Training And Qualifications For Professional Engineer

Self-Assessment of Transferable Skills

You are a junior engineer attending college completing a HND in Electronic Engineering whilst in full-time employment for an engineering company. You have been asked by your line manager, Mithun, to present to him the training and qualifications you need to achieve to become a professional engineer.

TASK 1: LO2.1

A. Complete the ‘Self Assessment of Transferable Skills’ form in the appendix of this assignment.

B. Evaluate your own current skills and competencies by comparing the results from your completed ‘Self Assessment of Transferable Skills’ form with parts D and E of the ‘UK-SPEC Competence and Commitment Requirements for IEng Registration’, and complete the ‘Self Assessment of Transferable Skills Reflective Review’, found in Unit 27 on the VLE

Task 2: LO2.2

Identify your own development needs and the activities required to meet them. To do this, list the criteria you are either week in or have no experience in, and then identify the activities you need to make your weaknesses, strengths.

Task 3: LO2.3

To become a professional engineer, you need to have achieved the correct qualifications and experience. You need to identify the qualifications and experience you need to become an ‘Incorporated Engineer’ using the ‘Standard Routes to Registration as a Professional Engineer or Technician’ and Parts A to C of the ‘UK-SPEC Competences and Commitment Standard for Incorporated Engineers, found in the appendix of this assignment.

Task 4: LO2.4

Create a personal and professional plan using the ‘Developing: Goal Setting and Action Planning’ form, which can be found in Unit 27 on the VLE. Use the table to plan your goals needed to become a professional engineer.

Table 1: Self- management	Score
1	I frequently set appropriate targets and goals for myself	4
2	I plan and prioritise my work to meet the deadlines	4
3	I know and understand my own strengths and weaknesses	4
4	I regularly reflect on progress and outcomes	4
5	I find support to help me or develop new strategies where necessary	4
6	I accept and act on feedback	4
7	I regularly evaluate my own performance	4
8	I monitor/control activities	4
Total	32

Table 2: Learning	Score
1	I am aware of the way I learn and study best	4
2	I am able to identify key principles and make connections between areas of knowledge	3
3	I seek out, accept and act on feedback on my work	4
4	I can select and present ideas/arguments/evidence	4
5	I can form my own judgements based on the information obtained	4
6	I can apply theory to practice in most situations to develop understanding and solve problems	4
7	I find and adopt study techniques that work for me	4
8	I am willing to change my ideas and practices based on new understanding	3
Total	30

Table 3: Communication	Score
1	I regularly use a variety of modern communication tools	4
2	I can listen positively and respond to both verbal and non verbal messages	4
3	I can present a well structured and evidenced argument both verbally and in writing.	4
4	I can express myself and ideas clearly, concisely and logically in speech and writing.	4
5	I can influence others and gain agreement or acceptance of plan/idea/activity	4
6	I understand other viewpoints and appreciate cultural differences	4
7	I adjust how I communicate to suit the understanding of my target audience	4
8	I usually evaluate how well my message is received	4
Total	32

Table 4: Information literacy	Score
1	I locate and use a variety of sources of information – print, electronic, people	4
2	I search information databases to secure information	4
3	I appraise information using relevant criteria	4
4	I reference material correctly and understand plagiarism	4
5	I organize and store information so it can be retrieved when needed	4
6	I can select, summarize, and interpret information to draw meaningful conclusions	4
7	I can organize information into a logical and cohesive format that can be communicated easily to others	4
8	I am comfortable researching or gathering data for use in a project	4
Total	32

Table 5: Team working	Score
1	I understand the principles of group behavior and team roles	4
2	I motivate self and others to the achievement of common goals	4
3	I respect feelings views and values of others taking on board other opinions	4
4	I assist and support other members of the team in order to achieve objectives effectively	4
5	I can negotiate with others when necessary	4
6	I readily take the initiative when necessary	4
7	I regularly review progress and alter plan if necessary	4
8	I can delegate tasks where necessary	4
9	I accept and carry out agreed or delegated tasks	4
Total	36

