Engineering Career: A Guide to Building Your Development Plan
"Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the ax.”
Abraham Lincoln
Introduction
Knowing what direction you want your career to go in is one thing, but having a structured plan to help you achieve it is another. Development plans can take many forms; from working towards gaining professional certification to climbing the corporate ladder. Your vision of your career can never be wrong, but not having a plan in place can prevent you from achieving it. As an engineer, we all have at our disposal a structured resource outlining five key areas that can be used to produce a development plan.
The UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence and Commitment (UK-SPEC) is a document which outlines five competency areas which engineers are required to meet when applying for the registration title of Engineering Technician (EngTech), Incorporated Engineer (IEng) or Chartered Engineer (CEng). The UK-SPEC outlines, in detail, descriptions of each competence, how each can be demonstrated and examples of evidence which can be used when applying for one of the registered positions. In addition, the UK-SPEC outlines what professional registration is, how and why to register.
Regardless of whether you are applying for professional registration or not, this article is your guide when building a development plan, using the UK-SPEC and the SMART objectives methodology. Achieving individual, some of or all competencies can be a good way of proving progression to your current employer when seeking to progress into a new role.
Overview of Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC)
The UK-SPEC splits professional registration across three different titles; Engineering Technician (EngTech), Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and Chartered Engineer (CEng).
A description for each is below -
EngTech
Applies proven techniques and procedures to solve practical engineering problems. Applies safe systems of work.
IEng
Maintains and manages applications of current and developing technology, and may undertake engineering design, development, manufacture, construction and operation.
CEng
Develops solutions to engineering problems using new or existing technologies, through innovation, creativity and change. May be accountable for complex systems with significant levels of risk.
One of the key differentiators across each title is the recognised qualification required. More information regarding this can be found at www.engc.org.uk
Regardless of the title, the five competencey titles are the same.
The five UK-SPEC competencies
A. Knowledge and understanding
B. Design, development and solving engineering problems
C. Responsibility, management and Leadership
D. Communication and interpersonal skills
E. Personal and professional commitment
SMART Objectives
Before you begin to create your development plan, using the competencies as key milestones and representations of your development, it's important to identify manageable objectives which will help you achieve the competencies. SMART objectives is a widely used methodology which ensures objectives have the correct parameters and characteristics.
SMART is an acronym which stands for -
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-Based
When assessing each competency in the UK-SPEC, setting single or multiple SMART objectives will be your method of creating managing milestones, enabling you to demonstrate the experience you need to achieve each competency.
Whether you are applying for CEng or proving to your line manager that you are ready to move to Senior Engineer, a quality and structured package of evidence will increase your chances of success.
Example SMART Objective -
To achieve CEng Competency B, you are required to demonstrated three areas of evidence. In this example, we will set an objective to achieve B1 described as "Take an active role in the identification and definition of project requirements, problems and opportunities."
Below is an example objective, using the SMART objective methodology, to enable B1 of Competence B to be achieved.
B1 - Take an active role in the identification and definition of project requirements, problems and opportunities
Specific - Produce a project method statement and test schedule to ensure the project scope is delivered as required by the client.
Measurable - Present the suite of project documents to a nominated Principal Engineer and the Head of Department for approval prior to the commencement of project works.
Achievable - Project X will commence in month Y, therefore there is no requirement to change role or department to achieve this objective.
Note - If this objective isn't achievable in your current role, it's important to understand what options there are within the business to gain the exposure required to achieve this objective. This could be a secondment or an opportunity to work in a different department for a period of time.
Relevant - This objective will enable you to achieve B1 as you progress towards CEng.
Time Based - The project requires test results by month Z. This allows a set period of time for you to complete the task and gain the experience required.
It's important to reflect before setting objectives. Techniques, such as mind mapping, will allow you to reflect and understand what your goal is and whether you have partially achieved it in your career to date.
Applying the UK-SPEC
Upon reading the UK-SPEC, you will notice that each Professional Registration requires a different level of evidence against each competency. Each competency is split into between 2-5 areas, with evidence against each required to demonstrate competency.
Example Evidence - CEng - Competency A
A1 - Have maintained and extended a sound theoretical approach to enable them to develop their particular role.
A2 - Are developing technological solutions to unusual or challenging problems, using their knowledge and understanding and/or dealing with complex technical issues or situations with significant levels of risk.
Evidence - As Lead Project Engineer on a load testing project, my role was to design and setup a set of stringent test conditions to replicate a products environment following production, as requested by the client. The component was required to be submerged in water and pressurised, replicating a set sea water depth, and experience loading over a series of cycles. Displacement measurements were required for the duration of the test.
To ensure the component was pressurised in a cost effective manner, I designed a enclosure with the relevant inlets and fittings to allow hydraulic hoses to be transferred from outside the enclosure from hydraulic manifolds to the hydraulic actuators used to apply the bending moment to the test specimen. I specified the actuators and hoses prior to procurement. I researched and procured IP (Ingress Protection) 68 rated load cells to allow for continuous control of the actuators. Completed stress engineering calculations to design loading beams used to apply load to the test specimen. Using Autodesk Inventor I produced engineering drawings to support the manufacturing of the Test Enclosure and Loading Saddles. I procured all materials and managed the fabrication. IP68 rated Linear Variable Displacement Transformers (LVDT) were researched and procured. Located in 6 locations across the test specimen, displacements were measured and logged for the duration of the test.
In order to locate any propagations across the component I used industry proven water dye which would enter any crack present on the component throughout testing. Ultraviolet light torches were used to identify propagations post-test . The testing was conducted and the data gathered was used to verify Finite Element Analysis modelling.
Creating a Development Plan
1. Set Your Goal - Your development plan should be based on your goal(s). This article has focused on the UK-SPEC, as this is a common set of credentials for all engineers looking to achieve professional registration. However, regardless of your goal(s) use the SMART objective methodology.
2. Self Reflection - Using techniques such as mind mapping, determine your experience to date, and produce specific objectives which will allow you to achieve your goal(s).
IMPORTANT
Before proceeding to Step 3, speak with someone who you know professionally who can review your goal(s) and experience to date. A trusted mentor or colleague will give you an honest assessment of your goal(s) and reflection, ensuring your goal(s) is/are realistic and your reflection has included all the work and experience you have built up to date.
3. SMART Objectives - Now you have your goal and know the gap, verified by a mentor or colleague, you can set your SMART objectives which will allow you to achieve your goal(s).
Evaluating your Progress
Evaluating progress at set times will be your best way of tracking and storing the evidence you need to prove you have completed your goal(s). Work schedules are busy with meetings, site visits, report writing, testing etc. therefore allocate as a minimum 1 hour each month to conduct a review of your development plan . By doing so, you can reflect and assess if you are working towards the SMART objectives you have set.
Keeping notepads which detail work you have completed, projects you have worked on, your roles and responsibilities on projects and how you contributed, will help you better describe your achievements during your monthly review.
Conclusion
Building a development plan can be a time consuming and frustrating process without a clear reference or resource to support you. As an engineer the UK-SPEC will enable you to understand the competencies required to achieve each level of professional registration. Prior to building your development plan, a session of self refection will allow you to identified your delta against your chosen goal(s). Applying the SMART objective methodology will allow you to identify objectives with the correct parameters to enable you to achieve your overall development goal(s).
“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry