Society of Operations Engineers
Professional Development Record
Society of Operations Engineers
22 Greencoat Place, London, SW1P 1PR
Tel: 020 7630 1111
Fax: 020 7630 6677
Website:
Personal Details
Name and title:SOE membership no:
Engineering Council registration no:
Home address:
Home tel no:
Mobile tel no:
Email address:
Employers name:
Employers address:
Work tel no:
Work fax no:
Work email address:
Job title and function:
Policy on Professional Development
The Society is committed to promoting to its members and their employers, theaims, importance and benefits of Professional Development in contributing tobusiness and individual success.
Code of Practice
It is the responsibility of every engineer to maintain professional standards by keeping upto date with the latest technology and anticipating future needs as they may arise.Professional Development implies the need for an individual to undertake life-long learningin order to keep in the forefront of the thinking and skills required in their profession.
Every engineer shall demonstrate commitment to continually enhancing their professionalcompetence through self managed Professional Development.
The Society shall monitor from time to time, through an appropriate system, theProfessional Development of its registrants, as evidence of their commitment toprofessional practice.
Introduction to your Professional Development Record
Britain has a tremendous amount of engineering going on and much of it is at the leadingedge and offers a wide range of satisfying careers. Technology is developing ever faster,standards are rising and new issues are becoming important. For example, 40 years agonobody thought much about the environment; today it’s a crucial issue in engineering. If youdon’t move with the changes and undertake new challenges then you won’t remain ‘TheBest’; you won’t even stay okay. Engineering and technology is changing and we are allemployed for what we do now; not what we could do in the past. An average career is around35 years. Could you do what you do today if you relied on the training gained in 1965?Perhaps, but it is doubtful. So what are you doing to ensure that you can do what is required,not just now but in the future? Well you have taken the first step in signifying yourcommitment to Professional Development (PD) by becoming a member of the Society ofOperations Engineers. One of the most important benefits of membership is that we can helpyou to plan your PD. We all have a need for ‘life long learning’ to maintain our current skillsand capabilities honed and to expand within and beyond engineering. You should also notethat evidence of PD would be required for membership progression.
What is the next step?
The next step is to use your PDR. It will serve as a medium for members to build up a profile of their PD and will:
- Help you to focus on your career ambitions, as well as assist in identifying your aimsand objectives by providing structure and guidance.
- Enable you to record your experience and achievements, which contribute to your PD.
- Help you to formulate specific continuing education and training needs.
You should review and update your record at regular intervals. This record will always beyour own personal property and you will be the primary beneficiary of it. However, most willrecognise both the need for and the benefits of involving colleagues and superiors. Careshould be exercised not to include sensitive material such as: commercial confidences orclassified information. In conjunction with your PDR you should maintain an up to datecurriculum vitae, this will also help to focus your PD.
There are three sections of registration with the Engineering Council: CharteredEngineer, Incorporated Engineer and Engineering Technician (see Appendix 1 forcompetence and commitment statements).
In accordance with Engineering Council Standards and Routes to Registration ‘UK-SPEC’,registration is assessed on the following three elements:
- Academic proficiency;
- Initial Professional Development (IPD);
- And, professional review.
As part of the registration process applicants will undertake a professional review, duringwhich PD is assessed.
Record of Professional Development
Activities completion
Professional Development should not concentrate on just one or two types of activities, butbe a combination of them all. The balance among these types will vary from person to person, and must be appropriate for the individual.
There are many types of activities which can count as PD, such as:
- Courses, conferences and seminars
- Organised visits
- Writing articles and papers
- Society/Institution committee work
- Professional updating by private study and reading
- Society/Institution technical meetings
- Secondments and exchanges
- Further education
- Distance or open learning
Members should take responsibility for their own PD and thus employability by developingand following individual personal development plans. The plans should take into account their own needs, the needs of their employers and also the needs of society.
Record of PD activities sheet
There is an example on the first sheet to assist you in the completion; the column layout isself-explanatory. However, in the column ‘Specific area of PD’, the key for the letters is as follows:
T = Technical
M = Management
L = Legislative
Misc = Miscellaneous
In the column ‘Value of PD activity’, Low, Medium and High relate directly to the value thatyou gained from the activity.
You should aim to make each entry as detailed as possible.
Record of PD Activities
Name:
Date / Activity description / Value of PD activity / Learning outcomes / comments / Specific area of PDLow / Med / High / T / L / M / Misc
19/05/2009 / Example:
SOE centre lecture on Power tool safety / / Thorough understanding of safe codes of practice and legal implications involved. / / /
Date / Activity description / Value of PD activity / Learning outcomes / comments / Specific area of PD
Low / Med / High / T / L / M / Misc
Professional Development Planning
The Professional Development Cycle explains the process of effectively planning, focusingand recording your development. Consisting of 5 phases, this cycle is the same forengineering professionals from a wide range of backgrounds, disciplines and workingenvironments, as well as ages and stages of your career. However, the level of detail you go into at each phase will vary widely, depending on your needs and circumstances.
Professional Development Planning Sheet
Name:
Review(Where am I now) / Identify goals
(Where do I want to be) / Skills required
(What do I need to help me get there) / How to achieve
(How am I going to get there) / Record
PD activity sheet