Technical Report Route

Guidance

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 Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 3

What experience do I need? ..................................................................................................... 4

Stage 1 - Initial assessment ..................................................................................................... 5

Technical report synopsis..................................................................................................... 5

Assessment............................................................................................................................ 6

Stage 2 - Professional Review Application ............................................................................. 7

Application deadlines and locations ....................................................................................... 7

Submitting your initial application........................................................................................ 8

Professional Review day details ........................................................................................... 9

Conflict of interest ................................................................................................................. 9

Professional Review Submission ............................................................................................ 9

The technical report............................................................................................................... 9

The experience report ......................................................................................................... 10

Continuing professional development (CPD) .................................................................... 10

Submitting your Review documents .................................................................................. 10

Admission Procedure 3 ....................................................................................................... 11

Stage 3 - The Technical Report Route Review ...................................................................... 12

Academic Interview ............................................................................................................. 12

Professional Interview ......................................................................................................... 12

The Written Exercise* .......................................................................................................... 13

Results.................................................................................................................................. 13

Appeals................................................................................................................................. 14

The re-sit process ................................................................................................................ 14

Appendix A - Academic competencies to be demonstrated at Review ............................... 15

Appendix B - Examples of engineering principles ............................................................... 16

Appendix C - Table of attributes ............................................................................................ 18

Appendix D - Individual requirements ................................................................................... 21

Appendix E - The written exercise ......................................................................................... 22

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 Introduction
The Technical Report Route (TRR) is for engineers who want to become ICE Members (MICE) at
Incorporated (IEng) or Chartered (CEng) level but do not have the academic qualifications they
need to apply through the standard routes.

If you wish to apply for Technician membership (EngTech MICE), please read our Technician
guidance.

The TRR route lets you use the knowledge you have gained through your experience to show that
you are at the level you would like to apply for.

The level of membership you can apply for depends on your experience and competence, as well
as your understanding of engineering principles. How much experience you need depends on the
academic qualifications you have which the table below provides a useful guide.

The Technical Report Route has three main stages:

▪ Initial assessment
▪ Professional Review application and submission (including the reports)
▪ Academic Interview and Professional Review (including the written exercise)
This document provides detailed guidance for all steps of the process.

You will also need three sponsors to support your application.

If you have any queries about the process, please contact the Professional Reviews team on +44
(0)207 665 2344 or via email [email protected].

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 What experience do I need?
Below is an indication of the minimum years you would normally need to have worked in civil
engineering to get the required underpinning knowledge. But you should be aware that this is only
a guide – it is the experience and knowledge you have gained that’s important, not the length of
time you have spent in the profession.

Chartered Engineer (CEng) level Incorporated Engineer (IEng) level

Seven years’ experience plus: Five years’ experience plus:

▪ A BEng (Hons) degree (accredited ▪ A HND/HNC (accredited with further
with further learning for CEng) learning for IEng), or
▪ An equivalent qualification

Seven years’ experience plus: 10 years’ experience plus:

▪ An engineering degree (or similar ▪ National Diploma/National Certificate,
degree with sufficient technical basis or
of an equivalent standard), or ▪ An approved NVQ, or
▪ An equivalent overseas degree, or ▪ An equivalent overseas qualification
▪ An IEng-accredited degree
10 years’ experience plus: 15 years’ experience plus:
▪ A foundation degree or ▪ No appropriate qualifications
▪ HND/HNC or
▪ An overseas qualification of
equivalent standard
15 years’ experience plus:
▪ No appropriate qualifications

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 Stage 1 - Initial assessment
For your initial assessment you need to send us:
▪ An initial assessment application form
▪ Written confirmation of mentor support
▪ A synopsis of your proposed technical report
▪ A two-page CV
▪ Evidence of your academic qualifications (if applicable)
▪ Payment of the initial assessment application fee

Apart from the receipt for the application fee which should be paid online, you must email all
documents as a single PDF file of no more than 5mb to [email protected]

The initial assessment is to determine your eligibility to proceed to stage 2. It is an opportunity for
ICE to provide feedback on your draft synopsis to ensure that your proposed technical report
covers the right areas and to allow you the opportunity to produce a technical report of the
appropriate standard.

Mentor
To apply for the Technical Report Route, you must have a mentor to support you. Your mentor
plays an important role at all stages of the process. They make sure your technical report (and
synopsis) shows that you have an understanding of how to apply engineering principles, and that
you demonstrate the required professional attributes in your experience report and continuing
professional development (CPD) documents.

