Application Guidance 

Are you enrolled in full-time or part-time study? If so, you are eligible for a CIWEM Student membership.

As a student, you want to gain the most from your studies, attain the highest grades and be attractive to employers. Your CIWEM membership will connect you to a network of knowledge and people including employers. We will support the development of the skills and qualities required by the contemporary employment market and provide opportunities to showcase your talents. This will enable you to stand above your peers. You will also gain opportunities to expand your professional network through participation in branch activities and events.

To apply for a Student membership, you will need to complete an online application form through MyCIWEM providing your course details, including course title, university of study and start/end date of course.

Do you have an honours degree (or equivalent) and an interest in working in the water and environmental sectors? If so, you are eligible for a GradCIWEM membership.

Candidates do not require post-graduate professional experience and are encouraged to apply to join straight after leaving university so we can support your career development from the start.

Our networks of people, events, structured training, publications and thought leadership will accelerate your growth and provide the recognition that you deserve for being an engaged and ambitious professional.

To apply for GradCIWEM, you will need to

• Complete an online application form through MyCIWEM
• Submit a copy of your most up-to-date CV
• Submit a copy of your degree certificate
• Submit a copy of your degree transcript (if a non-UK degree was completed)

If you've gained practical experience in a water or environmental discipline, which may have been through an apprenticeship or having completed the NEBOSH Certificate in Environmental Management, then you're eligible for the Technician membership.

To apply for TechCIWEM, you'll need to

• Complete an online application form through MyCIWEM
• Complete the 14 Mandatory Competences (please note that if you have completed the NEBOSH Certificate in Environmental Management, then you are not required to submit the mandatory competences)
• Submit a copy of your most up-to-date CV
• Submit a copy of academic certificates and course breakdowns
• Provide a list of the training you've completed
• Have two sponsors who are chartered members of CIWEM who can review and sign-off your application. You will need to submit a signed letter from each of your sponsors alongside your application confirming they have done this

If you've successfully completed the NEBOSH Diploma in Environmental Management, then you're eligible to apply for Membership (MCIWEM).

Membership provides recognition of your professional achievements and allows you to engage with people and experiences that will continue your development. We provide support to ensure your personal growth is not neglected due to the pressures of your everyday life.

MCIWEM Application Guidance

Is MCIWEM the right grade for you?

1. MCIWEM is perfect for those who are a recent entrant into the industry and still developing competence – you may have more experience than a graduate, but less than that needed for chartership.

2. Operating in the water and/or environmental sector and are not currently considering, or able to achieve, Chartered Water and Environmental Manager (C.WEM).

3. Already Chartered and want the prestige of association with CIWEM, but not necessarily a further Chartership.

The requirement to become a MCIWEM is normally a minimum of 2 years of relevant experience and does not necessarily require technical qualifications or experience.

Entry requirements

Do you have each of the following?

• An honours degree or NEBOSH Diploma in Environmental Management

• Demonstrable experience in water and/or environmental management over a minimum of 2 years

Application

To apply for Member, MCIWEM, you will need to

• Complete an online application form
• Complete a 500-word report which details the skills and knowledge you have gained during your water and/or environmental career or a summary of your NEBOSH Diploma assignment.
• Submit a copy of your most up-to-date CV
• Submit copies of relevant certificates signed by your sponsors
• Have two sponsors who are chartered professionals who can review and sign-off your application. You will need to submit a signed letter from each of your sponsors alongside your application confirming they have done this.

Your report must be written in the first person and demonstrate your responsibility in water and/or environmental management. You should identify projects/pieces of work for which you have had responsibility and describe your roles and responsibilities in these.

This report should describe:

• an understanding of the environmental drivers and issues surrounding your work
• your role in promoting good environmental practice

Your CV should include the main roles and responsibilities for each post and the duration of employment.

You can also download some guidance here.

Becoming Chartered with CIWEM

If you have an Honours degree (or equivalent) and around five years’ experience in the water and/or environment sector, then you're eligible to apply for C.WEM. To apply for any external chartered registrations (CEng, CSci, CEnv) you'll need a Masters degree (or equivalent).

Becoming chartered with us demonstrates that you are a leader in the water and environment profession. Showcase your experience and skills to the sector with this gold standard qualification, which will set you above your peers.

