membership of the chartered institution of water and
environmental management (CIWEM)
What, why
and how?
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WHAT IS CIWEM?
 The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management
(CIWEM) is the leading professional body for the people who plan, protect
and care for the environment and its resources. The Institution helps
members to expand their knowledge and encourages everyone working for
the environment to maintain the highest professional standards. CIWEM
provides independent information to the public and advice to government
on the wide range of issues related to water and environmental
management and sustainable development.
 CIWEM’s thousands of members in 96 countries range from highly
qualified scientists and engineers to students and interested members of
the public. As the leading Chartered body covering all aspects of
environmental activity, CIWEM sustains the excellence of the people who
develop and protect our environment now and for future generations.
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Areas of relevance
• Chemical Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Electrical/Electronic
Engineering
• Environmental
Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Mineral Engineering
• Systems Engineering
+ Environmental science
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Chartered
 Engineer
 Ability to develop appropriate solutions to engineering problems using new or
existing technologies, through innovation, creativity and change (UK Spec).
 Scientist
 Deal with complex issues, systematically and creatively, make sound
judgements; exercise self-direction and originality in problem solving
 Environmentalist
 Incorporate the best principles of sustainable environmental (sic)
management..ensure use of natural resources are fair and sustainable..
Also
Incorporated Engineer (IEng)
Engineering Technician (EngTech)
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Other benefits
 Corporate Members and Fellows are entitled to use the designation 'Chartered
Water and Environmental Manager';
 Unlimited access to the key players in environmental management across all
sectors;
 A strong network of environmental professionals in your area working in your
discipline or sectors you are interested in;
 Branch meetings, events and conferences on environmental and related issues;
 Specialist Interest Group meetings concentrating on the Environment, Scientific and
Rivers/Coastal matters;
 A magazine "Water and Environment Manager" which deals with topical issues you
need to know about;
 A widely recognised and authoritative journal;
 A wide range of publications covering many environmental subjects;
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More..
 Corporate Members may use the post nominal designation - MCIWEM and Fellows
may use the post nominal designation - FCIWEM ;
 Training and professional development opportunities through CIWEM 's own
postgraduate Certificate and Diploma .These are unique and highly respected
environmental qualifications;
 A range of professional and non-professional grades of membership, including
Environmental Partner and Industry Affiliate;
 Registration for suitably qualified members with EC (UK), as Chartered Engineer
(CEng), Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and Engineering Technician (EngTech);
 Registration for suitably qualified members as Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv);
 European Registration for CEng and IEng members;
 Registration for suitably qualified members with the Science Council, as Chartered
Scientists (CSci).
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Why the review?
 CIWEM to assess a wide variety of applicants to see if they are
sufficiently competent, experienced and responsible to
 become members of the Institution and register with the
Engineering Council, the Science Council and Society for the
Environment when appropriate
 CIWEM to assess the academic qualifications and Initial
Professional Development of applicants
 Applicants to demonstrate their competence, experience and
responsibility of using business, science or engineering
principles; and demonstrate how they have applied these
principles in environmental and water management
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Qualification requirements for membership
Academic
qualification
Relevant experience
Minimum
age
Professional
review
Direct
entry
Approved Honours
Degree
(note 6)
7 years
45
(Note 7)
Transfer
(note 1)
(note 5)
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(Note 1)
Member
Honours Degree
(note 6)
4 years
(note 4)
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Yes
(Note 2)
Graduate
Approved Honours
Degree
None, but must be in
or seeking, relevant
employment
Associate
Higher National
Diploma/Certificate
4 years
(note 3)
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Yes
(Note 2)
Affiliate
Ordinary National
Diploma/Certificate
3 years
(note 3)
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No
None, but must be on
a full or part time
approved course
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No
Fellow
Student
No
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Grades (main)
 Fellow (direct entry) – The highest grade awarded by the Institution – You
will need to be at least 45 years old, hold an honours degree and have at
least 7 years experience at a senior level.
 Member – You will need to be 25 plus, hold an honours degree, (a nonhonours degree is acceptable if gained before 1991), and have at least 4
years relevant experience in environmental management.
 A member is not just competent technically but also shows evidence of
leadership, innovation and problem solving that is beyond the routine –
demonstrable ability to implement change
 Graduate – You need an honours degree and be in or seeking employment
in environmental management.
 Associate – You will be at least 23, hold an HNC/HNC or non honours
degree, (post 1991) and have at least 4 years relevant experience in
environmental management.
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Step 1 - leading to initial assessment
by a Professional Board
 Complete application form for appropriate grade
 Requires sponsors
 http://www.ciwem.org/membership/apply-formembership.aspx
 Sponsor has to initial form to confirm statements – also
‘evidence of attainment of competencies’
 And reports on experience (later step)
 CIWEM office decide if your qualifications match
requirements and pass you on to the next stage
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Step 1 documents
1.
2.
Application Form, where you give details of your academic qualifications
and a brief summary of your workplace jobs/positions.
Mandatory Competences Form, which provides a means of showing what
you have achieved and your personal contribution.
Make sure these aspects are clearly shown as your commitment, levels of
attainment and professionalism will be tested against your statements.
Make sure the statements are concise, and try to give recent examples as
evidence of achievement; they tell a lot more than just a claim to have
achieved them.
If you are applying for the additional external titles CEng/IEng/EngTech, CEnv
or CSci please also look at the requirements of the Engineering Council
(www.engc.org.uk), Society for the Environment (www.socenv.org.uk) or
the Science Council (www. sciencecouncil.org) on the respective websites
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Then either they will..
(a) Welcome you into membership or
(b) Invite you to Professional Review Interview (Step 2) or
(c) Defer your application to give you time to improve on
academic qualifications and/or gain further competence,
experience and responsibility
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Mandatory competencies (100 words each)
 Mandatory Competences -the heart of the assessment process. They have