Your mentor will also help you prepare for the Academic and Professional Interviews. They will
need to provide a short note to confirm that they are acting as your mentor. They should also read
this guidance document.

Technical report synopsis

The synopsis isn’t simply a shortened version of your technical report. It must explain clearly how
the full report will demonstrate your knowledge, understanding and application of scientific and
engineering principles.

In no more than 750 words, it must show how this knowledge and experience demonstrates that
you have achieved the required academic level, rather than describing projects you have worked
on.

Appendix A outlines the academic competencies you need to demonstrate, and Appendix B gives

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 some examples of engineering principles. Your mentor must sign the synopsis to show they were
consulted when you were preparing it.

Two-page CV
Your CV should show your personal details, academic achievements and brief details of jobs you
have worked on, as well as your roles and responsibilities. We are particularly interested in work
you have done in the last five years.

Try to include examples of problems you have encountered, unusual or extensive experience you
have gained, and lessons you have learned. You need to demonstrate all the attributes as
described in Appendix C.

Academic qualifications
You need to provide certified copies of any academic qualifications you have gained, together with
certified English translations, where applicable.

To certify a copy of your certificate, your university lecturer, senior member of your employing
company, a solicitor, or a corporate ICE member needs to write the following:
“I confirm this to be a true copy of this applicant's qualification.”
▪ Signature:
▪ Name (clearly printed):
▪ Date:
▪ Employing organisation/university or college:
▪ Position:
▪ A contact telephone number or email address:
▪ ICE membership number (if applicable):

We may contact your university, college or professional institution to verify your qualification. You
give us permission to do so by signing your initial assessment application.

Assessment
We will email you within 12 weeks of receipt of your documents to tell you that you can proceed to
stage 2 or ask you for more information. This might include extra technical and professional
information, or we may need to discuss something with your mentor.
After your initial assessment is approved, you have one year to send us your application. If you
leave it later, you will need to start the process again.

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 Stage 2 - Professional Review Application
Application deadlines and locations
You can specify where you would like your Professional Review to take place on your application
form – please see the TRR key dates page on our website for locations and application deadlines.
While ICE will do its best to accommodate your first option, in some instances this may not be
possible due to over demand for one centre, and you will be allocated your second centre option.
We ask that you do not book any travel or accommodation until you have received your notification
letter.

While face to face Professional Reviews remain the preferred approach, ICE can now offer remote
Professional Reviews, via video conference, for international candidates:

▪ Who are unable to travel to one of the Professional Review locations, or

▪ Whose specialism does not match any of the available reviewers at that location

To find out more, please see Appendix E.

If there are no suitable dates or locations listed please contact the Professional Reviews team and
we can discuss alternative arrangements.

Making your application

Your application should include:
▪ A Technical Report Route application form
▪ Review fee (non-refundable and payable on line)
▪ Sponsor questionnaires (sent separately by the sponsors – see below for more details)
▪ Evidence of any special requirements you would like taken into account at your
Professional Review – for example, if you have a hearing impairment or if there are
restrictions on what you can discuss about a particular project you’ve worked on. You can
find out more in Appendix D

Sponsors
Your application must be supported by three sponsors, who can confirm your suitability for
membership. To do so, they must complete a sponsor questionnaire and upload it into the
Professional Reviews sponsor’s portal a minimum of one week before the application opening
date of the centre/location which you are applying for. It is your duty to ensure this has been
completed.

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 It is important that you also read the questionnaire as it provides guidance on who is eligible to
sponsor your application and what they are required to demonstrate.

You need to select one sponsor to be your lead sponsor; this person is likely to be your mentor.
They have additional responsibilities and play a particularly important role in the success of your
application.

Your lead sponsor:

▪ Must be an ICE Member at the same grade or higher than the one you are applying for
▪ Has a duty to act as a mentor during the Review submission process
▪ Should be familiar with the Technical Report Route and the standards you need to meet
▪ Able to provide constructive criticism of your report, and advice on the Academic and
Professional Interviews.

Individual Requirements
You should state any individual requirements you would like considered at your interview – for
example, a disability or a security issue. You can find out more in Appendix D.

Unspent convictions
No person with an unspent conviction relating to a Serious Criminal Offence* will be admitted to
any grade of membership unless there are special circumstances that show beyond reasonable
doubt that the person is a fit and proper person to be admitted to membership of the Institution.

