The Big Bang Fair

A new annual fair for children, schools and parents promoting the excitement of science and engineering.

When & Where?

2012: NEC Birmingham, 15-17th March

www.thebigbangfair.co.uk

Useful Links

• Click here for more about transportation planning and for a list of universities running courses, degrees or MSc's in transport planning.
• For Jobs in Transport
• Training for IEng and EngTech
• Engineers Make it Happen - A campaign to inspire future engineers and help Further Education engineering studies gain a better understanding of engineering careers and the opportunities they bring.
  This campaign provides a resource for Students, Lecturers, Businesses as well as advice on Careers for those who wish to pursue a career in the industry as well as information on the reasons why you should follow this career path.
  Resources available include Bursaries, Promotional Material, Advice and Motivational Speakers.
• Guidance on 14-19 Diplomas
• www.jbm.org.uk for lists of accredited civils courses.

Sponsorship

www.ice.org.uk/Membership/Scholarship-and-Awards

www.arkwright.org.uk/scholars/index.htm

Careers information and advice

Tomorrow's Engineers
Engineering UK careers resources for young people, teachers and advisers.

www.cskils.org
Essential information on careers, training and qualifications in
construction- from craft to professional and management level.

www.futuremorph.org

www.discoverengineering.co.uk
An interesting site for school students which explains exactly what engineers do.

www.direct.gov.uk/en/YoungPeople/index.htm
A range of guidance and support for 13 to 19 year olds to make the transition to adult life.

www.stemnet.org.uk
A network promoting science and engineering among young people. Sign up to be a young ambassador for science, technology and engineering.

For Graduates

Getting a job

Download some tips.

www.transportationopportunities.org.uk
Look here for information on education and training in transportation planning.

www.ttrecruit.co.uk/
ICE's recruitment agency

www.careersinconstruction.com
Check out the kind of jobs on offer. Contains links to other useful sites.

www.click4construction.co.uk
A job board directly linking job seeking construction professionals and end employers. No employement agencies.

www.insidecareers.co.uk
Information on jobs in engineering. Careers advice.

http://career-advice.monster.co.uk/ and Target Jobs.
Articles on every aspect of job hunting.

In a nutshell, professional registration recognises your skills and experience and demonstrates your commitment to professionalism. The Engineering Council maintains a register of professional engineers, and licenses IHE to award the titles of CEng, IEng and EngTech to those who can show commitment and competence to perform professional work to the necessary standards.

"People like it because it is peer recognition of professional competence. It's not just about the book learning, they've actually demonstrated they work to a particular level, and the whole process is assessed by registered engineers, so it's within the peer community; it's a peer judgment process," explains the IHE Membership Manager.

Registration isn't something that you can apply for straight out of university. However, you can always be considering the work you'll need to have under your belt ready to apply (consider how your work to date has fulfilled certain competence requirements), and should realistically be considering professional registration as part of your medium to long-term career plan when walking away from university and into your first job.

We spoke to the IHE's membership department about what professional registration entails and what new graduates should be considering once university is over; starting with what skills they may already have behind them.

"There are five competences; A through to E, that you are assessed on when applying for registration. A and B are to do with acquiring and applying knowledge, so in any university course quite a large amount of A; knowledge and understanding, will be acquired in a very academic fashion. Some of B (contribute to design, development and manufacturer amongst others) will be acquired through group projects and individual projects, and the application of that knowledge."

"C, D and E are to do with leadership, communication and commitment. In the main, the competences are going to be acquired at work, and so by taking your first job, and possibly one that offers an accredited training scheme, you'll be acquiring the competences that will prepare you for applying for registration."

There's a lot to professional registration and it isn't something to be taken lightly, as working towards it takes time and dedication. To find out the details in full check out the Membership section of IHE's website, but to give you a taster, here's a little about each title and what they stand for.

Chartered Engineer - CEng

Chartered engineers are able to develop appropriate solutions to engineering problems, using new or existing technologies, through innovation, creativity and change.

They may develop and apply new technologies, promote advanced designs and design methods, introduce new and more efficient production techniques and marketing and construction concepts, and pioneer new engineering services and management methods.

Chartered engineers are variously engaged in technical and commercial leadership and possess effective interpersonal skills.

Incorporated Engineer - IEng

Incorporated engineers are able to act as exponents of today's technology through creativity and innovation. To this end, they maintain and manage applications of current and developing technology, and may undertake engineering design, development, manufacture, construction and operation.

Incorporated engineers are engaged in technical and commercial management and possess effective interpersonal skills.

