Initial Professional Development


Initial Professional Development (IPD)

 

Initial Professional Development is the period of development that builds upon your academic skills in the workplace.  Successful completion of this period will place you in prime position for professional registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng) or Incorporated Engineer (IEng). IPD can be undertaken prior to, during, or after the completion of a course of academic study.

Companies
Once you have graduated you may be offered a place on an accredited Monitored Professional Development Scheme (MPDS) at the organisation you have joined.  This is a disciplined framework designed to keep you on track via structured reporting periods. If you are interested in getting your company accredited for MPDS we have a support network that can be contacted  

  • Individuals
  • If you are not registered on an accredited MPDS programme, then you will be following the Professional Review Report route towards professional registration.  This is sometimes referred to as the Traditional Option.

  • Our Institution works closely with other professional engineering institutions and the PD-HOW2 website has been developed in partnership with them. This website provides you with all you need to know about planning, doing, recording and reviewing your professional development and is a useful reference for those not registered on MPDS.

  • The Institution also recommends the use of a Mentor, wherever possible, to guide you towards Chartered Engineer or Incorporated Engineer. The nature of this guidance will probably change during the developmental period from initial support and advice, to guidance about future career plans as you move forward to professional registration. 

  • Applying for professional registration
  • When you have completed your IPD you will be in a postition to apply for professional registration.  At your Professional Review Interview you will be assessed on your competence in five key areas. The competences for Incorporated and Chartered Engineers are defined by the Engineering Council in The UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC). The Institution has interpreted these competences in relationship to mechanical engineering.

    • Further Learning
    If you are required to undertake a period of Further Learning, you can do this at the same time as your Intial Professional Development. However, please note that Further Learning is addition study rather than professional competence and is measured via Learning Outcomes rather than Competence Achieved.

    To find out if you need to complete Further Learning try our Qualification Checker proforma

    Additonal information
    The UK IPD Forum has been set up for employers and those who are responsible for IPD in organisations.  The forum meets twice a year to discuss matters of mutual interest



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