If you have an unspent conviction relating to a serious criminal offence, please complete the
unspent convictions form which must also be signed by your sponsors, and submitted with your
application, a member of staff will contact you directly and in confidence.

*“Serious Criminal Offence” means an offence involving dishonesty or deception or any offence
punishable by a Court of competent jurisdiction by a term of imprisonment of 12 months or more
(whether or not any custodial sentence is in fact imposed).

Submitting your initial application

All documents (except the sponsor questionnaires and receipt for the application fee) should be
included in your initial application– in the order noted above – within a single PDF file of no more
than 5mb. You must submit the application through the Professional Reviews upload portal
completing all details and confirming the checklist before upload. If you are experiencing issues
with the site, please call us on +44 (0) 207 665 2344 or [email protected].

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 After submitting your initial application, ICE will check it for completeness and contact you to
acknowledge receipt and, if necessary, request any missing documents.

Before you email your documents:

▪ Your three sponsors must each complete a sponsor’s questionnaire and upload the
questionnaire through the Professional Reviews sponsor’s portal a minimum of one week
before the application opening date of the centre/location you are applying for.

▪ An application fee must be paid – you can find more details on the fees page of our website

Professional Review day details

You will be emailed the names of your reviewers, as well as full details of the time, date and
venue of your Professional Review approximately four weeks before the Review. Under no
circumstances should you contact your reviewers directly.

Conflict of interest

Your reviewers should not be connected to either you or your employer. If you know one of your
reviewers or feel there may be a conflict of interest, you should let us know immediately on +44 (0)
207 665 2344 or at [email protected]

Your reviewers will also have been given the opportunity to identify any conflicts prior to you
being notified of who they are.

Professional Review Submission

Your submission should include:
▪ A technical report
▪ An experience report
▪ CPD records – development action plan (DAP) and personal development record (PDR)

You can find details on how to format and send us these documents at the end of this section.

You should upload your submission in a single pdf file to the Professional Reviews upload portal at
least 15 full working days before your Professional Review date. If you miss the deadline or your
submission is incomplete your Professional Review may be deferred.

The technical report

Your technical report should be an ordered and critical account of your technical competencies, as
set out in your report synopsis. Your report should not exceed 10,000 words, although 5,000 words
is normally sufficient for applicants to set out the key aspects of their technical competence.

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 Your technical report must give details of a technical aspect (or aspects) of civil engineering
practice in which you have played a major part. It must show how you resolved technical problems
using engineering principles such as those in Appendix B, and how your knowledge meets the
academic competencies in Appendix A.

You should include the successes and failures in relation to the application of engineering
principles, and the lessons you learned. If appropriate, appendices can be used for supporting
details.

The technical report is deemed to cover attributes 1 and 2 which can be found in Appendix C. It
should not include examples of your professional competence – for example, management skills
and commercial awareness – as this will be covered in your experience report.
It’s up to you and your mentor to structure the report to suit your experience.

The experience report

Your experience report should demonstrate your professional competence – i.e. attributes 3 to 9.
You can find the attributes in Appendix C. Your experience report should be no more than 2,000
words. Brief appendices may be used to illustrate attributes 3 to 9.

Continuing professional development (CPD)

You need to submit the following CPD records:
▪ A development action plan (DAP) which details your objectives for the current/forthcoming
year
▪ Your personal development record (PDR) for a minimum of three years (with a minimum of
30 hours of effective learning per year)

These records must include current formal training related to health safety and welfare (attribute
group 6 in Appendix A).

Before applying for your Review, you need to complete a minimum of 90 hours effective learning
time at Incorporated Engineering (IEng) level and 180 at Chartered Engineer (CEng) level.
For more information, please read our CPD guidance.

Submitting your Review documents

Your submission must be sent in the following format:
▪ The overall document must be –
o One self-contained PDF file
o A4-sized (A3 is suitable for drawings if required)

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 o No larger than 15mb
▪ The submission cover must include –
o A recent photo of you, as a JPEG file
o Your signature and membership number
o The lead sponsor’s signature and membership number
▪ Include hyperlinks to link data in the appendices with the relevant text in your report
▪ Use colour where necessary – for example, images and drawings but ensure the file is
printable in the correct format and can be read in black and white.
▪ Where possible, convert individual documents to PDF electronically, rather than scan them.
▪ Use an appropriate font and text size

Important information
You must submit your submission in a single PDF file through the Professional Reviews upload
portal completing all details and confirming the checklist before you upload at least 15 full working
days before your Professional Review date. If you are experiencing issues with the site, please call
us on +44 (0) 207 665 2344 or email [email protected].

