Introduction to the Engineering Council, what we do and our Making It Work webinar

Summary

The Engineering Council, a regulatory body for the engineering profession, sets international standards for formation, training, and professional conduct, emphasizing ethics and sustainability. It assures competence through professional registration with member institutions, providing societal confidence in engineers' knowledge and commitment. The council updates its standards and guidance, offering free resources to support engineers in their professional development and address global challenges, such as sustainability and cybersecurity, in collaboration with the global engineering community.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ The Engineering Council is a regulatory body that oversees the engineering profession, ensuring standards for formation, training, and competence to practice.
• 🔍 The board of the Engineering Council includes representatives from professional engineering institutions and independent members from the engineering and wider professional world.
• 📈 The Council develops and quality assures standards for continuing professional development, which is essential for registration as a professional engineer.
• 🔑 Membership with a licensed professional engineering institution is central to becoming a registered professional engineer.
• 👥 The Council's work aims to instill confidence in the engineering profession among employers, government, and society.
• 🌐 The Engineering Council collaborates with the global engineering community to harmonize standards and address global challenges.
• 📚 The Council publishes guidance on emerging practices and areas of strategic importance, such as sustainability, ethical conduct, and cybersecurity.
• 🌟 Professional registration, although not legally required in the UK, provides a register that assures employers and government of engineers' knowledge, experience, and societal commitment.
• 📈 The Council encourages stakeholders to demand evidence of competence and commitment in engineering project teams and leadership structures.
• 📝 All documents related to the Council's standards and guidance are freely available on their website for engineers, technicians, and employers.
• 🤝 Joining a licensed professional engineering institution is the first step for individuals seeking professional recognition, as they provide advice and support for professional registration and continuing development.

Q & A

What is the primary role of the Engineering Council?

The Engineering Council is a regulatory body for the engineering profession, responsible for developing standards for formation, training, competence to practice, and professional conduct, including ethical and sustainable practices.

Who are the members of the Engineering Council's board?

The board of the Engineering Council is composed of representatives from professional engineering institutions as well as independent members from both the engineering and wider professional world.

Why is continuing professional development important for engineers?

Continuing professional development is important as it ensures that engineers stay updated with the latest practices and technologies, which is a requirement for membership in licensed professional member institutions and registration as a professional engineer.

How does the Engineering Council ensure the quality of its standards?

The Engineering Council quality assures the implementation of its standards by its member institutions, which helps maintain the high quality and relevance of the standards in the engineering profession.

What is the significance of professional registration for engineers in the UK?

Although not a legal requirement, professional registration provides employers, government, and society with confidence in the knowledge, experience, and societal commitment of registered engineers and technicians.

What is the Engineering Council's stance on encouraging the demand for professional competence?

The Engineering Council strives to encourage customers, suppliers, and employers to demand evidence of competence and commitment in their project teams, leadership structures, and supply chains.

How does the Engineering Council work with the global engineering community?

The Engineering Council collaborates with the global engineering community to harmonize and promote standards, ensuring that its own standards are internationally recognized and address global challenges.

What are some areas of emerging practice or strategic importance that the Engineering Council provides guidance on?

The Engineering Council provides guidance in areas such as sustainability, ethical conduct, and cybersecurity, which are considered emerging practices or of strategic importance.

How have the Engineering Council's standards and guidance on sustainability been updated recently?

The standards and guidance on sustainability have been recently reviewed and updated with feedback from across the profession to better support the development of engineering competence for a sustainable world.

What is the purpose of the event mentioned in the script?

The event aims to show the big picture of how internationally recognized standards and guidance develop engineering competence for a sustainable world and to explore how this supports individual engineers in their day-to-day work.

How can engineers interested in professional recognition get started?

Engineers interested in professional recognition should join one of the licensed professional engineering institutions, which will provide advice, support, and contextualize guidance for continuing professional development in their sector or discipline.