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My experience in becoming a Chartered Engineer!
On the 28th of November 2019 I successfully sat my ICE Professional Review remotely from Johannesburg with my evaluators located at the ICE headquarters in London. The review was the final step towards becoming a Chartered Engineer. The review began with a 15-minute presentation that was strictly timed, a one-hour interview that was more intense than I was expecting, and a two-hour writing exercise that left me with renewed empathy for my students who have to write exams regularly. I completed the review both exhausted and with a sense of pride derived from knowing that I really had to work hard to prove myself worthy of registration.
I began the registration process towards the beginning of 2017 when I applied for ICE Graduate Membership after completing my PhD. So it took me almost three years to complete the process. Before this time frame discourages any potential applicants, I should clarify that my process was perhaps longer than usual because it involved the assessment of my undergraduate degree which I completed in Colombia. This step is much simpler for applicants with Civil Engineering degrees from South Africa, which is a signatory of the Washington Accord. Additionally, my work commitments did not always allow me to attend to the registration process as quickly as I would have wanted to. Although I suspect that in this regard I am in no way atypical. Who amongst us isn't quite busy with work?
Although professional registration is not a straightforward process, it is facilitated by the clarity and encouraging nature of the instructions provided in the ICE website and via email. Additionally, the enthusiastic support from the ICE Country Representative for South Africa, Mr Alain Jacquet, made the process easier to navigate. I am also indebted to my three sponsors for helping me get through this process: Dr Florian Hoertkorn, Dr Nico Vermeulen, and Prof Akpofure Taigbenu. It is always inspiring when one finds people willing to make time in their busy agendas to show collegial support. I trust I will be able to "pay it forward" by helping others through my participation in the ICE-SA committee where I am currently in charge of the Membership portfolio. Please feel free to get in touch if you need help to get through this process.
Luis Alberto Torres-Cruz PhD MICE CEng
Senior Lecturer in Geotechnical Engineering
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Wits University
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Contractual guidelines for NEC contracts in South Africa
In April this year, ICE-SA prepared a detailed guidance document for NEC users in South Africa (and elsewhere) in the contractual response of the COVID-19 impact. The document was formulated by the authors of the NEC, and vetted by the editorial panel of NEC in the UK. NEC3 is used more widely in South Africa than NEC4, and the guidance is primarily focused on the NEC3 forms of contract. All parties should make use of contract specialists when preparing notices in terms of their specific contracts.
A reminder that the guideline document is available on the ICE-SA website here:
COVID-19 issues and NEC contracts in South Africa
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NEC User Group Conference 2020 – Last chance!
15, 16 & 17 June 2020
The NEC Users' Group Annual Conference is next week. This year, the uncertainty with Covid-19 has led us to take an unprecedented step. Instead of the normal one day format where we gather in One Great George Street, we are hosting the event over three days digitally.
If you have attended the NEC Users' Group Annual Conference in the past you will know the day includes updates from government, global case studies, best practice examples, new product features and topical breakout workshops.
This year, we have split the content over three days and are enabling you to choose to attend all of them or pick the sessions that are most interesting to you. The agenda this year: |
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• Dr. David Hancock, Construction Director, Infrastructure Projects Authority
• Nick Smallwood, Chief Executive Officer, Infrastructure Projects Authority
• Noel Shearer, Head of Construction Category, Crown Commercial Services
• Peter Higgins, NEC4 Board Chair
• Ian Heaphy, NEC4 Board Member
• Graham Cole, Commercial Director, Highways England
• Jeff Davis, Associate Director, Project Management, WYG
• Nicholas Gould, Partner, Fenwick Elliott
• Jeremy Glover, Partner, Fenwick Elliott
• Shy Jackson, Partner, Pinsent Masons
• Peter Vanhoegaerden, COO, Lantis |
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Whilst it is disappointing that we cannot gather and meet in the historical One Great George Street, we see this as an excellent opportunity for our global audience from around the world to tune in at home.
