Are you or your staff pursuing professional qualification with the Institution of Civil Engineers? Are you a mentor needing to refresh your understanding of the process so you can guide your graduates? Details follow for four courses designed and delivered by a highly experienced Supervising Civil Engineer and ICE Professional Reviewer to help your staff prepare as effectively as possible for their review. The ICE Professional Review – Overview and Preparation, Chesterfield, 28 April 2014, £220 + VAT per delegate The routes to professional qualification with the ICE are well established, but effective preparation for review and ultimate success depends on the inputs of the graduate with support from their mentors. This course will help you understand the review process in detail, including the philosophy and the benchmark pass standards defined in the attributes that you must achieve. The course will cover also the requirements and part played in the review process by your submission documents, the presentation, interview and written exercise. Delivery will draw on the experience of the tutor as a mentor and ICE Reviewer to provide practical tips and tricks, with an emphasis on facilitated group discussion and exercises. The ICE Professional Review – Preparing for the Written Exercise, Chesterfield, 20 June 2014, £220 + VAT per delegate Building on the overview and preparation course, or taken as a stand-alone course, the emphasis of this course is on effective preparation for the Written Exercise that forms part of the review process. Starting with a review of the basis of the Written Exercise and how submissions are assessed, the course will progress to focus in particular on the subjects around which Written Exercise titles are set, how the reviewers select topics for you, and typical forms of question. Delegates will be provided with example questions based on the attributes, and guided through the process of preparing an answer. Discussion sessions will then be used to explore in more depth common subject topics, which should allow delegates to identify any areas of weakness in their knowledge and understanding. Effective Partnering and Mentoring for SCE’s and DE’s, Half day course, Chesterfield, 23 July 2014, £125 + VAT per delegate A practically focussed half day course aimed at those new or planning to become Supervising Civil Engineers or Delegated Engineers for mentees pursuing qualification with the ICE, this course will begin with a review of the qualification standards, routes to membership, and the process for achieving professional qualification. It will then focus on what a mentor is and the roles of mentor and mentee, before examining from a practical perspective what effective mentoring looks like. Tips and tricks from an experienced mentor will be provided, and delegates will be encouraged to discuss their views and ideas on how they personally will implement their learning. The ICE Professional Review – Preparing for the Interview, £395 + VAT per delegate, East Midlands Airport on 13 August 2014, and Leeds on 10 September 2014 This course is strictly restricted to a maximum of four delegates per session due to the personal attention received and the intensity of the course, so early booking is advisable. The course begins with an introductory session to reprise the CPR/ IPR process and the interview itself, after which each delegate in turn undertakes a mock interview to practice their presentation and gain experience at responding to the ‘open’ style of questioning typically used at review. Delegates are required to submit to the course tutor printed copies of their Experience and Project reports 2 weeks prior to the course, and to have prepared their presentations in advance of the course, as these form the basis for the mock interview. Each interview is based on the documents submitted by that interviewee, and each mock interview is held in front of the other delegates in a supportive environment so that all can learn from each other and share learning points. After the course each delegate receives individual feedback on their submitted reports and performance at the mock review to help them finalise their preparations. Each course will be taught by an experienced mentor / reviewer, using a combination of lecture type delivery with an emphasis on discussion sessions. More details of each course are available on request. Discounts are available for group bookings or delegates attending more than one course. If you require any additional information before making a booking on any course, please contact us at enquiries@surepathtraining.co.uk.

We are pleased to announce two courses in May that are aimed at broadening the management and contractual skills of graduates and young professionals. Both would be particularly useful for those pursuing professional qualification with the ICE and IStructE, or for those entering that stage of their career when they are taking on managerial responsibilities. Introduction to Project Management, Chesterfield, 21 May 2014, £220 + VAT per delegate The effective management of projects is critical to success, and as such it is one of the key attributes required to be demonstrated for chartered status with the ICE and IStructE. This course is aimed at developing the knowledge and skills of those relatively new to or with limited experience of project management. The course is taught from a design management perspective but would be of use to others too. It covers aspects such as the role of the Project Manager, the importance of the brief, risk identification and management, planning and programming, cost forecasting and control, quality management, and team management. It will be taught by a Chartered Engineer experienced at both project management and project direction.  Places are strictly limited to a maximum of 20 so early booking is recommended. NEW DATE: Contractual Awareness, Chesterfield, 27 May 2014, £220 + VAT per delegate Taught in association with Nabarro, this course aims to raise the contractual awareness of graduates and should contribute to the achievement of ICE Development Objective C5. Starting with the basis of contracts in law, the course will move on to introduce standard forms of contract in use in construction and consultancy such as the NEC, the responsibilities of the parties, risk management aspects of contracts, tendering / procurement, and contract variations. The tutors for the course will be an experienced Chartered Engineer and practicing lawyers to give a balanced view on the issues at hand. Places are strictly limited to a maximum of 30 so early booking is recommended. If you require any additional information before making a booking on any course, please contact us at enquiries@surepathtraining.co.uk.

We are committed to supporting all parts of our industry, and our Andy Goodwin has a breadth of industry involvement outside of the business of running Surepath. This includes being: – an Apprenticeship Ambassador – current Chair of the Industrial Liaison Panel for the Dept of Civil & Structural Engineering at the University of Sheffield – a professional qualification reviewer for the ICE, from applicants aspiring to EngTech through to CEng status – current chair of the ICE North Nottinghamshire North Derbyshire Branch of the ICE. Additionally we are pleased to support the ICE through sponsorship of their activities periodically. In January we sponsored the ICE NNND BIM Seminar, and last week we sponsored the latest in their Graduate & Student Evening Meeting Essay Competitions. The winner of that competition was Andy Connell of DNV GL Group, who you can see receiving his certificate from Andy Goodwin in the photograph below .  