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been designed to measure vocational training and experience and are
covered by 14 ‘windows’ under five main headings.
All applicants for Direct Entry Fellows, Members and Associates are asked
to submit evidence of attainment of CIWEM’S Mandatory Competences.
The Competences are mapped to the Engineering Council, Science Council
and Society for the Environment competences and include elements on
continuing learning and sustainable development. There are separate
Competences for Fellow/Member or Associate grades. The Competences
for Associates are the same, but with the emphasis placed on the
execution of a project.
Must be personal – first person - YOU ARE REQUIRED TO DEMONSTRATE
COMPETENCE IN ALL!
Sponsor has to initial each and indicate how they have assessed the
veracity of your claims
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Mandatory competencies - FELLOW/MEMBER
A. Existing and Emerging Factors Influencing
Environmental and Water Issues
1 . Your personal knowledge of environmental and water
issues
2 . Your ability to develop corporate or personal strategy to
address legislative, economic or technological changes
affecting the sector in which you work
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B. Project Planning and Implementation
1 . Your understanding of the constraints and success
factors affecting environmental and water issues whilst
supporting sustainable development and resource use
2. Your ability to develop potential solutions using creative
and original thought where appropriate; to evaluate their
merit; and to prepare recommendations
3 . Your ability to initiate, implement and control change,
including the impact on associated liabilities
4 . Your ability to plan and control current and future
operations and to maintain systems or advisory services,
including monitoring and assessment of their performance
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C. Safe and Effective Working Practices
1. Your contribution to the effectiveness and
competitiveness of your organisation through effective and
efficient management of financial and staff resources
2 . Your understanding and promotion of health and safety
and your commitment to the health and safety
requirements relevant to your work
3 . Your promotion and understanding of sustainable
environmental management and your experience of its
implementation
4 . Your ability to understand and promote relevant quality
assurance requirements
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D. Professional Ethics
1. Your promotion, understanding and application of
professional ethics in your work; your ability to
communicate effectively; your objectivity and integrity
2 . Your promotion and understanding of and compliance
with relevant Codes of Conduct
E. Professional Development
1. Your promotion of and commitment to continued
learning and professional development in both personal
skills and professional knowledge
2 . Demonstrate your commitment to CIWEM
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illustration
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Step 2
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Step 2 preparation of career and project
reports (stick to word limits)
 2 reports about what YOU have done – linked to the
mandatory competencies (referenced in text).
 Need to be set in context of wider world
 Meant to show how you in normal working are already
doing what the grade you are applying for is meant to be
competent
 Relate to the competencies required of a chartered
engineer: www.engc.org.uk
 http://www.engc.org.uk/ecukdocuments/internet/document
%20library/Registration%20for%20Academics.pdf
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illustration
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Interview
 Initially interviewers (3) assess reports – you are only called to
interview if these are up to standard – and you look as if you
will be successful
 Although this is for CIWEM membership only (not chartered)
 If you apply for chartership – the panel will be matched (2 who are
chartered as either CEng or CSci) – CEnv is general
 40 – 60 minutes for YOU to demonstrate your abilities
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Friendly – if you get to interview the
panel has faith in you!
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Interview
 Be personable and professional – behave as if you already have the

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




membership
You will be asked to outline your career to date and projects – speaking for
about 5 minutes without ppt – it is useful to have some printed slides and
photos to highlight important bits and links to the MCs
Emphasise your particular skills/capabilities and interesting things you have
worked on – if you catch their imagination you can get them to discuss what
YOU want
Everyone must be able to demonstrate their knowledge of sustainability (you
will know more than most of the interviewers but don’t be patronising)
Also the limitations of what you have done (a common error for modellers)
H&S is a MUST and a GIVEN – you cannot escape it (try and attend a course)
You will be invited to make a statement at the end where you can highlight
things you think may have been missed
Align what you say with the requirements of: www.engc.org.uk
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Don’ts and do’s
 You will not know the areas of expertise of the interviewers
(other than in general terms)
 If you have never been to a CIWEM meeting then forget applying
for membership – it shows a lack of real commitment!
 SO Don’t
 Be too clever – you may know the Thames tideway tunnel is unsustainable
but the person interviewing you may have designed it!
 BUT Do
 Toe the party line – hiding your true (and probably correct) views if
necessary
 Acquaint yourself with the latest (scientific, engineering) discussions

As a member you would be expected to be able to give an informed opinion of any
area of WEM – hence you will most likely be posed a hypothetical situation in which
you have to make decisions
 Demonstrate that you know both sides of an argument
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Reviewers quick checklist
Awareness
Knowledge of principles
Understanding procedures
Competen
Competent application in one example
cies
Minimum standard
1
To
Application several times
Expert
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Key dates
 28th March 2012 (cut-off date to receive applications:
28th February 2012)
 23rd May 2012 (cut-off date to receive applications: 23rd
April 2012)
 19th July 2012 (cut-off date to receive applications: 19th
June 2012)
 27th September 2012 (cut-off date to receive applications:
24th August 2012)
 28th November 2012 (cut-off date to receive applications:
26th October 2012)
 Contact me if you need help
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