Join us this year virtually as we have a stellar line up of speakers and topical presentations to help you get the best out of NEC.
I look forward to connecting with you.
Kind regards,
Robert Gerrard, NEC Users' Group Secretary |
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INWED 2020 photo campaign
In support of International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) on Tuesday 23 June 2020, the ICE International Team is conducting a photo campaign.
The campaign aims to showcase female engineers around the world, at every level and in every sector, and as members of diverse teams. We want to inspire more females to think about civil engineering as a future career and to highlight positive messaging during the Covid-19 crisis. The overall theme of INWED 2020 is #ShapeTheWorld.
The photos must show at least one female engineer:
- In front of a completed project they have worked on (to provide real career examples), and/or
- In front of any civil engineering project (to give an idea of the variety and scale of projects e.g. bridge, museum, toilet block, hospital, airport, and so on).
If you are unable to get in front of a project due to the lockdown situation, a people shot with just one person or a project team will be welcome.
ICE will use the photos to celebrate the great female engineers who make our world a better place.
To take part, please post your photos on your social media account in the run up to 23 June. If you email your photos to ice.international@ice.org.uk together with a title to describe your submission by Friday 12 June 2020 they may appear in a montage to be shared via social media on 23 June. For full details about the campaign, click on https://www.ice.org.uk/news-and-insight/latest-ice-news/ice-international-inwed-2020-photo-challenge |
Chatham House: Webinar Coronavirus Tracking
In the Chatham House weekly pandemic briefing, Professor Heymann and special guest Dr Oliver Morgan look at what contact tracing is, what the challenges are to doing it well, and how well contact tracing apps are working.
Watch the webinar recording
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Supporting candidates towards membership of ICE
ICE Members enjoy the benefits that the Institution offers, as well as the prestige that comes from their designation as Chartered or Incorporated Engineer. There are many young graduate engineers who aspire to joining this internationally recognised qualification, but find it difficult to apply. ICE-SA is looking to broaden our list of ICE members who are prepared to assist and guide a keen young engineer to join our esteemed profession. There are various roles that can be taken, from simply being the lead Sponsor for an applicant, through being an officially recognised Mentor with the ICE through to being a nominated Supervising Civil Engineer within a Company Approved Training Scheme.
We are looking for a distribution of volunteers across South Africa and the region, who are prepared to offer a few hours of their time each month to supporting a young engineer documenting their achievement of the ICE’s Membership Outcomes. This preparation and guidance facilitates the application process.
Anyone who is prepared to assist, please send an email to secretary@ice-sa.org.za with your name, ICE Membership Number and Grade of Membership, address, employer’s details and contact particulars.
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ICE Learning Hub
If you are still sitting at home, unable to perform your usual work duties, (or simply want a break), head over to the ICE Learning Hub, where there are dozens of online courses available for FREE to ICE members. These cover topics such as:
- Working from Home and COVID-19
- COVID-19 Guidance and the NEC – (For the UK)
- Staying Productive
- Instant Messaging J
- Using Email effectively
- Working collaboratively online
- Remote working module
- Remote health and safety module
- Managing Virtual Teams Module
Soft Skills Catalogue
- Over 160 soft skills and compliance learning programmes covering business management, personal development and people management.
Technical Categories
- Buildings and structures
- Coastal and offshore engineering
- Development, planning and urban engineering
- Energy
- Geology
- Professional practice
- Sustainability
- Transportation
- Water engineering
Core skills CPD Programmes
- Digital basics competency assurance programme
- ICE sustainability competence assurance programme
- ICE ethics and professionalism competency assurance programme
- Project 13 - A better approach to delivering high performing infrastructure
- A guide to Improving Value by reducing design error
Digital Twins
- An introduction
- Can civil engineers learn from Formula 1 racing?
- What industry leaders need to know
- National Infrastructure Commission and data for the public good
AND MANY MORE…………….
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