07-potential.Rmd

# Using the Potential of Your EngD

> An EngD is different to full-time work and you must recognise this. This makes the route to CEng slightly different but also brings opportunities for you to become a better engineer. Keep on your toes and you’ll get through it just fine.

## EngD vs. grad scheme
You may have previously thought that graduates on a grad scheme would be in a better
position to register for CEng though this is not necessarily the case. According to Macdonald
Steels (2011), “[ICE] graduates frequently fail to demonstrate ability in DO’s A1, A2 and B1,
B2, B3”. These objectives require research and problem solving. I would imagine that many
graduates struggle to get much research done, but yet they are capable of passing the
professional review. The reviewers want to know that you are capable of showing ability B if
you were in a position of responsibility. You don’t necessarily of had to have actually done lots
of this, only to prove you are capable of this. These are some DO’s where an RE should be
stronger than a grad scheme engineer and vice-versa. Each route has its benefits; this route

## Student/researcher/engineer
As you are technically a student working on a research project, you may think that many of
the objectives are too difficult to achieve. This is not the case. You must remember that you
are a student, a professional researcher, a doctoral candidate and most importantly an
engineer. Learn to use this to your advantage all of the time. On one hand you can enter
student competitions; receive reduced or free entry to conferences and access a
comprehensive online library of books and journals. On the other you can play the expert and
apply your cutting-edge research to your company.
Most of the DO’s do not stipulate you must work on consultancy projects. You are conducting
a project in which has deadlines, requires technical reports, defence of your work, critical
thinking, the ability to administer persuasive arguments and to deliver simple solutions to
complex problems. This is the very ethos of being an engineer.

## Making the most of opportunities

You will find that you have to maximise on any experience you get in some areas. Record
every project meeting, take every opportunity toward your professional development that you
can get and identify every DO that you achieve as you may not have as many opportunities
for some as those on graduate schemes. Don’t sell your experience short and never over-sell
your experience. Stay truthful and back it with evidence.

## Meetings

Keep good note of meetings you have both at the university and workplace. The bimonthly
meetings you chair show management of people, leading a project team and facilitating
discussion, expressing a problem and working toward a solution and planning amongst other
things. Keep good notes and check off DO’s where appropriate.

## Emails and correspondence

Keep all project correspondence in a separate folder. Any time you email someone to do
something for you, save it. This is evidence that you have managed others to get a task done
and is one of the more difficult objectives to gain full competency in. Did you ask a CAD
technician to model your sketch? Did you get someone to help you in the lab? Did you offer
specialist advice to anyone? Keep all of the correspondence. Your portfolio for professional
review should contain such items along with the outputs if possible.

## Helping others

After a while you will become recognised as having advanced knowledge in your subject and
you may be approached by people in your company or your coursemates for advice. Make
sure you take note of this as you will be helping others develop (B1, C3, D1, D2, E4 / CPD)
obviously you can’t claim experience (E) or ability (B) in all of these simultaneously so be
selective and don’t overstate your input. If it was a 5 minute chat then wait until you have had
several of these before you log it as CPD and if you want to use it as IPD evidence then make
sure you state the outputs and evidence them if possible, i.e. “Me and senior engineer X
discussed how problem Y could be solved using a technique I have been researching. We
found that the technique could be applied to this problem successfully and X then
implemented this technique with guidance from me. The technique worked well and some
cost savings were achieved both in design time and in finding an efficient solution to the
problem. This is evidenced in section Z.1 in the portfolio” B1, C3 (experience E).
Working on a live project shows you applying your research or knowledge to real problems. It
also shows team work and other skills. If you teach someone to do something then this shows
you are obtaining experience E or proving ability B in this skill. Make sure you take note. 

## Conferences

Conferences can count for up to 5 days of CPD. You may write a paper which is another few
days and also shows communication of ideas D1, identifying problems and posing a solution
B1, developing you knowledge A1 as well as the interpersonal skills you will need to present 
your paper D2. You will learn many new skills too; make sure you recognise this and make
the most of it. If you partake in discussions then this shows team work amongst other skills.

## Modules

Your modules can count toward IPD if you can recognise which areas are covered. Review all
of your modules and mark which DO’s you can get appreciation (A) or knowledge (K)
through. There may be the odd one in which you can achieve some experience (E) though be
weary about this. Make sure that you don’t over-state your claim though as you will not gain
ability (A) in a module!

## Don’t cheat

You may find that you are not gaining experience in some objectives. You may be able to
develop through structured reading or the like. Do not over-claim achievements and do not lie
about your achievements. Professionalism and integrity are cornerstones of being a chartered
engineer and must never be sacrificed. Remember that the potential to achieve an objective
can sometimes be as potent as proving experience in it. Besides, you can always complete
DO’s when you finish the EngD. The main thing is to make an effort toward as many of them
as you can.