IGEM's Membership Services Team are experts in all aspects of professional registration and can support and advise you throughout the application process.
Speak to one of our team today to find out whether your qualifications and experience are sufficient for EngTech, IEng, CEng or Fellow status. From there, we will guide you as you complete your application and prepare for your interview.
Our professional registration event and resources are all free and you do not have to be a member to gain access.
Grades of professional registration
There are three main grades of professional registration: Engineering Technician (EngTech), Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and Chartered Engineer (CEng).
Engineering Technicians apply proven techniques and procedures to the solution of practical engineering problems. They are able to demonstrate learning to NVQ/SQV level 3 or similar.
Incorporated Engineers maintain and manage applications of current and developing technology, and may undertake engineering design, development, manufacture, construction and operation. Their academic knowledge is at bachelor's level or equivalent.
Chartered Engineers develop solutions to complex engineering problems using new or existing technologies, and through innovation, creativity and technical analysis. Their academic knowledge is at master's level or equivalent.
How do I get started?
Join IGEM as an Associate
Working towards professional registration can take time, so in order to take full advantage of all IGEM’s member benefits, you will begin your membership as an Associate. This is the first step on the road to professional registration and you don’t need to prove your qualifications or experience at this stage.
Assessing your qualifications
Before you can become professionally registered, we'll need to assess your academic qualifications and professional experience against the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC), set by the Engineering Council.
The Engineering Council holds a database of qualifications approved for EngTech or fully or partially accredited for IEng and CEng. Details of all qualifications approved or accredited for professional registration can be found in the Accredited Course Search available on the Engineering Council website.
Don’t worry if you have studied overseas; your qualification may still be approved or accredited. We can check this for you when you contact our team.
If your qualifications are not approved, you can still apply for professional registration. We will simply need to make an individual assessment of your qualifications and it may mean you need to undergo an academic assessment.
Assessing your experience
You will need to satisfy the underpinning knowledge and understanding requirements as well as demonstrating competence and commitment as set out in UK-SPEC.
When you make an application you will submit formal documented evidence of any relevant qualifications, experience or training and show how this relates to the required competences and commitment for the registration category you are applying for.
We will then carry out an assessment known as a Professional Review. For Engineering Technician this is usually a one-stage process, an assessment of written evidence. For Incorporated Engineer and Chartered Engineer this is a two-stage process, an assessment of written evidence known as a Professional Review Report and then a Professional Review Interview.
FAQ: Assessing your academic qualifications and experience
The Engineering Council holds a database of qualifications approved for EngTech or fully or partially accredited for IEng and CEng.
Check your qualifications
Before making an application for professional registration, you may like to check whether or not your qualifications have been approved or accredited. A summary of the types of qualifications likely to be approved for EngTech or accredited for IEng and CEng can be seen here. Details of all qualifications approved or accredited for professional registration can be found in the Accredited Course Search available on the Engineering Council website.
International qualifications
If you have studied overseas and one or more of your qualifications is from a university outside of the UK they may still be approved or accredited as meeting the requirements for professional registration. Please contact us and we’ll check your qualifications on your behalf.
My qualifications are not approved for EngTech
If your qualifications are not approved then you can still apply to become an EngTech we will simply need you to provide written responses to a series of questions that we refer to as our EngTech competence and commitment statements. The five questions that make up the EngTech competence and commitment statements have been designed to allow you to provide evidence that you have acquired the appropriate level of knowledge, understanding and experience to meet UK-SPEC.
My qualifications are not accredited for IEng or CEng
Similarly, if your qualifications are not accredited for IEng or CEng then you can still apply for registration at these grades, we will simply need to make an individual assessment of your qualifications. This means your application will need an academic assessment. We will ask you to provide us with copies of your qualification certificates and transcripts and will submit these along with your application form to our academic panel to assess.
Academic panel assessment
If your qualifications are not accredited for IEng or CEng then your application will be submitted to our academic panel for assessment. Having reviewed your qualifications the panel may decide that you need to undertake further learning. This may be in the form of an additional academic qualification or vocational training. Alternatively, you might be given the option of producing a technical report as a means of demonstrating your knowledge.
