CIWEM - Plan, Protect, Care for the Environment

membership of the chartered institution of water and environmental management (CIWEM) What, why and how?

WHAT IS CIWEM? • The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) is the leading professional body for the people who plan, protect and care for the environment and its resources. The Institution helps members to expand their knowledge and encourages everyone working for the environment to maintain the highest professional standards. CIWEM provides independent information to the public and advice to government on the wide range of issues related to water and environmental management and sustainable development. • CIWEM’s thousands of members in 96 countries range from highly qualified scientists and engineers to students and interested members of the public. As the leading Chartered body covering all aspects of environmental activity, CIWEM sustains the excellence of the people who develop and protect our environment now and for future generations.

Areas of relevance • Chemical Engineering • Civil Engineering • Electrical/Electronic Engineering • Environmental Engineering • Mechanical Engineering • Mineral Engineering • Systems Engineering + Environmental science

Chartered • Engineer • Ability to develop appropriate solutions to engineering problems using new or existing technologies, through innovation, creativity and change (UK Spec). • Scientist • Deal with complex issues, systematically and creatively, make sound judgements; exercise self-direction and originality in problem solving • Environmentalist • Incorporate the best principles of sustainable environmental (sic) management..ensure use of natural resources are fair and sustainable.. Also Incorporated Engineer (IEng) Engineering Technician (EngTech)

Other benefits • Corporate Members and Fellows are entitled to use the designation 'Chartered Water and Environmental Manager'; • Unlimited access to the key players in environmental management across all sectors; • A strong network of environmental professionals in your area working in your discipline or sectors you are interested in; • Branch meetings, events and conferences on environmental and related issues; • Specialist Interest Group meetings concentrating on the Environment, Scientific and Rivers/Coastal matters; • A magazine "Water and Environment Manager" which deals with topical issues you need to know about; • A widely recognised and authoritative journal; • A wide range of publications covering many environmental subjects;

More.. • Corporate Members may use the post nominal designation - MCIWEM and Fellows may use the post nominal designation - FCIWEM ; • Training and professional development opportunities through CIWEM 's own postgraduate Certificate and Diploma .These are unique and highly respected environmental qualifications; • A range of professional and non-professional grades of membership, including Environmental Partner and Industry Affiliate; • Registration for suitably qualified members with EC (UK), as Chartered Engineer (CEng), Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and Engineering Technician (EngTech); • Registration for suitably qualified members as Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv); • European Registration for CEng and IEng members; • Registration for suitably qualified members with the Science Council, as Chartered Scientists (CSci).

Why the review? • CIWEM to assess a wide variety of applicants to see if they are sufficiently competent, experienced and responsible to • become members of the Institution and register with the Engineering Council, the Science Council and Society for the Environment when appropriate • CIWEM to assess the academic qualifications and Initial Professional Development of applicants • Applicants to demonstrate their competence, experience and responsibility of using business, science or engineering principles; and demonstrate how they have applied these principles in environmental and water management

Grades (main) • Fellow (direct entry) – The highest grade awarded by the Institution – You will need to be at least 45 years old, hold an honours degree and have at least 7 years experience at a senior level. • Member – You will need to be 25 plus, hold an honours degree, (a non-honours degree is acceptable if gained before 1991), and have at least 4 years relevant experience in environmental management. • A member is not just competent technically but also shows evidence of leadership, innovation and problem solving that is beyond the routine – demonstrable ability to implement change • Graduate – You need an honours degree and be in or seeking employment in environmental management. • Associate – You will be at least 23, hold an HNC/HNC or non honours degree, (post 1991) and have at least 4 years relevant experience in environmental management.

Step 1 - leading to initial assessment by a Professional Board • Complete application form for appropriate grade • Requires sponsors • http://www.ciwem.org/membership/apply-for-membership.aspx • Sponsor has to initial form to confirm statements – also ‘evidence of attainment of competencies’ • And reports on experience (later step) • CIWEM office decide if your qualifications match requirements and pass you on to the next stage

Step 1 documents • Application Form, where you give details of your academic qualifications and a brief summary of your workplace jobs/positions. • Mandatory Competences Form, which provides a means of showing what you have achieved and your personal contribution. Make sure these aspects are clearly shown as your commitment, levels of attainment and professionalism will be tested against your statements. Make sure the statements are concise, and try to give recent examples as evidence of achievement; they tell a lot more than just a claim to have achieved them. If you are applying for the additional external titles CEng/IEng/EngTech, CEnv or CSci please also look at the requirements of the Engineering Council (www.engc.org.uk), Society for the Environment (www.socenv.org.uk) or the Science Council (www. sciencecouncil.org) on the respective websites

Then either they will.. • Welcome you into membership or (b) Invite you to Professional Review Interview (Step 2) or (c) Defer your application to give you time to improve on academic qualifications and/or gain further competence, experience and responsibility

