Now an engineer surveyor at British Engineering Services, and recently qualified to incorporated engineer level, Matthew Clark has focused on developing expertise at work. “My career has put a lot of emphasis on relying on your experience and intuition. You can’t get everything from academics. It’s sometimes important to have experiences in mind. If you have experience of a problem, you can transfer it across and apply it to what you are faced with.”
Clark admits that his academic challenges nearly cost him his career, after he failed to obtain an HND qualification in marine engineering during a post-school apprenticeship.
He says: “I left school at 16, where there was a structured environment and style of teaching that was spoon-fed. When I went to college, the opinion was, ‘we’re here to lecture, not teach, and if you don’t get it, you need to catch up.’ I struggled.”
Looking back on it now, he said that at that age he wasn’t ready for a serious qualification. Fortunately, he was able to complete his apprenticeship, taking a Level 3 qualification in marine engineering operations, and set off to sea with the Merchant Navy, with which he stayed for nine years. “I have worked on a cruise ship when there were 30 engineers on board, and a lighthouse tender with three engineers and a fitter; numbers varied, depending on what you are doing. But no matter how many, there were never enough; there was always a shortage of labour. You have to find ways to prioritise and do the most critical thing first that you can’t live without.”
A desire to settle down brought Clark back to shore, and specifically Bury St Edmonds, Suffolk, where he took a job with Bureau Veritas in pressure vessel inspection. In contrast to his previous job, Clark started to come into contact with a wider group of engineers, consultants and specialists.
He continues: “When I left school, I said that I would never, ever, do a job sat behind a desk. Now I am seeing consultants who are sat at a desk, and it is piquing my interest as the next stage in my career.”
For that reason, Clark returned to his studies, acquiring an HNC in mechanical engineering while working. Teeside University, which offered a completely remote qualification, allowed him to pay as he went along, so it wasn’t a large outgoing all at once. It took the engineer surveyor three years to complete the qualification.
He continues: “After the HNC, I enrolled in an HND, and did the first six months, but completely lost my motivation. Maybe it was a life stage thing; I was working full time and renovating the house; I ran out of time.
“Then I started looking at IEng (incorporated engineer) qualification, which is meant to be on par with Level 6 qualifications [a degree with honours], and I wondered if that may be a better option, and maybe more in line with my motivation.”
At that point, Clark was already an SOE member, having joined to follow another Bureau Veritas colleague and because – he admits – it cost him nothing, as the enlightened company pays members’ fees (he has since started to pay his dues himself). So he filled out the application for IEng to the SOE.
Lacking the educational requirement for IEng (an accredited degree), he was expecting to have to write a technical report, an in-depth paper that demonstrates his ability to work at IEng level, as determined by the Engineering Council competency framework (the UK SPEC; see www.is.gd/piwoga).
But in fact, based on his experience and HNC qualification, the SOE’s feedback was that he consider an alternative means of qualification, using a route based on work experience, only approved by the Engineering Council a few years ago.
It proved ideal for Clark, who describes himself as a hands-on learner. “I learn by doing things; taking things apart and seeing problems occur in front of me. That’s why I was successful with the NVQ. The academics I wasn’t very strong on, which resulted in the situation I was in. But that’s where the IEng experiential route has been excellent for me, because I can demonstrate the competencies through my daily work rather than having to sit an exam.”
Instead of a report, Clark was asked for an extended CV, a career structure and organogram showing where he sits in the company. “The form was very similar to the initial application, but asked for more information, and a reflective statement. I had to describe how I hit the competencies, as well as what I learned, and what I’d do differently the next time.
“You describe a scenario that you’ve worked through and how it meets the competency. That was a struggle for me. I’m not the best with words, and ramble on; my fiancée helped me sit down and put the scenarios into words. For example, we had to show how we had found a solution to a problem: I remembered that we’d had some new IT equipment on trial, and I volunteered for a focus group to use it, highlighted the problems, and made purchase recommendations to the company.” That was the example he cited in the report.
Next, Clark was invited to interview with two assessors. He recalls: “I was really nervous; I had no idea what to expect. But they were incredibly friendly and explained the whole process. They said, ‘We’re not trying to grill you; we want to find out about you and your career.’”
Although he received a positive impression of the interview, Clark wasn’t given an immediate answer, as the qualification has to be formally reviewed by Engineering Council, whose approval committee only sits once a month. He received the good news a few weeks later. The entire process took about eight months, but he admits that six months of that were down to his own busy schedule. “In reality, if someone had all their ducks in a row, they could do it in about two months.”
He adds: “I would recommend this to anyone who wants to progress; this is better for those that don’t have the time and the drive to do an academic qualification. If you have a lot of experience and want to progress in your career, but don’t have time for academic study, this is the way forward.
“IEng has definitely improved my career prospects. When I received my certificate, I sent the technical manager a copy, to show off more than anything else. He said that it was brilliant, and that the company is looking for people that are developing themselves, and who go the extra mile to demonstrate competence. In hindsight, I would only have done it sooner.”
BOX: TIPS
“I’m incredibly positive about the experiential route. In fact, I’ve even been selling the idea to colleagues. I have started helping two colleagues go through it,” enthuses Matthew Clark. Having gone through the process, the engineer surveyor recommends that other candidates keep a running tally of relevant work experiences as they go, rather than relying on memory. “For the application, I was searching in my mind for situations that fulfilled the criteria.” Not too much detail is required, he advises; just information in bullet points, prompts, with some notes of how and when they came about.