Engineering Technician - EngTech

Technicians carry many responsibilities. They contribute to the design, development, manufacture, commissioning, operation or maintenance of projects and services and are required to apply safe systems of work.

Technicians are involved in applying proven techniques and procedures to the solution of practical engineering problems and carry supervisory or technical responsibility.

Apprentices completing an NTQ are eligible to apply for EngTech and MIHE via a special fast-track route.

These titles can be looked upon as standalone titles; you can become and happily stay an EngTech for life, or you can consider each title a progression; the choice is yours. Either way, it's never too early to look into what professional registration entails, and what you should be keeping in mind as you begin your career and take your first steps towards registration.

For further information on Professional Registration go to Membership.

Locally

Abroad

Sustainably

Women account for around 11.6% of those working as construction and management professionals.

Go to www.wisecampaign.org.uk for loads of careers information on women in science, engineering and construction.

Building Visions: watch the video

Join in

• Women's Transport Network run by DfT
• Women in Transportation (WTS) London Chapter
• New forum for women in the Intelligent Transport Systems sector (October 2008)
• Womens Engineering Society - Inspiration and networking.
• Scottish Resource Centre for Women in SET
• Interconnect for Scottish women studying SET

GetSET Women

Women who work in engineering and construction are invited to join the GetSET web network. You can showcase your work and promote your company, keep up to date with CPD on gender equality, access information about applying for public positions and link into the mentoring and coaching service.

www.theukrc.org/women/getset-women

Information

IHE has signed the CEO Charter

- A pledge to positively support women in the profession.

An initiative of the UK Resource Centre for Women is Science, Engineering and Technology which also offers support for Returners.

Building the Future

This CIC 2010 Report recommends good practice based on construction case studies.

Fair Access to the Professions

Read the Government Report.

Read more real careers

IHE Members

A third of IHE's Council are women engineers. Here are profiles of some of them and other members.

Sara Pegram
Contract Implementation Engineer, Surrey CC

Caron Ballantyne
Principal Engineer, Jacobs

Gill Foster
Principal Engineer, Jacobs

Kate Fuller
Principal Consultant, TRL

Ellie Gormley
Principal Traffic Engineer, Telford & Wrekin Coucil

www.bconstructive.co.uk/ has diaries of how people got started, including typical days, hopes for the future.

Chartered Engineers

Vinod Dhayal, CEng FIHE
Structures Engineer, Mott MacDonald

John Nightingale, CEng FIHE
Principal Engineer, JCT Consultancy

Ian Bradfield CEng FIHE
Routes and Projects Manager, Welsh Assembly

Adrian Gray CEng FIHE
Principal Engineer, Hampshire County Council

Billy Gooch CEng FIHE
Transport for London (2008)

Incorporated Engineers

Ellie Gormley IEng FIHE
Principal Engineer, Telford & Wrekin Council

Chris Saunders IEng FIHE
Transport DC Manager, Reading Borough Council

Alison France IEng FIHE
Director, Sanderson Associates

Andrew Thurston BEng IEng FIHE
Associate Director, Colin Buchanan

Caron Ballantyne IEng FIHE
Principal Engineer, Mouchel-Lincoln

Tony Kirby IEng FIHE
Director, Local Transport Projects

Tony Sharp IEng FIHE
Traffic Signals Engineer, South GloucestershireCC

Tim Edmunds IEng FIHE
Area Manager South, Norfolk County Council

Peter Dipper IEng FIHE
Cinclus

Stephen Hardy IEng FIHE MRTPI
Principal Planner, Dorset CC

Sam Warburton IEng FIHE
Director of PMA Data Ltd

Dave Lawrence IEng FIHE
Company Director, TCT Consultancy Ltd

Caroline Dodgeon IEng FIHE
Business Development and Communications Manager, Amey Infrastructure Services

Gordon Wilson IEng FIHE
Technical Director, Pell Frischmann Consultants Ltd

Registered Engineering Technicians

Pete Smith EngTech FIHE
Senior Road Safety Consultant at TMS Consultancy

Kevin Gilbert EngTech MIHE
Works Manager, CORMAC, Cornwall County Council (CCC)

Other IHE Members

Dave Armstrong FIHE
Special Projects Manager, Southampton CC

Mark Ralph
Traffic Engineer, Traffic Solutions

Gill Foster FIHE
Principal Engineer, Jacobs

Sara Pegram GradIHE
Technician, Surrey CC

Tristan Alwyn-Clark, GradIHE
Assistant Highways Officer, Lincolnshire County Council

Click here for an application form.

You can move up the grades as you gain your qualifications and experience.

Why join an institution?

You need to keep in touch with fast moving knowledge and practice.

