Stephen, accompanied by Rachel, recently travelled to Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Azerbaijan to award certificates to hardworking new members.
Rachel was also in Oman as part of a joint engineering institutions monitored professional development scheme (MPDS) accreditation visit and part of her time was spent supporting local engineers who had already made professional registration applications in Oman.
She explained: “I was observing a panel of representatives and volunteers from a number of engineering bodies: the IMechE, the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) and the IET.
“My IMechE colleagues were Hal Himsworth CEng FIMechE, one of our professional development volunteers; and Henry Fullerton CEng FIMechE, a professional development consultant for the Institution.”
The panel’s joint objective was to assess the MPDS set up by Oman Liquified Natural Gas (OLNG), a company based in Sur in Oman. The company had put forward its training programme for accreditation with the IMechE Professional Development Standards Committee.
The scheme trains up local young engineers and college graduates on a four-year, in-depth course, ensuring that the company and the region can recruit skilled engineers from a national base into the future.
She is delighted that she had the opportunity to work jointly with fellow institutions, and to have been able to see at first-hand, how training is progressing.
She added: “By taking part in the scheme, the ambition is that young people will have gained the knowledge and experience to be able to apply for Incorporated Engineer (IEng) status with an engineering institution. One of the most important objectives of the Institution is that we grow a network of engineers who have achieved an internationally recognised standard.”
This was Rachel’s second recent trip to the Middle East. In early October, she accompanied Stephen Tetlow to Oman, where they visited Worley Parsons, a global provider of engineering services with a presence in the region. Rachel confirmed the company is working towards establishing its own MPDS, aiming for accreditation with the Institution in 2015.
Stephen awarded seven EngTech certificates to engineers at Oman Methanol Company (OMC), the first such ceremony to have taken place in this location. As he presented their certificates, he was able to confirm that they are the first ever Omani EngTech MIMechE registrants.
Rob Kneeshaw CEO, Oman Methanol Company said: “OMC is delighted to be the first company in Oman to have urged and supported the development of seven individual successful Omani Engineering Technicians with IMechE.
“The achievement of the individuals themselves is something of which we are very proud. The fact that the registrants are the very first Omanis to register is greater still, and to have a woman among the group is a wonderful fact.”
Pictured (above, from left to right) are Rashid Al Maskari EngTech MIMechE, Rob Kneeshaw (CEO, Oman Methanol Company), Mohammed Al Breiki EngTech MIMechE, Stephen Tetlow CEng FIMechE (CEO, the Institution).
Stephen and Rachel also travelled to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to award Associate Member certificates to engineers at Petrofac. The group of graduates, who have all signed up with the Institution and are working towards their professional registration, was sizeable, and they are keenly engaged in their association with the Institution.
Following a trip in June to BP’s offices in Azerbaijan to work with engineers achieving professional registration, Rachel followed up in September, and held a large number of one-to-one surgeries. She will return in December 2014 to progress membership applications.
She is also delighted to have been invited to address the local Young Engineers Development Society (YEDS) during this trip, saying she is looking forward to illustrating the benefits of Institution membership to more international engineers.
If you and your company and region, country, company want to find out more about MPDS and professional development, contact
global@imeche.org and your local representative will be in touch with you.