This document provides support and guidance for your Chartered application. Details of the additional registrations offered by CIWEM include CEng, CSci and CEnv can be found here.

Once you feel ready, you can create an account with us and begin your application here.

Documentation you will need

Applicants need to submit the following documentation using the online application process:

1. CV

2. Career Overview Report

3. Mandatory Competence Attainment Report

4. Training and CPD record

5. Copies of qualifications

6. Copies of Professional memberships

7. Two signed sponsor letters

1. CV

Please upload the most up-to-date version of your CV.

2. Career Overview Report (no more than 1000 words)

Your career overview report is the perfect opportunity to tell us about what skills, qualities and knowledge you have gained. This report should cover the following 6 key areas: duration of employment, job title, employer, roles and responsibilities, your involvement in making key decisions and recommendations and, key learning topics*.

We are looking for a career report that is well-structured, interesting to read and provides a succinct, yet in-depth overview of your work experience up to your most current job.

Your report should give an overview of the work for which you have had responsibility, your job roles and progression through your career, including any career breaks. This is your chance to identify any experiential learning which may be relevant to each registration being sought (i.e. C.WEM/CEng/IEng/EngTech/CSci/CEnv).

* A key learning topic is one gained in the workplace as part of your working career and should be highlighted in the text of your report.

3. Mandatory Competence Attainment Report (no more than 4000 words)

You need to provide a response to each of the 14 Mandatory Competences in the pro-forma report available in your online application. The maximum number of words for the report is 4000; the distribution between individual competencies will be at your discretion. You may find you have more to write for some of the competencies than others.

Please note that appendices, references and footnotes will not be accepted.

This is your opportunity to tell us about the skills and knowledge you have gained, using examples from your practical experience to demonstrate the appropriate level of achievement for each competence. Please include any images and diagrams which you feel would support your responses

Your responses need to be written in the first person and identify your roles and responsibilities, what you have done and what you have learned. If you have worked as part of a team, please describe what you personally did, and explain the contributions you have made to the overall project or piece of work.

You will normally need to provide two examples that demonstrate the appropriate level of attainment that you have achieved for each Mandatory Competence. The Competence report is your chance to demonstrate that you are working at a level appropriate to the registration/s for which you are applying. We want to hear about what you have achieved, examples of where you have taken initiative and what the outcomes were. You can also include examples where the outcomes were negative, and explain what you learnt from these experiences.

Assessors will make their decision by assessing both your written submission and your performance at interview.

Please download our Mandatory Competence Guidance Document off our website for further information on what to write for each competence.

For those who have participated in a professional development scheme

If you have participated in a CIWEM approved Professional Development scheme, please provide:

The name of the organisations’ scheme(s) undertaken

A supporting comment from your mentor

A copy of any experience review completed

4. Training and CPD Record

Please provide us with a list of all the training and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) that you have undertaken in the past three years. This should include a brief descriptor of the course, how long it lasted, when the course was completed and with which organisation . You should complete this in the CPD section of the online application.

5. Copies of Qualifications

Please provide us with copies of your qualifications, including any certificates and transcripts. These will need to be signed as authentic copy of the original by at least one of your CIWEM sponsors. You can find some further information about the sponsorship you need for your application in section 7.

6. Copies of existing professional memberships

If you already hold membership of any professional body, please provide us with copies of certificates and/or supporting documentation, signed as authentic by at least one of your sponsors. These can be submitted in the “CV and any other documentation” part of the online application.

7. Sponsorship Letters

Along with your application you will need to submit two signed sponsorship letters, which must be written by Chartered Professionals, one of which must be chartered with CIWEM.

The sponsorship letters should be a short letter written by someone who has a professional relationship with you, this could be your university teacher, line manager or a colleague. Please get in touch with us if you are struggling to find sponsors.

The purpose of the sponsorship letters is to confirm that your application has been reviewed, and that the sponsors agree with what you have written and that they support your application. The letters must be signed by your sponsors and should include the sponsor’s contact information.

We request that at least one of the sponsors has the same professional registrations that you are applying for.

Thank you for choosing CIWEM! We are here to provide you with all the support you need. If you have any queries about your application, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us either through emailing membership@ciwem.org or calling 020 7831 3110.