Table 6: Critical thinking including problem solving, decision making	Score
1	I can critically analyze a line of reasoning or argument	4
2	I challenge taken-for-granted assumptions and existing practice	4
3	I evaluate evidence presented in support of a conclusion	4
4	I identify and address gaps in knowledge or understanding	4
5	I can identify and analyze key points/issues within a problem	4
6	I generate creative/innovative ideas using techniques such as brainstorming, mind-mapping, critical path analysis	4
7	I evaluate evidence presented in support of a conclusion	4
8	I accept and carry out agreed or delegated tasks	4
Total	32

Table 7: Information technology	Score
1	I use a word processor to create documents and use functions to add value to work, e c. Word	4
2	I create and use a spreadsheet and manipulate data within it ex-Excel	4
3	I create a database from a set of data, work with it to produce reports, ex- Access	4
4	I create effective presentations using graphic	4
5	I can produce transparencies or visual aids for a presentation	4
6	I am competent at researching. topics of interest/importance on the Internet	4
7	I use e-mail to maintain effective communication with others	4
8	I am confident healing with new software applications	4
Total	32

Table 8: Numeracy	Score
1	I feel comfortable making fundamental calculations — estimating, adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing	4
2	I use a calculator confidently	4
3	I am able to use basic numerical skills in order to cope with everyday life	4
4	I have a grasp of statistics and percentages, fractions, decimals, and ratios	4
5	I can use numerical data to construct a reasoned argument	4
6	I am able to interpret and explain numerical information using spreadsheets, graphs, charts, tables and diagrams	4
Total	24

Table 9: Career management and professional development	Score
1	I have an awareness of the type of job opportunities open to me.	3
2	I understand some of the trends that are emerging in the business or professional world.	4
3	I know the employability attributes that employers in my chosen field are looking	4
4	I am able to effectively communicate my skills and experience to others in writing in order to gain employment or develop career	4
5	I am confident of being able to put together an effective CV	4
6	I am confident of handling myself well in a range of selection situations	4
7	I have future targets in minds regarding career and professional development	4
Total	27

B. Evaluation of Self Assessment of Transferable Skills

	Low	Med	High	Your score	Scoring
Low	Med	High
1	Self management	0-13	14-26	27-40	32			î€Â
2	Learning	0-13	14-26	27-40	30			î€Â
3	Communication	0-13	14-26	27-40	32			î€Â
4	Information literacy	0-13	14-26	27-40	32			î€Â
5	Team working	0-13	14-26	27-40	36			î€Â
6	Critical  thinking including problem solving, decision- making	0-13	14-26	27-40	32			î€Â
7	Information technology	0-13	14-26	27-40	32			î€Â
8	Numeracy	0-13	14-26	27-40	24		î€Â
9	Career management and professional development	0-13	14-26	27-40	27			î€Â

On the basis of the ‘Self Assessment of Transferable Skills’ my current skills and competencies are:

I have best quality as a Team worker. I understand the principles of team work and motivate others with same or common goals. I respect feelings values and views of others for negotiation and do reviewing of the progress on a regular basis. I pose the quality of good self management, effective communication process and efficient information literacy as an engineer. I critically think about the problems and take effective and most suitable options for solving the problem.

There are many skills and qualities that are needed for becoming an effective competent engineer. Some of them are technical competence, communication skills, leadership skills, teamwork, and innovative thinking. According to the ‘Self Assessment of Transferable Skills’ test, I have good team work abilities. However, I had lack of identification of the key principles for making connections among the acquired knowledge areas and willingness for changing my concepts, practices and ideas with the trending knowledge. I have to improve my awareness for the type of job openings that are available for me to acquire.

Identifying Development Needs

The following is the list of my weakness according to the Self Assessment of Transferable Skills’ test with possible solutions:

Weaknesses	Solutions for improving the weaknesses
Lack of identification of the key principles for developing good professional skills	Continuous quality improvement: Thoroughly understanding of the key principles of the development of the professional engineering skills. Planning and developing of the professional skills could be done by self evaluation test.
Unwillingness for changing my concepts, practices and ideas with the trending knowledge	Improvising of the activities: Managing teams and staffs for meeting the changes of technical and managerial needs. Keeping track of the latest updates and development of the technology would be largely beneficial for the successful career as a professional engineer.
Unawareness for the type of job openings that are available for me	Technical and commercial management: It is important for keeping an eye for better opportunities and options as an engineer. It would help in getting acquainted to the development on oneself from both culturally and financially.

The steps one need to take for professionally registering as an engineer or technician are:

Joining a professional engineering institution that has been got licensed from Engineering council. The institution selected would be based on the area of the work one want to do.