The PDF document must be submitted at least 15 full working days before your review. If you miss
the deadline your Professional Review may be deferred.

Admission Procedure 3
Your name will be published on the ICE website for a minimum of 28 days in accordance with
Admission Procedure 3.

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 Stage 3 - The Technical Report Route Review
The Technical Report Review is an assessment of your academic and professional competence by
two senior reviewers. The Review has three main parts which take place on the same day:
▪ Academic Interview
▪ Professional Interview
▪ Written Exercise

Academic Interview
The Academic Interview lasts around 90 minutes. The aim of the Academic Interview is to find out
whether your experience has given you the same level of academic competence in your technical
area as someone with the required educational base.

First, you must give a presentation of up to 30 minutes, based on your technical report. Your
presentation must expand on the report, rather than simply repeat information in it. You may use
visual aids such as flip portfolios (not larger than A3) to illustrate the presentation. You can also
use a laptop computer, but a power source isn’t supplied, and we won’t be able to help you with
any technical problems you might encounter.

Your reviewers will then ask you a series of questions about the information in your technical
report. The interview will last around 60 minutes.

After your Academic Interview, your reviewers will adjourn to determine whether you have satisfied
the educational base for the grade of membership and level of Engineering Council registration you
have applied for. You will be called back in to the interview room and they will tell you whether or
not you have been successful. If you have been successful, you will move on to the Professional
Interview.

If you have been unsuccessful, the process will end, and we will write to you informing you of the
reasons.

Professional Interview
The Professional Interview lasts around 60 minutes.

The Professional Interview is based on your experience report. It is an opportunity to show that you
have the professional competence and attributes required for the grade of membership you have
applied for (see Appendix C). If you are already a member at Incorporated Engineer (IEng) level,
you will only be assessed against the attributes at Chartered (CEng) level.

You need to be aware that engineering activity can have impacts on the environment, commerce,

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 society and individuals. You therefore need the skills to manage your activities and to be aware of
the various legal and ethical constraints under which you are expected to operate.
Observers may sit in on your interviews but will not be involved in any of the process.

The Written Exercise*

You will be set two questions by your reviewers and you must answer one in the allotted two hours.
Questions will be based on subjects that relate to your experience, but you will still need to prepare
for the written exercise by studying and gaining industry-related knowledge.

The aim of the written exercise varies slightly:

▪ At MPR, the objective is to ascertain that you can produce straightforward documents
without assistance from others

▪ At CPR and CPRP, the aim is to test your ability to organise your thoughts and present
them logically and clearly.

Although it is not a direct test of engineering knowledge, sufficient understanding and knowledge of
the professional subject matter is required. Factual errors or lack of knowledge could affect the
outcome, but examples of well-reasoned personal opinion will not.

* All candidates who make an application to sit the Technical Report Route from 1 January 2020 will
be required to undertake a Written Exercise regardless of the amount of experience they have.

You will find full guidance on the written exercise, use of a laptop for your written exercise, and
how to avoid plagiarism and collusion in Appendix E.

Results
We will let you know when to expect your result, which will be sent by email. Providing you select
the tick-box on the application form, if you are successful your name will be published on ICE’s
website and will subsequently appear on the ‘New Civil Engineer’ website.

If you are unsuccessful at your Professional Review you will be given the reasons why.

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 Appeals

Candidates have the right to appeal where they feel there was an error in the process, and in
cases of unforeseen events. Appeals must be received within two months of the date of your result
letter. Appeals after this date will not be considered.

If you plan to appeal, we recommend that you read our appeals guidance and contact your
Membership Support Team as listed below:

▪ If you are based in the UK, please email [email protected] or call +44 (0) 121 227
5948 for help.

▪ If you are based in Hong Kong, please email [email protected] for help.

▪ If you are based anywhere else please email [email protected] or call +44 (0) 207
665 2006 for help.

The re-sit process

If you are unsuccessful at the Academic Interview you will need to undertake the whole Review
process again. You should therefore prepare in the same way you did for your original Review
starting from Stage 2 unless you are changing the content of your Technical Report, in which case
you will need to start from Stage 1.