Most importantly, best of luck with your application!

You can also download the guidance here.

There are 2 routes to fellowship at CIWEM: Direct Entry and Transfer to Fellow. ‘Transfer to Fellow’ is when an existing Member wishes to transfer their membership up to the Fellow grade. Direct Entry Fellows are those who aren’t in a grade of membership with CIWEM, and are applying for the first time.

Fellow Member Application Guidance

If you're seeking Direct entry into Fellowship, please note that the academic requirements for Chartered Membership (an Honours Degree), professional experience (at a senior level for Fellows), as well as the successful demonstration of all 14 of CIWEM’s Mandatory Competences apply. If you're not an existing Chartered CIWEM Member, you'll have to successfully pass the Professional Review Interview in order to be awarded the Fellow grade of membership. To see the mandatory competencies please login to your application and download the guidance.

If you're transferring to Fellowship from Chartered level and have already undergone a Professional Review through CIWEM you won't have to undergo a further review in order to be awarded this grade of membership.

If you're new to CIWEM you'll need to follow the Chartered Membership application process and then also provide the information requested for those transferring to Fellow. (NB: Chartered Membership does not require sponsors to be Fellows, however if you're applying directly for Fellowship, all three sponsors need to be CIWEM Fellow members).

If you're already a CIWEM Chartered Member and transferring to Fellow, you'll need to be able to demonstrate your career progression to a senior level. All Fellow applicants will need to provide a 400 word supporting statement which details why you feel you would be eligible for Fellow Member, 3 CIWEM Fellow sponsors, your most current CV and a record of 3 years' CPD.

CIWEM mandatory competence attainment report guidance

Mandatory competencies provide the opportunity to show the formal and informal skills and qualities that you have developed throughout your career. They demonstrate your ability to work independently and as a team, to take initiative and to work effectively and apply yourself to a variety of situations

Please provide a response to each of the CIWEM Mandatory Competencies in the relevant section of your online application. The maximum number of words for the CIWEM report is 4000 words; the distribution between individual competencies is at your discretion to best demonstrate your experience.However, please give due consideration to all competencies in your submission; no competence can be left blank.

Also, please note that appendices, references and footnotes will not be accepted.

You need to use examples from your practical experience to demonstrate the appropriate level of achievement for each competence. Images and diagrams can be included to support responses in the 'CV and other supporting documentation' section of the online application.

Your responses need to be written in the first person and identify your roles and responsibilities, what you have done and what you have learned. If you were part of a team you need to identify what you personally did, describing your contribution to the overall aim of the specific project or piece of work.

You normally need to provide two examples that demonstrate the appropriate level of attainment for each mandatory competence. The competence report is your opportunity to demonstrate that you are working at a level appropriate to the registration/s for which you are applying.

The CIWEM mandatory competencies relate solely to CIWEM membership.If you are applying for registration with the Engineering Council (CEng/IEng/EngTech), Science Council (CSci) or Society for the Environment (CEnv), then you also need to complete the list of competencies relevant to the particular registration you are seeking.

Each of these are given in the online application and you are provided with an additional 4000-word limit for each registration for which you are applying. You should ensure that through your responses you demonstrate the requirements of the relevant external registration body. You can obtain guidance for completing the competence for each of these external bodies on their respective web sites:

Engineering Councilwww.engc.org.uk/

Science Councilwww.sciencecouncil.org/

Society for the Environment www.socenv.org.uk/

Guidance on completing each individual CIWEM competence is given below.

Please note that you do not have to address all of the questions under each competence, they are there to help you think about your responses to the Mandatory Competence.

A competencies – existing and emerging factors influencing environmental and water issues

A1. Knowledge of wider environmental issues and trends (which may be related to, but not constrained, by your area of expertise).

You should be able to demonstrate that you have a breadth of knowledge and have an awareness of the development of the sector in which you operate and how it has developed over time with a view to future issues and development. You should be able to demonstrate a relevant understanding of legislation, local/national/international directives, financial and societal drivers within your industry.

