Consulting civil engineer : Training

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1. Job description
2. Salary and conditions
3. Entry requirements
4. Training
5. Career development
6. Employers and vacancy …
7. Related jobs

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Case studies

• Engineer: Lucy Gardner

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The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) strives to promote and progress civil engineering. We are a qualifying body, a centre for the exchange of specialist knowledge and a provider of resources to encourage innovation and excellence in the profession worldwide. Get qualified with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE).

Training is undertaken whilst working and involves design and planning-focused work within the office in addition to site-based activities. Many employers offer structured training schemes to meet Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)  requirements for chartership. As well as structured training and development, these schemes also provide support through a mentor/supervising civil engineer. It is important to check with employers during the selection process to see if they operate such a scheme for graduates and if you will be offered a place on the scheme. The ICE Approved Employers Search  provides details of companies that offer approved training schemes.

To join an approved training scheme you must first enter into a training agreement with your employer. This guarantees that the employer will provide structured training which will help you to reach the various development objectives necessary to achieve chartership.

An example of a development objective is to 'Apply appropriate theoretical and practical methods to the analysis and solution of engineering problems'.

In order to gain chartership status, a graduate would have to show how he or she had achieved this development objective in terms of taking into account criteria such as:

• feasibility, constraints and opportunities;
• links to codes;
• standards;
• specifications;
• contract conditions.

A combination of personal reports (e.g. diaries, continuing professional development (CPD) records), work documents (e.g. drawings, calculations) and the testimony of others have to be provided to demonstrate that you have achieved the development objective.

CPD is an important element of career progression for civil engineers. The ICE provides guidelines for effective CPD and specific types of activities. The ICE and other key professional bodies such as the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM)  and the The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE)  offer conferences, courses and workshops on a range of subjects.