If you were successful at the Academic Interview but unsuccessful at the Professional Interview
you will need to follow the process from Stage 2, but you do not have to submit the Technical
Report. There will be no Academic Interview, just a Professional Interview which will cover
attributes 3-9 and, a written exercise.

No information regarding a previous application will be made available to your Reviewers.

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 Appendix A - Academic competencies to be demonstrated at
Review
Incorporated engineer (IEng)

1. Science and mathematics: Have knowledge and understanding of the mathematical, scientific
and engineering principles that underpin civil engineering. Be able to undertake and properly
apply engineering analysis to problems using relevant information technology, as well as being
able to implement engineering processes and technologies.

2. Design: Possess the knowledge, understanding and skills to define problems, identify
constraints and contribute to the design and development of engineering solutions in a practical
context. Ensure that designs are appropriate to meet their purposes or applications.

3. Engineering practice: Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of relevant materials,

processes and products as applied to the solution of civil engineering problems. Be able to use
and apply information from technical literature, appropriate international and national technical
standards, codes of practice and industry generated standards.

Additional competencies required for Chartered Engineer (CEng) level

1. Science and mathematics: Have a deeper understanding of the mathematical principles

supporting your engineering activity together with knowledge of developing techniques and
technologies. Understand the applications and limits of information technology. Demonstrate
an ability to develop analysis and solutions to problems faced.

2. Design: Possess a wide knowledge and a comprehensive understanding of the design

process. Show an ability to adapt solutions and be able to generate innovative
design/engineering solutions for/to problems encountered.

3. Engineering practice: Have a thorough understanding of current practice and limitations as

well as an appreciation of new developments and areas of innovation. Show extensive
knowledge and understanding of engineering materials and be able to apply these in the
solution of both routine and non-routine problems.

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 Appendix B - Examples of engineering principles
When producing the technical report and its synopsis, you must identify engineering principles
involved in your work and demonstrate how they were used to solve problems. Here are some
examples:
1. General
▪ Loading and the use of partial safety factors to find service and ultimate design loads
▪ Forces and equilibrium
▪ Establishment of compression, shear, bending, torsion, buckling and deflection in members
▪ Stress and strain and use of partial safety factors to find design strengths etc.

2. Geotechnics
▪ Establishment of soil shear strengths, settlement, active/passive pressures or pore water
pressure
▪ Stability of slopes and embankments
▪ Pressures developed in soil masses under different types of foundation
▪ Principle of flotation of structures and seepage under structures etc.

3. Foundations
▪ Calculation of pressure distribution beneath foundations, transmission of pile loads to strata
and effect of pile interaction
▪ Stability of excavations, de-watering and performance of cofferdams etc.

4. Reinforced and pre-stressed concrete

▪ Design principles and modes of failure of beams and slabs
▪ Rigid frame structure concept and transmission of horizontal forces to foundations
▪ Alternative use of shear walls or bracing
▪ Stability and design to prevent progressive collapse
▪ Causes and estimation of loss of pre-stress
▪ The principles used to design cantilevered retaining walls etc.

5. Steel structures
▪ Design principles and modes of failure of beams and columns
▪ The principles of rigid frame and simple frame construction and transmission of horizontal
forces to the foundations through frame action or bracing
▪ Plastic hinge formation in portals
▪ Composite action between beams and slabs
▪ Performance and use of bolted or welded joints etc.

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 6. Hydraulics
▪ Fluid pressures on surfaces, buoyancy
▪ Flow through pipes and channels, friction, headlosses, turbulence, siltation
▪ Flow over weirs
▪ Design of pipe networks
▪ Application of SUDS etc.

7. Transportation
▪ Principles of transportation modelling – for priority junctions, roundabouts, signalled
junctions
▪ Algorithms used to develop network models – trip generation modal split, distribution,
assignment, microsimulation
▪ The basics of junction and highway design, road-safety analysis, signal control

8. Highways
▪ The principles of pavement design, from CBR to road surface friction course
▪ Highway and junction design: vertical and horizontal curvature, super-elevation, drainage,
sight distances, safety features of highways and highway design

9. Construction
▪ Criteria for plant and equipment selection
▪ Pressures on formwork, scaffold and temporary works design principles
▪ Engineering principles involved in design of temporary works such as foundations and
roads
▪ Concrete mix design and quality control processes
▪ Soil testing etc.