• Do you understand what the main issues and drivers are in your industry?
• Do you understand the wider context of your position in the environmental sector?
• What knowledge do you require in your day to day role?
• Where do you find the information you require?
• Do you research outside of your discipline?
• How is the industry regulated?
• How do you keep up to date?
• What legislation drives the business of your employer or clients?
• How has your employer or clients developed their business to cope with changing regulation, legislation or funding pressures?
• How has your employer or clients developed their businesses to meet the challenges or opportunities presented by evolving technology?
• How can new technologies help you to meet future requirements?
• What other environmental issues are your company involved in outside of your area?
• Can you explain an important current environmental issue in your region?

A2. Ability to develop strategies or plans to address changes in your sector

You will need to demonstrate that you can identify, monitor and review changes (e.g. financial, technological or legislative) within your sector by preparing strategy at a personal, team and/or organisational level. The impact of the change on individual / team / organisational workloads and revenues should be identified and you should demonstrate your ability to put appropriate planning frameworks in place to prepare for change. You will be able to identify gaps in your knowledge and information and be able to conduct appropriate research.

• What are the main changes affecting your sector?
• What strategies have you devised and implemented to address these changes?
• What strategies have you devised and implemented to help your employer or clients evolve to meet external pressures?
• How do you identify that further information is required?
• How does your work help to achieve the company’s strategy?
• Have you developed a new standard, system or service which has been adopted for future strategy?
• What actions/initiatives have you developed and implemented to address changes and/or developments? Have they been adopted by other members of your team/organisation?
• Have you established a programme of research or investigation to supplement existing information?
• What strategies does your employer have in place to address external challenges and how do you contribute to the achievement of these strategic aims or goals?

B Competencies – Planning, implementation and evaluation of work

B1. Ability to analyse and evaluate environmental and/or water problems

You may wish to identify a project or a piece of work for which you have had responsibility (e.g. community / user / infrastructure / environment / economic / compliance) demonstrating that you understand why the work is needed and the implications of potential solutions. Undertake research (site surveys / mapping / desktop research) to demonstrate you have considered the implications of potential solutions, including the legislative, social, historical, ecological, environmental and/or financial as appropriate, this will include all stakeholders’ perspectives (client / public / regulators / users).

• What was the problem or opportunity you needed to address?
• What research/investigation did you carry out?
• What were the main factors (including topography, other services, funding, hydrology, compliance standards etc) which needed to be considered in investigating the problem and considering potential solutions?
• Who were the stakeholders?
• How did you consult with key stakeholders?
• How did you ensure that the nature and extent of the problem was fully understood?
• Did you prepare and agree a brief for investigatory work?
• When evaluating problems, what is the importance of professional neutrality?

B2. Ability to solve problems by identifying, developing and evaluating options

You should demonstrate the use of advanced scientific / engineering / management / environmental principles as appropriate when formulating potential solutions to a problem. You will need to demonstrate that you have considered the implications of each method of working or solution; identifying the solution that best fits with the issues and requirements identified (e.g. regulatory / legislative / social / economic / environmental / customer). You will use evidence to support the recommended solution and be able to show how the decision was made.

• What solutions did you identify and consider?
• What were your priorities?
• What was the purpose and result of this prioritisation?
• What evaluation did you undertake?
• What were the evaluation criteria?
• Which solution did you recommend and why?
• How did you use creative and original thought in identifying potential solutions?
• How did you compare widely differing options to find the best solution?
• How do you illustrate your method of presenting your analysis and options to a client?

B3. Ability to initiate, implement and manage change

You will need to demonstrate you can deal with the unexpected, when change occurs during your work (e.g. plan, initiate, monitor and revise). You will need to demonstrate the ability to prepare, control and plan for change / new development (e.g. coordination of documents, systems and services / preparation of procurement, contract and production documents) ensuring legal compliance, budgetary control and communication with clients / stakeholders.

• Did anything threaten the success of a solution or its delivery?
• What were your options?
• Was it successful? If not why not?
• How did you plan for the introduction of change?
• What steps did you take to ensure stakeholder buy-in?
• How did you resolve any problems?
• How did you deal with contractual risks?
• How did you deal with risk?