Networks open up new contacts and opportunities.

Pride in your achievements.

Find out the benefits.

Professional Engineer Registration

If you are aiming for Engineering Council registration, Document E1 summarises the entry requirements for the Professional Review which leads to registration.

Chartered Engineer: you need an MEng or BEng (Hons) plus an MSc and the right leadership experience.

Incorporated Engineer: you need a degree in engineering and experience with independent responsibility.

Engineering Technician: you need a National Certificate or equivalent and on the job experience.

These academic qualifications are the benchmarks: you can still become a registered professional with a range of other qualifications and experience using other routes to the review,

Training

For more on the sort of training you should look for, click here.

IHE accredits company training schemes to ensure quality provision to get you on the EC register faster.

The IHE Employer of the Year marks out top companies for training. Check it out on Highway Excellence Awards.

IHE's Professional Certificates define the competences specialists should be aiming for. Gaining a Professional Certificate publically demonstrates your knowledge and expertise.

The IHE deal

Proof of specialist competence

Professional Engineering Council recognition

Technical journals

News and ciews on the information you need

Good practice guidance

Why highways?

In Demand

Job satisfaction - with Top 100 companies

Help to shape transport in the UK

Make a difference to your community

Lots of opportunities for graduates in engineering, geography, science and many other discplines

Approved training provided by companies and professionals institutions

Learn with IHE

IHE offers a range of courses and conferences to suit your needs:

• Development control
• Traffic sign design
• Highway law
• Road construction

View our current events.

Public Authorities who respond to and investigate local transportation needs, instruct consultants, or design and plan the schemes themselves. Local councils also manage and maintain road and traffic schemes.

Contractors who manage work on site, get schemes built, or repair and maintain roads. Some work for the Highways Agency, in partnerships, or for the consultants on term maintenance contracts.

Materials suppliers and contractors who supply surfacing materials to ensure safe and environmentally-friendly roads.

Police forces who have traffic management responsibilities.

Click here for links to useful websites with careers information and advice.

Getting a job

Download some tips.

In highways and transportation they apply established techniques and procedures to solve practical engineering problems. For example, in maintenance they often supervise others and they may be designing smaller traffic management schemes.

Engineers following the part-time route to professional status often start an technicians whilst studying for a National Certificate in civil engineering or qualify with an NVQ3 through workplace assessment. They then gain their Higher National or degree and, with increased responsibility, become incorporated.

The Engineering Council sets UK standards for technicians and maintains a national register. Their website makes the business case for technicians and has lots of extra resources.

Most technicians are employed straight from school or move up from other jobs in construction. Check out how to progress.

Useful Links:

• Profiles of typical IHE technician, incorporated and chartered members. members
  

• new solutions to provide safe, efficient and value-for-money transportation systems
• schemes to facilitate walking, cycling and sustainable transport
• traffic-calming and environmental improvement schemes
• traffic signal control systems
• road safety improvements
• campaigns for safe routes to school, rural transportation and non-car based travel

They also ensure that new developments provide attractive transportation links and are part of the teams delivering quality sustainable communities such as home zones.

Highway engineers:

• design local road schemes
• maintain the road network
• plan and supervise a wide range of projects
• prepare contract documents
• supervise sites
• manage construction teams
• put into effect highway designs
• work in materials laboratories
• design and maintain bridges and structures

A wide variety of backgrounds lead into highways and transportation and there are many routes to professional qualification.

Chartered Engineers have high education entry standards and take the lead on projects which are often leading edge developments.

Incorporated Engineers design and manage the delivery of more day to day schemes although many rise to executive positions.

Useful Links:

• Profiles of current members and their routes to registration
• Links to useful websites with careers information and advice
• www.highwayengineer.co.uk find out exactly what a highway engineer does.

This is the world of the engineer and technician who are responsible in some way for much that makes life what it is.

Engineers are creative, innovative and inspirational individuals who are contributing to the delivery of new knowledge-based economies in terms of wealth creation and improvement in the quality of life. They make a substantial contribution to the creation and sustainment of our society, by being involved in design, maintenance and development activities. Incorporated Engineers are hands-on engineers, Chartered Engineers are the policy drivers.

The construction industry, of which transportation is part, offers countless professional careers for those who enjoy working with people, improving the built environment, caring for the natural environment and using advanced information technology.

Engineers design and create innovative systems to solve problems. They need good communication and teamwork skills and every project is unique so there is lots of variety. Information technology is at the heart of the industry's growth.

Click here for links to useful websites with careers information and advice.

www.highwayengineer.co.uk
explains the engineer's role in delivering transport schemes.