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 Appendix C - Table of attributes

At any Review you must have had responsible and relevant experience at a level such that
you can demonstrate the attributes shown in the table below.
The interpretation of Attributes 1 and 2 will relate to your fields of work as indicated to the
reviewers on your application form. You must demonstrate a sound understanding of core
engineering principles in those fields, particularly if you do not hold the educational
requirement necessary for Engineering Council registration. The reviewers will judge your
level of attainment of Attributes 3 to 9 with regard to their relative importance within your
fields of work.
As a prospective professional civil engineer, in order to fulfil your obligation to society and
to meet the requirements of Health, Safety and Welfare legislation, you must have a sound
knowledge and understanding of the construction process (1) together with the activities
connected to it. You must have an appreciation of, and be able to identify and manage,
risks to all those engaged and affected by the design, construction, operation, use,
maintenance and demolition of any works. For those whose experience includes the
construction process, site experience will ordinarily be required.

Attributes of CEng MICE to be demonstrated at

Chartered Professional Review (CPR)

Attribute group Additional Attributes of CEng

Attributes of MICE/IEng MICE
MICE to be demonstrated, if
to be demonstrated at Member
you are already IEng MICE, at
Professional Review (MPR)
Chartered Professional
Review Progressive (CPRP)

1. Knowledge A Maintain and extend a sound C Maintain and extend a

and theoretical approach to the sound theoretical approach
understanding application of technology in in enabling the
of engineering engineering practice. introduction and
exploitation of new and
advancing technology.
B Use a sound evidence- D Engage in the creative and
based approach to problem innovative development of
solving and be able to engineering technology and
contribute to continuous continuous improvement
improvement. systems.
2. Technical and A Identify, review and select D Conduct appropriate
practical techniques, procedures and research, relative to design
application of methods to undertake or construction and
engineering engineering tasks. appreciate its relevance
within own area of
responsibility.
B Contribute to the design and E Undertake the design and
development of engineering development of engineering
solutions. solutions and evaluate their
effectiveness.
C Implement or construct F Implement or construct
design solutions and design solutions and
contribute to their evaluate their effectiveness.

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 evaluation.
3. Management A Plan for effective project E Plan, direct and control
and leadership implementation. tasks, people and
resources.
B Manage the planning and F Lead teams and develop
organisation of tasks, people staff to meet changing
and resources. technical and managerial
needs.
C Manage teams and develop G Demonstrate continuous
staff to meet changing improvement through
technical and managerial quality management.
needs.
D Manage quality processes.

4. Independent A Identify the limits of personal C Identify the limits of a

judgement and knowledge and skills. team’s skill and knowledge.
responsibility
B Exercise sound independent D Exercise sound holistic
engineering judgement and independent judgement
take responsibility. and take responsibility.
5. Commercial A Prepare and control budgets. C Demonstrate sound
ability judgement on statutory,
contractual and commercial
B Use sound knowledge of issues in relation to your
statutory and commercial area of responsibility.
frameworks within own area
of responsibility and have
an appreciation of other
commercial arrangements.
6. Health, safety A A sound knowledge of D Leading continuous
and welfare legislation, hazards and safe improvement in health,
systems of work. safety and welfare.
B Manage risks.

C Manage health, safety and

welfare within own area of
responsibility.
7. Sustainable A A sound knowledge of C Leading continuous
development sustainable development improvement in sustainable
best practice. development.
B Manage engineering
activities that contribute to
sustainable development.
8. Interpersonal A Communicate well with E Communicate new
skills and others at all levels including concepts and ideas to
communication effective use of English (2) technical and non-
orally and in writing. technical colleagues
including effective use of
B Discuss ideas and plans

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 competently and with English (2) orally and in
confidence. writing
C Effective personal and social
skills.
D Manage diversity issues.

9. Professional A Understanding and compliance with the ICE Code of Conduct.

commitment
B Plan, carry out and record CPD and encourage others.

C Engage with ICE activities.

D Demonstration of appropriate professional standards,

recognising obligations to society, the profession and the
environment.
E Exercise responsibilities in an ethical manner.

Notes:
1. The construction process is held to include the conception, design, construction,
commissioning, maintenance, decommissioning, removal, management and procurement
of civil engineering works.
2. All Reviews for Engineering Council registration will be conducted in English, subject to the
provision of the Welsh Language Act 1993 and any regulations which may be made in
implementation of European Union Directives on free movement of labour.