B4. Ability to plan and implement solutions and monitor their continuing performance

You will need to demonstrate that you can effectively plan for and implement solutions (e.g. services, research, development....) complying with appropriate standards (e.g. H&S, QA, costs, resource management...) identifying risks that may compromise the outcome (e.g. risk register...). You will demonstrate that you can evaluate performance against the initial specification that was agreed with the client / stakeholders. You will need to demonstrate the ability to learn from and amend operating procedures using performance criteria and data collection as appropriate.

• How did you plan the implementation of a solution?
• How did you manage the implementation?
• What were the main issues affecting implementation?
• How did you monitor the performance of the solution?
• How did you determine the root cause of any problems?
• What actions did you initiate to resolve any unsatisfactory performance?
• What plans were prepared to ensure continuing operation?
• What mitigating actions did you put in place to minimise risk?
• Have you carried out an audit or post project appraisal?
• Did the solution achieve what was expected of it?
• If the solution did not achieve what was expected of it what corrective action did you take?
• Did you produce relevant documentation or a training package?

C Competencies – safe and effective working practices

C1. Ability to manage resources effectively and efficiently

You will be expected to demonstrate how your working practices contribute to your organisation or workplace (financially, technically and professionally). You could, for example, demonstrate an understanding of the recruitment and selection process of resources and manpower or a project/piece of work and how to work effectively to deliver your responsibilities on time, to the appropriate standards and to budget. You could also identify training needs / skills gaps, opportunities to utilise new and emerging technologies / processes and to promote sharing of best practice and knowledge, including your ability to assess the changing requirements of your organisation’s industry.

• How do you fulfil your responsibilities in a timely and professional manner?
• Do you have budgetary responsibilities and/or understand the budgetary process?
• What resources are managed / how do you ensure efficiency?
• What have you introduced to improve performance?
• How do you secure appropriate resources?
• Have you optimised a system or process to maximise efficiency?
• What training have you prepared/delivered?

C2. Understanding, promotion and application of Health and Safety (H&S)

You will be expected to demonstrate your implementation of relevant H&S policy and legislation (e.g. including, but not limited to, organisation H&S policy, HASAW act, Confined Spaces, CDM 2017...), your understanding and promotion of safe working practices for all stakeholders. You will be expected to demonstrate that there are clear processes in place to investigate and record accidents, promoting a preventative approach to H&S.

• What H&S legislation is relevant to your work?
• How do you keep up-to-date with the requirements?
• What actions do you take to ensure compliance with H&S requirements in the planning and implementation of your work?
• What are the responsibilities of you and others?
• How do you ensure that others fulfil their responsibilities?
• What is the procedure for recording and investigating near misses?
• How do you deal with an unsafe act?
• How do you encourage others to apply appropriate H&S standards?
• How do you apply safe systems of work?
• Are you an engineer? Do you know about CDM?

C3. Your contribution to sustainability

You will be expected to explain your understanding of the term sustainability and give practical examples of how you have implemented your definition. You could for example demonstrate the need to minimise waste, manage the use of non-renewable resources, monitor and review energy consumption, recycle and promote use of alternative materials. You may wish to carry out an audit of your workplace to assess its sustainability credentials.

• What impact does your work have on the environment?
• What measures have you taken to minimise negative impacts?
• What environmental improvements have you identified and delivered?
• How do you define sustainability?
• How do you encourage others to adopt a sustainable approach?
• How do you implement sustainability principles in your personal life?
• What examples of sustainability have you incorporated into a project?
• What actions do you take to minimise impact on the environment?
• How do you balance economic, environmental and societal factors?
• How do the outputs of your work contribute to sustainability?
• How do you promote sustainable solutions?

C4. Understanding, promotion and application of quality enhancement and Quality assurance (QA)

You could discuss your knowledge of quality management requirements relevant to your discipline, this will include the need to deliver your responsibilities to established standards and contribute to continual improvement. If you use data collection and/or interpretation, you could demonstrate you can assess the accuracy, quality and data reliance to deliver appropriate recommendations. You could also show how you identify, implement and evaluate changes to meet quality objectives.

• Do you or your organisation work to any QA system?
• Do you understand and comply with its requirements?
• What are the benefits of QA in your work environment?
• Have you developed any processes or procedures to ensure consistency of approach to the required standard?
• How do you ensure the integrity of information in your workplace?
• How do assess the accuracy of your data?
• How do you promote the principle of quality assurance to colleagues?

