Infrastructure Services
INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES
CAREER GRADE SCHEME FOR CIVIL ENGINEERS
AND ASSOCIATED DISCIPLINES
(Adopted August 2014)
Qualification / Experience equivalence (New starts)Engineer / CEng or IEng
PLUS
Assessment by Panel
(limitations within existing staffing complement) / K
Engineer / Completion of CETS at I Eng Level
PLUS
Assessment by Panel
OR
Successful portfolio or application submission to appropriate professional institution confirming eligibility to progress to professional review.PLUS
Assessment by Panel
OR
Technical Report route
PLUS
Assessment by Panel / Can demonstrate appropriate experience in the Essential Objectives within the CETS applicable to this grade.
Commitment required toachieve professional qualification within 18 months.
Requires HNC or equivalent as minimum qualification. / J
Engineer / Masters Degree e.g. MEng, or Honours Degree e.g. BEng Hons, BSc Hons
OR
HNC, HND, BSc, SVQ Level 3
PLUSEITHER
Eng Tech
OR
Demonstrate completion of the Essential Objectives within the CETS at I Eng level applicable to this grade / Can demonstrate appropriate experience in the Essential Objectives within the CETS applicable to this grade. / I
Technician / Ordinary Degree e.g. BSc/ BEng
OR
HNC, HND, SVQ Level 3, Nine modules of an accredited degree course.
PLUS
Demonstrate completion of the Essential Objectives within the CETS at I Eng level applicable to this grade
OR
SVQ Level 1/2
PLUS Eng Tech and Assessment by Panel / H
Technician / Scope for existing staff to meet below criteria but retain their current grade. / G
Technician
(Trainee with experience in other role) / Complete HNC, SVQ Level 3, nine modules of an accredited degree course.
OR
SVQ Level 1/2
PLUS
Demonstrate completion of the Essential Objectives within the CETS at Eng Tech level applicable to this grade / Can demonstrate appropriate experience in the Essential Objectives within the CETS applicable to this grade.
Commitment required to achieve SVQ level 3 within 18 months. / G
Trainee / Complete National Certificate, SVQ Level 1 or at least six modules of an accredited degree course.
PLUS
Demonstrate completion of the Essential Objectives within the CETS at Eng Tech level applicable to this grade / F
Trainee / Completion of Induction programme and demonstrate completion of the Essential Objectives within the CETS at Eng Tech level applicable to this grade / E
Trainee – Entry Level / Appointed with minimum of 120 SCQF points
72 SCQF points at level 4 and 72 at level 6
(3 Higher’s & 2“ Standards)
Note: Qualifications in Maths or Technical subjects to allow appropriate access to further education will be required. / D
Career Grade Scheme – Notes for Guidance
This Scheme should be read in conjunction with the Civil Engineering Training Scheme (CETS) document and the standard submission forms both held on Arcadia.
Purpose of the Scheme
Within the established staffing levels of various teams across those parts of Infrastructure Services which deliver transport and engineering functions, there are a set number of posts which are deemed to be Career Grade posts.
These specifically allow the postholders, ideallyregistered on CETS or an approved Institution Training Agreement, to develop and progress through the established grades as they meet specific requirements set out in this Scheme.
The Scheme seeks to allow staff to advance through existing internal grades, based on clear achievements and levels of competencies based around internal assessments.
These assessments are overseen by a Panel of senior officers at key points in the process, and also link to the individual member of staff gaining externally accredited professional qualifications recognised at a UK and worldwide level.
How the Scheme is Applied
The attached table sets out the typical abilities and experience that will be expected of the member of staff for them to be considered for progression.
These link directly to the Development Objectives set out in the CETS documentation, available on Arcadia.
As each member of staff and/or their Line Manager considers that they are approaching the appropriate point in the Scheme, then a submission should be made to the Panel. The Chair of the Panel will inform the member of staff if an interview is required and make appropriate arrangements.
The Career Grade Panel
The Career Grade Panel will consider Written Submissions from members of staff. The written submission will be considered against the criteria set out in the CETS and it is therefore important that the submission is comprehensive and addresses the main objectives applicable to the grade applied for.
This internal Panel will consist of the Supervising Civil Engineer for Aberdeenshire, a Head of Service covering the appropriate discipline and a Manager from within Infrastructure Services with responsibility for training and development. At the discretion of the Panel another Manager from an appropriate operational discipline may be asked to attend.
The Panel will endeavour to meet at least quarterly and may do more frequently, should the number of submissions warrant it.
Where the Chair considers it appropriate, the Panel may meet on a virtual basis using video conference, tele conference and e-mail.
Written Submissions
These should be prepared by the member of staff using the templates held on Arcadia and signed off by their Line Manager.
The Line Manager should be aware of the requirements of the Scheme and be content that the member of staff has met those requirements before signing off the submission.
The completed written submission should then be emailed to the Panel Chair.
Personal Attendance at the Career Panel
While personal attendance at the Panel is mandatory for some Grades, the Panel also has the discretion to ask members of staff to attend for assessment at any stage.
A personal appearance at the panel provides the individual with the opportunity to expand on their written submission and a venue for the Panel to discuss elements of career development and progression in more detail. The format of the personal appearance will be communicated to the member of staff by the Panel Chair.
Assessment by the Panel at Grades J and K is a key step in the career progression of any member of staff, irrespective of their career history. Ideally a member of staff should attend the Panel before undertaking their Professional Review. At that stage the Panel will assess the individual against the specific Development Objectives contained in the CETS and more generally against the Engineering Council UK Spec characteristics, namely:
A - Knowledge and understanding
B - Design and development of processes, systems, services and products
C - Responsibility, management or leadership
D - Communication and inter-personal skills
E - Professional commitment
Should a member of staff obtain I Eng or C Eng without attending the Panel then confirmation of grade K, if available, will not be made until an assessment by the Panel.
For members of staff who have been in possession of IEng for some time, and have yet to successfully progress to K, the revised scheme will present a further opportunity for progression, should a K grade post be available.
For members of staff who find themselves in this position, the Panel will assess their submission, and presentation, against elements C, D and E of the EC UK Spec.
Individual Circumstances
The range of duties carried out by professional staff within Infrastructure Services is vast, as is the range of “engineering” functions carried out by staff who occupy Career Grade Posts.
While the Career Grade Scheme attempts to cover this broad church, there will no doubt be particular circumstances where the scheme, and the associated CETS, is not a comfortable fit with an individual’s role and/or career history.
In those circumstances it is for the post holder, in association with their Line Manager, to interpret the requirements of the scheme in a manner that reflects their individual circumstances.
To ensure that a consistent approach is applied to all staff, the Panel will require evidence to demonstrate any alternative interpretation of the requirements is appropriate, comparable and in the spirit of the Scheme.
Revised Career Grade Scheme August 2014