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 Appendix D - Individual requirements
We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to our Review process to accommodate
specific individual requirements. Individual requirements may include disabilities and security
clearance.
You need to include a short description about your requirements in the space provided in your
Technical Report Route application form. We will also need to see supporting evidence, such as
certified documents or statements.
Disability or sensory impairment
In line with the Equality Act 2010, we will make ‘reasonable adjustments’ required for candidates
with a disability, dyslexia, speech impairment or sensory loss. Our Equality and Diversity Policy
ensures everyone receives the same opportunities during the Review process.

Security-mindedness and Security clearance

You should consider whether information in your review submission should be omitted or reduced
in its level of detail due to security reasons. However, there’s no reason why this should detract
from the quality of your report.
If your submission is affected by security issues, you should consider the following suggestions:
▪ Make your report non-site specific – for example don’t state that the facility was on
the Sellafield site or on the Hinkley site or that the asset serves a critical function to
the site or country, or is or was vulnerable to various threats

▪ Don’t state building numbers or names – it’s sufficient to say ‘nuclear facility’ or
‘nuclear store’

▪ Remove site and building names from drawings or snapshots of models

▪ Don’t include photographs or other images which reveal the location of buildings and
facilities

▪ Avoid stating, or showing in drawings or extracts from models, technical details

(such as wall thickness) which may reveal security-sensitive information

If you work on a security-sensitive project, we recommend that your organisation’s information

security manager (and also the asset owner’s/client’s) reads your Professional Review submission
and approves the content before submission.

Familiarise yourself with the Engineering Council’s guidance note on Security (published May
2016).
You should also let us know if you believe your reviewers need security clearance.

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 Appendix E - The written exercise
This is a two-hour test of your ability to communicate in written English.

Your reviewers will draft two questions and you must answer one. The questions will be unique to
you, based on your areas of experience, and appropriate to your level of work-based knowledge
and responsibility. However, you will still need an appreciation of broad industry and society-
related topics, which you should try to gain through your experience at work, general reading, CPD
study and discussions with colleagues.

Below, you will find a list of potential question topics within broad subject areas. However, this list
is not exhaustive, and you may be given a question from a different area, relevant to your
experience.
You are expected to show that you can develop ideas and support them with reasoned opinion.
Your answer should follow a logical structure, either as an essay or a report. It does not have to be
a polished article, but consistent with a ‘first draft’.

The written exercise is a closed book exercise and you will only be allowed to bring in 2 sides of A4
(hard copy) as reference material.

You are advised to prepare a plan for your written exercise although this will not be marked. A
plan will help you formulate a coherent argument and can help your reviewers to see your thought
process.

This table shows the written exercise requirements.

Incorporated Chartered

Written exercise Demonstrate an ability to Demonstrate an ability to

requirements produce straightforward organise your ideas and
documents without assistance opinions and communicate
them clearly in writing

Time allowed 120 minutes 120 minutes

Please note: All candidates who make an application to sit the Technical Report Route from 1
January 2020 will be required to undertake a Written Exercise.

Assessment
Your written exercise will be assessed for:
▪ Knowledge and relevance
▪ Use of English (grammar, spelling, punctuation and syntax)

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 ▪ Clarity and presentation

You will receive an overall assessment of satisfactory or unsatisfactory.

Discussion groups
Organised discussion groups can help develop your writing skills and encourage debates between
engineers. Your Membership Recruitment Team (in the UK and Hong Kong) or regional
representative (in other parts of the world) can give you more information about discussion groups.

If you are based in the UK, please email [email protected] or call +44 (0)121
237 3648 / 3649.

If you are based in Hong Kong, please email [email protected].

If you are based anywhere else, please email [email protected] or call +44 (0)207 665
2006.