D Competencies – communication and professional ethics

D1. Ability to communicate in English

You will need to demonstrate that you can communicate effectively.

This competence will be largely judged on the basis of your application (including the report) and your interview which includes a presentation. Examples could include a brief statement to demonstrate where you have contributed to, chaired or recorded actions in meetings; written guidance documents/specifications/letters/technical reports distributed to clients and colleagues, prepared and delivered presentations to a variety of stakeholders.

D2. Work professionally, ethically and comply with relevant codes of conduct

You will need to demonstrate that you understand CIWEM’s, your organisation’s and other relevant Codes of Conduct and promote them to your colleagues to ensure that you are complying with the required standards and promoting professionalism. You will need to demonstrate how you adhere to all relevant legislation and regulatory frameworks (e.g. employment legislation....). You will need to demonstrate that you think and act professionally and impartially. You will be aware of the limits of your own knowledge, expertise and competence and when to seek advice / guidance. You will be aware of the CIWEM Code of Ethics and strive to deliver the most appropriate solutions for all stakeholders.

• What codes apply to you – how do you comply?
• How do you deal with stakeholders?
• Have you ever needed to give an unpopular message?
• How do you promote compliance with codes of conduct and professional working?
• How do you take into account stakeholder requirements?
• When have you needed to supplement your knowledge seeking expert advice?
• Do you know the limits of your delegated responsibilities?

E Competencies – professional development

E1. Demonstrate continuing professional development

You will need to demonstrate that you are recording your continued learning and professional development. You will need to give examples of self-directed research (e.g. journals, magazines, legislative documents.......), training courses (e.g. H&S, presentation / report writing skills, new technology / software......), conferences, and technical panel meetings, seminars, publishing papers and giving presentations. You will be aware of the need of Corporate members, to maintain at least 30 hours of CPD per year and keeping a record of this in the CIWEM template, illustrating how the learning is contributing to your ability to perform as a professional.

• Do you have a personal development plan?
• Do you coach, counsel or mentor others?

E2. Discuss your commitment to CIWEM

You will need to identify your commitment to CIWEM, identifying your reasons for joining the Institution, how you have, will continue to or will in future contribute to developing the Institution (e.g. Branch meetings, journal papers, WEM articles, Special Interest Groups, Technical Panels, networks etc....).

• Why did you choose CIWEM?
• What have or will you contribute to CIWEM?
• How do you promote the benefits of CIWEM with your colleagues and other potential members?

Hints on how to structure your examples to demonstrate attainment of the mandatory competencies (MCs).

When providing examples to demonstrate your attainment of the MCs you may find it helpful to structure your response on the lines of the STAR model:

• Situation - setting the scene.
  What was the problem/situation/project brief?

What were the main issues involved with the situation/problem/project?

What did you need to achieve/what were the goals?

Task
What did you need to do?

What was your role?

Action
What were the steps you took to complete the task?
What challenges did you overcome?

Results
What was the outcome?

Did you deliver your responsibility?
What lessons did you learn?

You can also download this guidance here

CPD is the means by which professionals maintain, improve and broaden their knowledge and skills and develop the personal qualities required in their working lives.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Guidelines for Corporate members.

These guidelines set out the criteria for satisfying the CIWEM Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements for Corporate grades of membership (MCIWEM, C.WEM, Fellows of the Institution). CIWEM recognises the increased pressure that members face in meeting their employer’s needs with regard to Continuing Professional Development and those of their professional body. The Institution aims to help members present the necessary information to meet the requirements easily, clearly and concisely. This can be done via the members’ area of our website where you can record, reflect and plan your development needs.

What is CPD?

CPD refers to a range of learning activities through which members maintain and develop their skills throughout their career to ensure that they retain their capacity to operate safely, effectively, and legally within their sphere of environmental management. Continual learning and development enables individuals to keep professional skills and knowledge up to date.

The Need for CPD

Most CIWEM Corporate members hold positions of high responsibility, which involve planning, designing, operating and maintaining the national environmental infrastructure and assets on behalf of the wider public. CIWEM has its own requirements and expectations for CPD. Members who are also registered with the Engineering Council and/or Science Council and/or Society for the Environment (CEng, IEng, EngTech, CSci or CEnv), are additionally expected by the external Registration Authorities to be recording, reflecting on, and identifying development needs through their recorded CPD.

