Monitored Professional Development Scheme

MPDS FAQs can be found here.

 

The Monitored Professional Development Scheme (MPDS) is the Institution of Mechanical Engineers preferred, approved and quality controlled route for graduate engineers to complete their initial professional development, become corporate members of the Institution and register with the Engineering Council as a Chartered Engineer or Incorporated Engineer.

MPDS has been designed in conjunction with industry to ensure graduate engineers have the opportunity to develop the necessary competence and commitment required.

The Monitored Professional Development Scheme (MPDS)

 

MPDS registration forms and what you need to know about managing your progress

 

The aim of the scheme is to develop engineers who can contribute to a company's success in terms of technical and business competence, innovation and interpersonal skills. MPDS is not exclusive to large companies and many SMEs successfully operate the scheme. Contact mpds@imeche.org if you would like to start MPDS in your company.

MPDS encompasses all relevant training and experience accumulated by an engineer before and during their degree programme, plus an additional period of initial professional development designed to develop the competences required by a professional engineer.

The scheme uses a number of controls to ensure that professional standards are maintained at all times. All developing engineers on the scheme are assigned a Chartered Engineer or Incorporated Engineer (of any engineering discipline) as a mentor at the start of the programme. The mentor assists the developing engineer to develop engineering and business competences by the setting and review of objectives.

A panel of Chartered Engineers, appointed by the Institution, visits all companies operating the scheme to ensure appropriate facilities are available and that satisfactory standards are maintained. Following the visit the Institution may make recommendations for improvements and award accreditation to the company. It will monitor progress of all individuals on the scheme.

Benefits

When you apply to become an Incorporated or Chartered Engineer you need to be confident that you can demonstrate a professional level of competence. MPDS provides support, guidance and a development framework for engineers during the first few years of professional experience. 

Your career

Registration as a professional Incorporated or Chartered Engineer increases your employability and shows others that you uphold the highest standards of engineering. Working towards professional registration early in your career will set you on a path of lifelong learning.

Recording development

Keeping a record of your progress during the first few years after graduation will help you to:

• remember what you've done
• understand how you meet UK-SPEC
• see what areas you need to develop as a professional

The online system, Career Developer, is a crucial part of the scheme which helps you to do all of these, and meet the requirements of the scheme. You will:

• meet regularly with your mentor to discuss and plan your progress
• write a detailed report of your experiences every three months
• initiate an assessment of your engineering competence every year

Requirements

MPDS and the online system, Career Developer, are endorsed by the Engineering Council as Quality Assured route to professional registration. In order to maintain this quality there are certain requirements that must be met:

• Companies must provide adequate opportunity for those on the scheme to meet UK-SPEC
• Developing Engineers must be monitored by a professionally registered engineer
• Companies must provide support and monitoring to Developing Engineers and mentors
• Developing Engineers must maintain the disciplined reporting structure of MPDS

Advantages

Any engineer with the right level of academic qualifications and a suitable level of industrial experience, who can demonstrate competence to the level of an Incorporated or Chartered Engineer, can make an application for professional registration. Candidates on MPDS have the advantage of:

• Guidance from their mentors
• Opportunity for development provided by the organisations
• Ongoing assessment from a professionally registered engineer, which helps candidates to focus their development in the right areas
• Reports compiled during their time on the scheme to support their application
• A scheme endorsed by the Engineering Council

What you need to know

• You will need to be registered as an Associate member and keep your annual subscriptions up to date
• Your annual MPDS registration fee will need to paid if you did not pay the one-off lump sum
• You will be working towards the UK-SPEC competence framework. Familiarity with UK-SPEC is key to your development
• You need to meet your mentor regularly
• Quarterly reports must be completed online every three months
• An annual assessment must be completed online each year
• All reports must be approved no later than 8 weeks after the due date
• You must update us with any changes

General information

It’s your career. It is the responsibility of the Developing Engineer to ensure that reports are submitted on time and that the IMechE is kept informed of changes. Take the initiative to discuss your progress with your mentor or line manager if you feel changes need to be made.

Your mentor and company are there to support you. Ask them for help if you encounter difficulties.

You can continue MPDS if you change companies – but you must inform IMechE formally of these changes.

MPDS does not guarantee election to IEng or CEng – you will still have to make an application and undergo an interview.

Companies and Universities

Companies wishing to operate the scheme must apply for accreditation of their generic training and development programme and commit to offering suitable professional engineering posts.

Universities can also apply for accreditation of their training placements which contribute to initial professional development.