Use of laptop computers

You may use your own laptop to complete the written exercise, unless a computer is provided for
you at your review centre. Where a computer is provided, you won’t be allowed to use or connect
to your own external media drive or device.
Guidance for using laptops for the written exercise:
▪ The use of the internet on any mobile device or computer is not permitted
▪ You will be asked at the start of the written exercise to put all mobile devices on silent and
place them on the table in front of you.
▪ If the invigilator spots that you are using the internet, they will make you aware of their
concerns, record their observations and pass this information to your reviewers. You will
receive a copy of this report.
▪ Your reviewers may use this information in the marking of your written exercise or other
attributes
▪ You will only be allowed to bring in 2 sides of A4 (hard copy) as reference material, you will
not be allowed to bring any other hard copy reference material or access any other
information
▪ We won’t be able to help if you experience technical problems with your own equipment. If
there is a problem, you will be given a maximum of 60 additional minutes to complete the
written exercise. In exceptional circumstances, you can submit work that has been partly
hand-written and partly done on computer

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 ▪ At the end of the written exercise, the invigilator will ask you to download your work on to a
USB. You must ensure that your laptop allows downloads to an external drive

Plagiarism
Plagiarism is presenting the work of others as your own. This means using words or ideas without
the permission of the original author or authors, and without acknowledgement of the original
author. Plagiarism should be avoided at all stages of your Professional Review, including reports,
drawings, presentations and the written exercise.
Here are some guidelines to help avoid plagiarism:
▪ Don’t cut and paste material from others
▪ Where you have directly quoted others, or the work of others, attribute the source fully and,
where appropriate, use quotation marks. As a rule of thumb, material derived from others
should be considered a quote, unless it is assumed to be common knowledge – for
example, standard equations that are in the public domain

Plagiarism is taken seriously by the ICE. Should there be concerns with your behavior during the
written exercise or with the content of your written exercise the ICE will investigate including using
plagiarism detection software. If this shows significant levels of similarity with any unattributed
sources you will be contacted by the ICE and asked to provide an explanation.

Collusion
In the context of the Professional Review, collusion is any agreement to conceal someone else’s
contribution to your piece of work, when you know that they intend to submit the same material.
The plagiarism guidance above equally applies to avoiding collusion.

Plagiarism and collusion may lead to a ban on applying for ICE membership or, for existing ICE
members, permanent expulsion from ICE membership.

If an allegation of plagiarism or collusion is made relating to your application for membership, your
result may be delayed until an investigation has taken place.

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 Example subjects for written exercise questions
Please note: This list is indicative not exhaustive.

Financial

▪ The financial implications of decisions made by civil engineers

▪ Whole-life asset management
▪ Budget management
▪ Cost control
▪ Private finance
▪ The financing of infrastructure development
▪ Operational and maintenance cost analysis
▪ Estimating/tendering
▪ Payment and compensation

Management

▪ Re-thinking construction
▪ Quality, health, safety welfare, and environmental management systems
▪ Effective delegation
▪ Team leadership
▪ Communication during the design and construction of civil engineering works
▪ Training/development of staff
▪ Partnering/alliances
▪ Business improvement
▪ Marketing
▪ Site/project management

Societal

▪ Equality and diversity in the UK in relation to the construction industry

▪ Sustainable development
▪ Influencing local, national and international political decisions
▪ The influence of recent international events on civil engineering
▪ The role of ICE
▪ Overseas aid
▪ ICE’s Code of Professional Conduct

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 ▪ Health and safety management
▪ Aesthetical and environmental issues in civil engineering
▪ Health, safety and welfare during the design, construction, maintenance, operation and
subsequent removal of the works
▪ Environmental impact of construction projects
▪ Status of the civil engineer in society

Commercial

▪ Methods of funding and procuring construction projects

▪ Forms of contract for civil engineering works
▪ Joint venture contracts
▪ Risk analysis
▪ Target cost contracts
▪ Partnering/alliances
▪ Supply-chain management

Technical/academic

▪ Research and development

▪ Knowledge transfer
▪ The professional development of civil engineers
▪ Performance specifications
▪ National and international regulations on the control of pollution
▪ The role of an engineer as a specialist or a generalist
▪ Quality management
▪ Infrastructure maintenance

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 Our vision
Civil engineers at the heart of society, delivering sustainable
development through knowledge, skills and professional expertise.
Core purpose
▪ To develop and qualify professionals engaged in civil
engineering
▪ To exchange knowledge and best practice for the creation of
a sustainable and built environment
▪ To promote our contribution to society worldwide
Diversity statement
As a membership organisation and an employer, we value diversity
and inclusion - a foundation for great engineering achievement

Institution of Civil Engineers

One Great George Street
Westminster
London SW1P 3AA
UK
T: +44 (0) 20 7665 2344
E: [email protected]
W: ice.org.uk
Institution of Civil Engineers is a Registered
Charity in England & Wales (no 210252) and
Scotland (SC038629).