The Science Council requires the Institution to check the CPD of all Chartered Scientists, (CSci), annually for revalidation purposes. Should a member fail to present a satisfactorily completed record for scrutiny the Science Council will be notified and the member will be removed from the Council’s register. In both their everyday activities and in their planned participation at specially organised events and courses, members should:

• keep up to date with technological changes;
• keep up to date with legislative changes.

Members should also seek to enhance their:

• knowledge and understanding;
• skill and aptitude;
• breadth of experience.
• These activities (whether formally planned or informal), may be carried out in order to:
• respond to a specific need;
• prepare for a specific role change;
• follow a particular career plan;
• improve a personal weakness in competence.

Whenever, wherever and however this is done, members can legitimately claim to have undertaken Continuing Professional Development.

How much CPD is required?

The minimum amount of CPD activity required by CIWEM is ninety hours, over a three year rolling period. This flexible approach means that a member’s CPD can take account of how they work, and they can plan their CPD activities to address their changing needs. Qualifying CPD opportunities and evaluation CIWEM members can make their own decisions about the kind of CPD activity that is relevant to their role and their work. For example, CPD activities could include going on secondment, in-service training, mentoring, or reading or reviewing journal articles etc. Members can structure these activities around their personal development plan. This flexible approach means that members can plan their own CPD in a way that suits their work, their learning needs, their preferences and the time and resources available to them.

The activities listed below are suggestions for CPD opportunities that members may wish to consider.

• Research, or acquiring knowledge in new technology pertaining to the environmental or water sector: This might be in response to: a new client brief; a change in role within the company; an expansion of duties within a current role; a new post with a new company; a change of specialism within the sector. A maximum of 75% qualifying CPD credit can be obtained from such activity in each year.
• Conferences, seminars and technical meetings organised by an appropriate institution, university, other professional body, course provider and employer: Notes should be made both of the activity itself, and of the time spent in actually receiving professional benefit during the activity. Where a CPD credit is allocated by an organiser, an individual’s claim for CPD time must not exceed this allocation, unless he or she then deliver some further outcome from the event; for example a lunch-time presentation to colleagues.
• Conferences, committees and working parties, in a managerial capacity: Details of the nature of involvement in the event and time spent on the event must be recorded by the individual. A maximum of 20% qualifying CPD credit can be obtained from such activity in each year.
• Private studies that are suitably structured: Before undertaking private study a formal statement of the aims, objectives and source material should be made. Upon completion of the private study the time spent and the benefits gained by the individual can be assessed against the stated aims and objectives.
• Correspondence courses, Open University courses, and other supervised study packages: Records of acceptance on to the course, professional benefits of the course, and the time spent in studying must be kept by the individual.
• Research and post-qualification studies: Records of the professional benefit obtained and the time spent must be kept by the individual.
• Technical authorship and the preparation of lectures for organised events: The time spent on these activities must be recorded. An honest, objective evaluation of their professional development value must also be made by the individual.
• Undertaking a formal role in the running of the Institution at either national, group or branch level: Details of the nature of the involvement in the event and time spent on the event must be recorded by the individual. A maximum of 20% qualifying CPD credit can be obtained from such activity in each year.
• Undertaking the duties of interviewer at professional reviews and/or a professional development mentor: Details of the nature of the duties and time spent in their execution must be recorded by the individual. A maximum of 20% qualifying CPD credit can be obtained from such activity in each year.

Planning and getting the most from CPD

A member’s personal development plan should:

• specify a focus (keeping up to date; career move (target position); more in-depth knowledge of a topic; winning business from a new client/sector);
• identify gaps/goals (they should be: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-delimited);
• schedule events/activities to meet the gaps/goals
• review and assess progress against the schedule on a regular basis;
• reflect on the success achieved by comparing current status against the previous year’s plan. When recording CPD activity ideally there will be:
• identification of the main developmental outcomes required of the event/activity;
• identification of the principal learning benefits of the event/activity;
• identification of whether further events/activities need to be undertaken;
• identification of whether other paths of research need to be pursued as a result of the activity.

