Become chartered

Q. Look, I’ve been in construction for years, surely that counts as much as a degree?

A. It certainly does. All you need to do is provide evidence of your competence through the National Vocational Qualification process. This gets you exemption from all the academic requirements of CIOB Chartered membership. These awards, probably Construction Project Management or Construction Contracts Management, are aimed at those working in senior roles. There are no examinations. You assemble the evidence of your competence and an assessor takes a look. Then you do the professional interview. You can complete all this in about 18 months if you put your mind to it.

Q. Ah... The Professional Interview. Is this where I get grilled by a bunch of technical boffins?

A. No certainly not. Panel members will be practitioners, experts in their own field, but they’ll understand the industry in general. And, by the way, we’re changing the professional interview. You do the first part electronically now. You provide written evidence of your occupational competence against a set of eight criteria. These answers will then be assessed before the interview.

So at the interview the panel will stick to your commitment to professionalism. They’ll want to know why you want to become a member of CIOB. They’ll probe your knowledge and understanding of the CIOB Code of Professional Conduct. They’ll check out your attitude to health and safety and your commitment to CPD. They’ll test your general knowledge of topical issues affecting construction.

You should have an understanding of commercial and contractual issues even if your current role doesn’t require it.

Q. What’s this Professional Development Programme? Do I have to do it?

A. The PDP programme is our development scheme for graduates. You don’t have to complete PDP in order to become Chartered. PDP gives a structured programme to cover generic management areas. It also gives companies guidance on how to develop graduates if they wish them to be CIOB members.

Q. I’ve been a full Member for a number of years, maybe I should move to the Fellow class. What do I need to do?

A. You need to be working in a very responsible position. To be considered by the Fellowship committee you will need to submit a 750-word report on your responsibilities covering the past 10 years but concentrating on the last five years. The exercise is purely paper based. There will be no interview.

An organisational chart and your CPD record should accompany your report for the last three years. Don’t send money. The committee meets in mid March and September and the decision is made on the day. You’ll be notified by letter immediately after the meeting.

Q. How much does my subscription go up if I’m a Fellow?

A. Currently Members in the UK pay £174 and Fellows pay £209. You won’t have to pay the higher rate until the following January.

Q. I’m currently working as a Site Manager but have no formal qualifications. Is there a qualification I could do that would also enable me to become a member of CIOB?

A. Yes, there are two awards that would suit you. The first is the Site Management Training Scheme (SMTS). The second award is an S/NVQ in Construction Site Management.

The SMTS covers everything a Site Manager needs. The course is usually one or two nights a week at local colleges.

The first stage of the award is the Certificate and the second the Diploma. Normally each level takes a year to complete. Once you’ve completed both stages you will be entitled to become an Associate of CIOB.

If you’re already competent as a site manager but need to prove it, the S/NVQ in Construction Site Management is for you. It’s also offered by local colleges. Once you have completed the award you can be an Incorporate of CIOB. This award also leads to the CSCS card Level 4.

Q. That reminds me... What is the difference between ICIOB and ACIOB?

A. Associates have an HNC or equivalent of two years’ experience. Incorporates hold an HND plus two years experience. Incorporates can also be people who are exempt from the CIOB academic requirements, via degrees or other exempting awards. These will be people who are gaining their experience either through the PDP programme or work experience before applying for the professional interview.