It is often difficult to adequately assess the depth of education and training for a role which may be crucial to your company's success.

For many years EC^UK has worked with professional engineering institutions in the UK to develop ways of assessing and ensuring the technical competence of professional engineers and technicians in reliable ways that are internationally recognised. This has resulted in the development of UK-SPEC (The UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence), the registration standard for professional engineers and engineering technicians.

Why should I encourage my engineers to register with the Engineering Council UK?

Chartered Engineers, Incorporated Engineers and Engineering Technicians can only use these titles if they are registered with the Engineering Council UK.

Registration means that they are governed by a professional code of conduct, and receive reminders and assistance in determining their obligations. Through this registration, you and your customers will know that your engineers have attained and maintained a recognised international standard; and further, that their credentials have been verified, their commitment to continuing professional education established and their exposure to new developments assured.

What is the assessment framework?

The UK-SPEC Standard itself provides a framework against which technical responsibilities may be assessed. Assessment may be for promotion, remuneration, annual appraisal or recruitment. Based on nationally recognised occupational standards, the Standard enables alignment with other competence frameworks in management, construction and other industries.

What do you recommend that I do?

First establish how many registered engineers you currently employ. Since many register for their own personal professional standing, you may be pleasantly surprised. If you perceive that you currently employ engineers who could (or should) be registered, then contact the Engineering Council UK for advice on how to arrange for assessment.

What are the likely costs and other demands?

Registered engineers may cost a little more to employ, but this is more than outweighed by the benefits of enhanced engineering capability and reduction in risk to your company. Furthermore, motivation of the staff concerned will be increased by your indication of interest in their professional standing.

The process of registration can be easily incorporated into normal staff development processes, and the costs of registration usually amount to no more than a few hundred pounds per individual. Maintenance of registration (and the necessary institution membership cost, per year) can be paid by the employee (and offset against personal income tax), or paid by your company as a demonstration of the value placed on engineering competence.

Can I get help in setting this up?

Advice on setting up a system to recognise and encourage professional engineering capability can be obtained from many of the engineering institutions licensed by the Engineering Council UK.

04 Jul 2009

© 2009 EC^UK, All rights reserved. Registered Charity No. 286142 | Disclaimer Disclaimer All information is provided in the utmost good faith based upon the best information available to EC^UK at the time, errors and omissions excepted. No information in this publication shall render the EC^UK liable to indemnify the Users in respect of any loss and/or liability of any kind incurred by the Users or any other persons. Where necessary, the accreditation status of current academic programmes should be confirmed by checking with the accrediting engineering institution. It should be noted that the titles of academic programmes may change. | Accessibility Statement |