Recording CPD

Individual Corporate members must keep their own record of CPD credit achieved each year. In addition to factual details, such as time spent and content of specific activities, CPD records must also contain planning and objectives together with constructive assessment of the personal professional development benefits gained from each activity.

The precise format of this record can suit the individual’s own preference, for example in long hand notebook and/or computerised files or the members area of the CIWEM website, members.ciwem.org with the stipulation that, either electronically or via hard copy, normally three years’ worth of experience, as appropriate, is immediately available upon request by the Institution.

Although ownership of CPD records remain with the individual member, reasonable requests for access to the material may also be received from CIWEM, an employer, registration authority or court of law. Failure to provide CIWEM with reasonable access to the CPD records in the chosen format may be detrimental to the member concerned.

CIWEM will require access to these records if a member:

• is also registered as a Chartered Scientist (CSci) (an annual return will be required for revalidation of the title), Chartered Engineer (CEng) and/or Chartered Environmentalist;
• is selected in a random annual sampling;
• is applying to become a professional review interviewer;
• is applying to become a professional development mentor;
• applies for a change of membership grade;
• seeks a reference from CIWEM;
• is appearing at a CIWEM disciplinary hearing;
• is on any other occasion using a reference to membership for either promotion of themselves, or their employer.

Our role

With the exception of CIWEM members who are Chartered Scientists (who must all submit an annual return for revalidation purposes), a member may be selected for the annual random review of CPD. For members using the CIWEM members’ area to record their CPD the Institution will access their record via the database server, rather than asking them to produce a hard copy. For those who are not using the member’s area for recording their CPD the option to request them to produce a hard copy will remain.

CPD Guidelines for corporate grades of membership (MCIWEM, C.WEM and Fellows of the Institution) can also be downloaded here.

CIWEM offers the widest range of charterships and technical membership grades of any professional institute in the water and environment sector, reflecting our engagement with the widest spectrum of environmental issues, these include CEng, IEng, EngTech, CSci and CEnv.

When you become a chartered member of CIWEM, providing you have a the relevant academic qualifications and/or experience, you also have the opportunity to register with three additional professional registrations, which can be done all in the same application.

Full details on the grades offered, application process and who can apply can be found here.

The Code of Ethics is a set of twelve principles with which members are expected to comply.

The first six relate to environmental behaviour and the following six to professional behaviour.

CIWEM Members should acknowledge the environment is rich in diversity including natural, human, social, physical and biological interests and use their best endeavours to achieve and maintain an equitable and sustainable environment.

You can download the PDF here.

Please note there are no deadlines to apply for a Student, Graduate, Technician or MCIWEM membership.

Please find a list below of the application schedule for applying for Chartership. Once you submit your application, it will be reviewed and if successful you will be invited for an interview about 6 weeks later.

The Assessor and Reviewer Training Workshop is for those who are interested in becoming CIWEM Assessors and Reviewers for membership applications.

14 October 2019 – Application deadline

12 November 2019 – Professional Standards Board Meeting

5 December 2019 – Professional Review Interview

6 December 2019 – Professional Review Interview

9 December 2019 – Final application deadline of 2019

21 January 2020 – Professional Standards Board Meeting

20 February 2020 – Professional Review Interview

21 February 2020 – Professional Review Interview

10 February 2020 – Application deadline

10 March 2020 – Professional Standards Board Meeting

20 April 2020 – Professional Review Interview

21 April 2020 – Professional Review Interview

6 April 2020 – Application deadline

12 May 2020 – Professional Standards Board Meeting

11 June 2020 – Professional Review Interview

12 June 2020 – Professional Review Interview

1 June 2020 – Application deadline

7 July 2020 – Professional Standards Board Meeting

6 August 2020 – Professional Review Interview

7 August 2020 – Professional Review Interview

10 August 2020 -Application deadline

15 September 2020 – Professional Standards Board Meeting

15 October 2020 – Professional Review Interview

16 October 2020 – Professional Review Interview

5 October 2020 – Application deadline

10 November 2020 – Professional Standards Board Meeting

10 December 2020 – Professional Review Interview

11 December 2020 – Professional Review Interview

1 December 2020 – Final application deadline of 2020

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