Recording of the professional development using academic qualifications, training of employee and development scheme.

Applying for assessment after one feels that he/she is ready for demonstration of technicality and professional competences.

There are some examples of registration as a professional engineer.

Andrew Houston has explained that for him the key source to register, accredit and professional recognition was Institute of Water. The institute was really helpful, accommodating and sociable for him during the process. The feedback of the process has also been invaluable for identifying the areas that he needed to work for becoming better professional engineer or technician.

Another way for registration as a professional engineer or technician is through membership with IIE or institution of incorporated engineers. Ikediashi Ambrose Umuodum had successfully registered as IEng from the engineering council.

Name:	Date: 19-9-2016	Version:
Objective: What am I going to achieve?	Actions/Steps I will take to achieve it?	By when I will have achieved the objective?	How will I know when I have achieved it?	What resources/support do I need to help me achieve it?	What barriers might I experience?
Getting registered as a professional engineer	Joining professional engineering institutions	September, 2016	I would get enrolled for registration as a professional engineer	Time, Effort, Skill and knowledge, and registration fees	Could not meet and fulfil  the required criteria for registration
Completing the registration process	Applying for assessment to show the professional and technical knowledge gained.	December. 2016	I would complete the assessment without any error or fault	Skill, efficiency, time and hard work	Would not be able to get over any particular problem and it would affect the overall progress.

Name:	Date: 19-9-2016	Version:
Objective: What am I going to achieve?	Actions/Steps I will take to achieve it?	By when I will have achieved the objective?	How will I know when I have achieved it?	What resources/support do I need to help me achieve it?	What barriers might I experience?
Developing good communication skill	Taking part in communication required activities such as group discussion and debate.	September, 2016	I would be able to communicate my ideas and thoughts to others efficiently	Proper knowledge of communication methods and effective communication medium	Lack of communication means and methods, Miscommunication due to barriers
Adoption of latest technology	Continuous improvising of the technical activities	October, 2016	I would be acquainted with the ways for accepting new technology	Acceptance level, keen to know about latest trends in technology, Effort	Would not be able to be acquainted with the development of technology

In business Enterprises, the objectives of the business can be achieved by following the SMART approach (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time bound). Locke in his research had found out in his research that if harder goals are set, the workers would get more motivated to do the work. It develops sense of accomplishment after achieving among the workers. He later on deduced fived principles by which the chances of success could be improved. They are Clarity, Challenge, Commitment, Feedback, and Task Complexity. These principles would help in forming the most appropriate and improvised way for achieving the success of the business.

Clarity: the clearer goals of the business organization would make them measurable and attainable. The clear goal setting would help in defining the work in a definite set of time for completion. It has helped in less misunderstanding of the primitive goal of the enterprise. The employees would know what they have to do in the assigned task. For example- If the employee would be assigned to complete 50% of the assignment in limited time, he/she would do their best and complete half the assignment within the time. It is good to know about the requirements of the assignment before starting it.

Standard Routes to Registration as a Professional Engineer

Challenge: The most important method to motivate the employees is putting challenges in front of them. The attainable challenges would help to them to be pushed to their extent and attain the necessary results. Rewards for challenges motivate the employees for achieving the challenge. It would boost them for becoming more enthusiastic in their work. Challenges and rewards act as a natural means for motivation to the employees.

Commitment: The goals that are acceptable by all the employees would lead to commitment towards the work. The goals must be set consistent and relevant to their working process. The employees must consider the set goals to be consistent. It would help them in getting more and more involved in the activities. The involvement in the activities by the employee would result in forming commitment to the work. The commitment would further enhance the employees to achieve the goals that have been set.

Feedback: Feedback is the most important part of an effective communication. It would provide information for setting right type of goal. The feedback from the other end would help in providing clarified expressions, adjusting the goals as per their difficulties, and gaining recognition. The employees would express their views regarding the goal through the feedback.

Task Complexity: The task complexity would also act as a means for taking special care for ensuring that the work does not become over for the employees. The high complexity of the task would de-motivate the employees and it would affect the overall performance of the employees.

Hence it can be said that the goal setting is very crucial for getting success in any activity. Locke’s research has confirmed the efficiency of the SMART goal description for setting the goals of successful business development.

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