Mandatory competencies (100 words each) • Mandatory Competences -the heart of the assessment process. They have been designed to measure vocational training and experience and are covered by 14 ‘windows’ under five main headings. • All applicants for Direct Entry Fellows, Members and Associates are asked to submit evidence of attainment of CIWEM’S Mandatory Competences. • The Competences are mapped to the Engineering Council, Science Council and Society for the Environment competences and include elements on continuing learning and sustainable development. There are separate Competences for Fellow/Member or Associate grades. The Competences for Associates are the same, but with the emphasis placed on the execution of a project. • Must be personal – first person - YOU ARE REQUIRED TO DEMONSTRATE COMPETENCE IN ALL! • Sponsor has to initial each and indicate how they have assessed the veracity of your claims

Mandatory competencies - FELLOW/MEMBERA. Existing and Emerging Factors Influencing Environmental and Water Issues 1 . Your personal knowledge of environmental and water issues 2 . Your ability to develop corporate or personal strategy to address legislative, economic or technological changes affecting the sector in which you work

B. Project Planning and Implementation 1 . Your understanding of the constraints and success factors affecting environmental and water issues whilst supporting sustainable development and resource use 2. Your ability to develop potential solutions using creative and original thought where appropriate; to evaluate their merit; and to prepare recommendations 3 . Your ability to initiate, implement and control change, including the impact on associated liabilities 4 . Your ability to plan and control current and future operations and to maintain systems or advisory services, including monitoring and assessment of their performance

C. Safe and Effective Working Practices 1. Your contribution to the effectiveness and competitiveness of your organisation through effective and efficient management of financial and staff resources 2 . Your understanding and promotion of health and safety and your commitment to the health and safety requirements relevant to your work 3 . Your promotion and understanding of sustainable environmental management and your experience of its implementation 4 . Your ability to understand and promote relevant quality assurance requirements

D. Professional Ethics 1. Your promotion, understanding and application of professional ethics in your work; your ability to communicate effectively; your objectivity and integrity 2 . Your promotion and understanding of and compliance with relevant Codes of Conduct E. Professional Development 1. Your promotion of and commitment to continued learning and professional development in both personal skills and professional knowledge 2 . Demonstrate your commitment to CIWEM

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Step 2

Step 2 preparation of career and project reports (stick to word limits) • 2 reports about what YOU have done – linked to the mandatory competencies (referenced in text). • Need to be set in context of wider world • Meant to show how you in normal working are already doing what the grade you are applying for is meant to be competent • Relate to the competencies required of a chartered engineer: www.engc.org.uk • http://www.engc.org.uk/ecukdocuments/internet/document%20library/Registration%20for%20Academics.pdf

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Interview • Initially interviewers (3) assess reports – you are only called to interview if these are up to standard – and you look as if you will be successful • Although this is for CIWEM membership only (not chartered) • If you apply for chartership – the panel will be matched (2 who are chartered as either CEng or CSci) – CEnv is general • 40 – 60 minutes for YOU to demonstrate your abilities

Friendly – if you get to interview the panel has faith in you!

Interview • Be personable and professional – behave as if you already have the membership • You will be asked to outline your career to date and projects – speaking for about 5 minutes without ppt – it is useful to have some printed slides and photos to highlight important bits and links to the MCs • Emphasise your particular skills/capabilities and interesting things you have worked on – if you catch their imagination you can get them to discuss what YOU want • Everyone must be able to demonstrate their knowledge of sustainability (you will know more than most of the interviewers but don’t be patronising) • Also the limitations of what you have done (a common error for modellers) • H&S is a MUST and a GIVEN – you cannot escape it (try and attend a course) • You will be invited to make a statement at the end where you can highlight things you think may have been missed • Align what you say with the requirements of: www.engc.org.uk

Don’ts and do’s • You will not know the areas of expertise of the interviewers (other than in general terms) • If you have never been to a CIWEM meeting then forget applying for membership – it shows a lack of real commitment! • SO Don’t • Be too clever – you may know the Thames tideway tunnel is unsustainable but the person interviewing you may have designed it! • BUT Do • Toe the party line – hiding your true (and probably correct) views if necessary • Acquaint yourself with the latest (scientific, engineering) discussions • As a member you would be expected to be able to give an informed opinion of any area of WEM – hence you will most likely be posed a hypothetical situation in which you have to make decisions • Demonstrate that you know both sides of an argument

Reviewers quick checklist Awareness Knowledge of principles Understanding procedures Competent application in one example Application several times Expert Competencies 1 To 14 Minimum standard

Key dates • 28th March 2012 (cut-off date to receive applications: 28th February 2012) • 23rd May 2012 (cut-off date to receive applications: 23rd April 2012) • 19th July 2012 (cut-off date to receive applications: 19th June 2012) • 27th September 2012 (cut-off date to receive applications: 24th August 2012) • 28th November 2012 (cut-off date to receive applications: 26th October 2012) • Contact me if you need help

CIWEM - Plan, Protect, Care for the Environment