Outcomes of academic panel assessment
The outcome of this assessment will be one of the following:
- The panel feel that the combination of qualifications that you hold is sufficient to meet the education requirements of UK-SPEC for the grade of registration you originally applied. Your application will progress to the next stage, which is professional review.
- The panel will approve your qualifications as meeting the requirements of UK-SPEC for an alternative grade of registration. If this is the case we'll contact you to discuss how you want to progress.
- The panel will confirm that you need to undertake further learning. This may be in the form of an additional academic qualification or vocational training. Alternatively, you might be given the option of producing a technical report as a means of demonstrating your knowledge.
Further learning
One of the outcomes of an academic panel assessment is a request to undertake further learning. This may be in the form of an additional academic qualification or vocational training. Alternatively, you might be given the option of producing a technical report as a means of demonstrating your knowledge.
Academic qualifications
A summary of the types of qualifications likely to be accredited for IEng and CEng can be found here. Details of all qualifications approved or accredited for professional registration can be found in the Accredited Course Search available on the Engineering Council website.
IGEM accredited degrees
In addition to those qualifications that have been accredited by the Engineering Council, there are a number of engineering degrees that have been accredited by IGEM:
- MSc in Subsea Engineering and Management: Newcastle University
- MSc in Pipeline Engineering: Newcastle University
- MSc in Gas Engineering and Management: University of Salford
- MSc in Petroleum and Gas Engineering: University of Salford
- BEng in Building Environment and Services Engineering: Chongqing University
- MSc in Energy and Environment: City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Vocational training
We also accredit company training schemes delivered by IGEM Company Members. The following companies run IGEM accredited programmes:
- GTC
- National Grid
- SGN
- Towngas
- Wales and West Utilities
Technical Report
What is a technical report?
A written report designed to demonstrate that you’ve acquired a thorough understanding of engineering principles by working within the gas sector and undertaking vocational training.
What should I write about?
Your report can be on any technical subject that you choose. The academic panel may provide guidance as to the knowledge and understanding that your technical report must demonstrate based upon the details of your qualifications.
Synopsis
You will then be required to prepare a 500 word synopsis detailing the proposed subject matter for your technical report before you begin writing the full report. This will need to be approved by our academic panel.
How long is a technical report?
The length of report required will vary depending on the qualification(s) you hold.
Help with preparing a technical report
We recognise that being asked to prepare and submit a technical report can be daunting, which is why we provide lots of help and support along the way. We can send you examples of technical reports, you might like to attend one of our technical report workshops, alternatively you may wish to use an IGEM approved mentor who can discuss your technical report synopsis and provide advice and support through to submission of your final report.
If you would like to request technical report example or the support of a mentor please contact us. We will do our best to match you with an individual who has knowledge or experience of the subject matter of your proposed technical report and, if possible is within a reasonable travelling distance.
Downloads
Technical Report Guidance
Technical Report Synopsis Form
Professional Review Report
The professional review report demonstrates that you have gained sufficient breadth and depth of engineering and management experience and undertaken a position of responsibility appropriate for Chartered Engineer (CEng) or an Incorporated Engineer (IEng) status.
It should describe the experience you have acquired, your professional achievements and highlight those activities that relate to the competency and commitment criteria set out in UK-SPEC.
We’ll provide you with a copy of the appropriate competency and commitment statements for you to refer to when writing your report. We would also advise you to read the Professional Review Report and Interview guidance.
As a rough guide, a Professional Review Report for CEng should be around 3,000 words and for IEng 1,500 words. Once you have submitted your report, you’ll be invited to attend a Professional Review Interview.
Professional Review Interview
Being invited to attend a Professional Review Interview is a good sign as it means you have demonstrated your competence and commitment sufficiently on paper. The purpose of the interview is to confirm that your experience is substantially as described in your application documents including your Professional Review Report.
Interviews take place at IGEM House located in Kegworth in the East Midlands, and online; and are conducted by two, IGEM trained and professionally registered engineers who will ask you questions about your report and the relevant competency and commitment criteria.
We set interview dates throughout the year, and the interview typically lasts between 1 and 1.5 hours and it’s your opportunity to show the breadth and depth of the knowledge that you’ve gained through working in the sector.
Upcoming interview dates
See some insight into the interview experience.
The Professional Review Interview
An insight into the Professional Review interview used in IGEM's workshops can be seen in this video from the IET.