A continuously evolving sector at the forefront of public safety, those working in fire engineering have an essential role to play in ensuring the safety and compliance of the environments in which we live, work and play. With such responsibility, comes the need for great professionalism.
Engineering Technicians play a crucial role in a range of jobs across the fire engineering profession. The letters ‘EngTech’ mark you out as a skilled professional engineer. Customers – and the public more widely – are likely to have a higher level of confidence in you. The EngTech award clearly demonstrates that the holder has experience, drive and commitment and is a competent, registered professional.
Gaining EngTech registration involves pulling together evidence of your professional development. Many people find the most challenging part of their application to be the section of the form titled IPD Objectives and Supporting Evidence. Committed to providing all members with the resources to drive continuous improvement, we have put together a simple guide to help applicants get it right first time.
Our 10 top tips include:
1. Prepare and plan
You will be asked to prove the things you already know, so organise your experience into separate competence sets using the UK SPEC and the IFE Code of Conduct to guide you on what you will be asked to demonstrate in terms of professional standards and ethical principles.
2. Objectives A-E are equally important
Use examples or case studies you're proud of. Situations you handled professionally, tasks you've done well in your role or problems you helped to solve. The important thing is that you have evidence for all five competence objectives.
A. Knowledge and understanding: show how you have used your knowledge of fire engineering techniques or procedures AND fire science principles to a situation or task and why you chose that course of action?
B. Design, development and solving engineering problems: explain the different ways in which you've applied your knowledge to tasks.
C. Responsibility, management and leadership: evidence what you did to plan and manage your work, and the work of others, effectively, efficiently AND continuously improve?
D. Communication and interpersonal skills: Give examples of your people 'skills' working with others constructively, presenting ideas and proposals effectively, and acting on an awareness of diversity and inclusion.
E. Professional commitment: Give examples of your professional and ethical behaviour, including how you comply with the IFE Code of Conduct, recognise your obligations to society, carry out your Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and uphold ethics.
3. The 'key-words' hold the clues
Make sure you read beyond the initial headings and use the key words of each section to help you decide what to include in your description.
For example, the heading for Objective A1 on the application form reads 'Review and select appropriate techniques, procedures and methods to undertake tasks.' In the UK-SPEC go to 'Competence A. Knowledge and understanding' - you'll see there is a sub-category of 'examples of evidence'.
For A1 the key words and phrases to use would be "evaluating potential methods", "recognising a difficulty", "identifying an improvement" and "carrying out" or "interpreting" a test.
4. Don't be brief - go deep!
Give detailed, in-depth episode(s) of a situation, task or problem and how you met each competence. As a guide two examples per competence should be fine.
You can use the same episode as many times as it gives you the evidence you need. Your assessor will read your whole statement but make it easy for them and cross-reference if you need to. There is no limit to the number of words per section and you can attach relevant documents and supplementary evidence to your application if you wish.
It is a great confidence boost to be able to state that I am a registered engineer with the Engineering Council. This recognition puts me on a level playing field with my peers.
-Alan Hudson FdSc EngTech MIFireE
5. Use 'I' NOT 'we' statements.
Take ownership for the things you've done and make your contribution clear by writing all "I" statements, and no "we did this" statements. Give examples of when you've taken action or used your knowledge to support others.
Read through your statement and amend anything that talks about what anyone else did. Replace any passive verbs or sentences with active ones. If something was completed in partnership with others, you need to highlight your role and not theirs.
6. 'Why' did you choose that course of action?
The IFE's Engineering Technician registration application guidance lists areas for which you may have had a responsibility.
Remember it is NOT enough to simply state you have experience in an area. The reviewer cannot assume you've applied your professional knowledge. They need you to tell them how your underpinning knowledge and understanding informs what you did.
To show off your knowledge of regulations and legislation be sure not to just quote a standard. Give the full title, correct year and most importantly sign post the reviewer to relevant clause(s) you are referencing.
7. 'How' did you do it? 'What' outcomes did you achieve?
What were the outcomes of what you did? Make sure what YOU achieved is clear. If it wasn't as successful as it could have been you can explain what lessons you learnt and what you would do differently next time.
You can strengthen your answer by relating it back to how you shared lessons learnt or enabled continuous improvement moving forward.
Discuss with your line manager or another supporter. They can help identify if there is anything missing or if you've been overly modest about your part in things.
8. Show your diversity and inclusion awareness
You must ensure you have provided evidence of your awareness of diversity and inclusion issues - you could use a situation where you have, for example:
- Remained calm and professional in a potential confrontational situation.
- Maintained productive working relationships by basing your decisions on facts and not prejudging individuals. Or maybe you've helped to resolve conflicts by calling out inappropriate behaviours or language.
- Been supportive of others needs and changed your approach if others have been struggling or needed help? Have you provided information in other formats or languages, planned an inspection to avoid a religious holiday, or engaged with diverse businesses through a partner to meet the needs of those living with a disability?
- Or maybe to achieve a collective goal you have used an assessment to make sure that a project, procedure or decision is not going to discriminate or disadvantage people.
Registration has given me recognition within and outside of the fire safety industry. Being a registered professional and IFE member has also expanded the network of contacts I have.
-Tony Evans BSc (Hons) EngTech MIFireE
9. Your CPD as a cycle
In section E4 you'll be talking about your commitment to CPD. It's important here not just to list the events you've attended or the reading you've done. Remember - CPD is a cycle, and you should give an example of how you've planned and recorded your CPD and reflected on progress.
You need to record the equivalent of 25 formal hours of CPD per annum which can be made up of a mix of formal (e.g. attending a course or seminar) and informal learning (e.g. reading relevant articles). See the IFE's CPD Guidance for more information.
10. Ethics matter
Your reviewer wants to see that you understand the relevant codes of conduct and can explain why they are necessary, and how you adhere to them. You'll demonstrate this is in Objective E1 to E5.
The 'professional standards' relevant here are the ethical values you commit to society, the environment and the engineering profession, and NOT British Standards or legislation.
Your application will need to demonstrate how you comply with the IFE Code of Conduct with examples, as well as your understanding of health and safety, legislation, sustainability and the ethical principles of the engineering profession which include honesty and integrity, serving your community, accuracy and rigour and leadership and communication. Access to further resources on all of these areas is available via this link.
And finally, before submitting your application, please get someone to proofread it. Good luck with your application.