Upcoming courses in April include: Retaining Walls – Principles and Practice, Chesterfield, 23 April 2014, £220 + VAT per delegate The ICE Professional Review – Overview & Preparation, Chesterfield, 28 April 2014, £220 + VAT per delegate Upcoming courses in May include: BIM – Principles and Practice, Leeds, 7 May 2014, £220 + VAT per delegate Introduction to Project Management, Chesterfield, 21 May  2014, £220 + VAT per delegate Ground Investigation – Principles and Practice, Chesterfield, 28 May 2014, £220 + VAT per delegate If you require any additional information before making a booking on any course, please contact us at enquiries@surepathtraining.co.uk.  

Upcoming courses in April include: Retaining Walls – Principles and Practice, Chesterfield, 23 April 2014, £220 + VAT per delegate The aim of this course is to develop the abilities of the delegates to understand the principles behind the design of retaining structures and to relate design to practice and help delegates apply their learning. The course will start from a review of how walls fail and progress to examine the soil mechanics principles behind earth and water pressures. Movements behind and around walls will be discussed, as will the analysis and design of both gravity and embedded walls. Design codes and practicalities discussed, and best practice guidance discussed.  The ICE Professional Review – Overview & Preparation, Chesterfield, 28 April 2014, £220 + VAT per delegate Success at your Professional Review depends on you and your preparations, but fully understanding the process near the start of your preparations will greatly assist you. Taught by an experienced Reviewer, SCE and Mentor, this course will explain the whole process in detail and give you practical tips and guidance. It will cover each element, the attributes you must demonstrate at review, your submission documents, and the review itself.  There will be a discussion session too for delegates to have their own questions answered, so that you leave the course ready to tackle this important career milestone with clarity and confidence. If you require any additional information before making a booking on any course, please contact us at enquiries@surepathtraining.co.uk.  

We are very pleased to announce that our provision of Supervising Civil Engineer (SCE) and mentoring support to the industry has recently expanded. Our Dr Andy Goodwin had already been approved in 2013 as an external SCE to support staff at one international company in their drive towards professional qualification with the ICE. This has expanded to include mentor support for staff progressing to achieve their CGeol qualification, and very recently he has been retained also to support a civil engineering apprentice at a small consultancy in the region. If you have any mentor support needs for you or your staff don’t hesitate to contact Andy by email (andy.goodwin@surepathtraining.co.uk) or telephone (01246 807808) to discuss your needs and how he could assist you.    

CDM for Designers, Chesterfield, 12 March 2014, £220 + VAT per delegate The purpose of the CDM Regulations is to help designers think about the consequences of their design decisions on future operation and maintenance.  It is estimated that 90% of the “problems” that manifest themselves during construction and future operation is as a result of design decisions. What is often overlooked is that in addition to the headline health and safety implications, a good “CDM approach” will also allow the designer or architect to demonstrate and offer significant whole life cost savings to a Client. After all, for every £1 spent in design and construction, a further £5 will be spent over the lifetime of the asset. As a designer, would you like to offer your Client a reduction in that £5? The course will be run by a chartered civil engineer and registered CDM Co-ordinator who has over 25 years’ experience gained from site contracting and senior engineering consultancy roles, and will give delegates the opportunity to not just learn about the regulations but also discuss and explore practical ways of implementing them. Slope Stability – Principles and Practice, Chesterfield, 24 March 2014, £220 + VAT per delegate Many developments will require some degree of ground profile modification. This will commonly result in the ground being cut or fill being placed, and this new condition must be stable. The appraisal of slope stability for all but the simplest cases should be undertaken by a specialist, but those commissioning and / or managing a project should have an appreciation of the design issues and what is reasonable. The aim of the course is to develop the abilities of the delegates to recognise and address slope stability issues. It will start from a review of how slopes fail and the fundamental basis of why they stand up. It will examine the contrasting analytical issues in granular and cohesive soils, and the importance of time, before progressing to design codes and practicalities, and the principles of slope remediation. Delegates to each course receive full colour notes and worked examples to support the reinforcement of their learning after the course. If you require any additional information before making a booking, please contact us at enquiries@surepathtraining.co.uk.    

Mentoring for Engineering Geologists on Geotechnical Engineering 26 February 2014 in Chesterfield, £320 plus VAT per delegate Could you or your staff benefit from updating your skills in geotechnical engineering in a cost-effective day course? If so our upcoming course could be just for you. Aimed at Engineering Geologists and Civil Engineers that do not specialise in geotechnical engineering, this course aims to develop a core understanding of how soils behave in principle and to apply this learning to the design of foundations, retaining walls and slopes. The indicative content for the course comprises:

• Fundamental soil characterisation & visualisation
• Principles of total and effective stresses
• Conceptual models for strength, compressibility and permeability
• Conceptual failure theories for shallow foundations
• Conceptual failure theories for piles
• Principles of foundation design
• Essentials of earth pressures & movements around excavations
• Fundamental mechanics and design of gravity walls
• Fundamental mechanics and design of embedded walls
• Types of failure &  effect of material type on the time to failure
• Principles of circular slope stability analysis

This is an intensive course that provides the equivalent of 1.5 days training in a single ‘long day’ format (8.30am to 7.30pm) to make it both cost and time effective. Numbers are limited to a maximum of 12, usually 6 to 9, to ensure there is interactive learning and discussion with individual guidance. Delegates receive full colour notes and worked examples to support the reinforcement of their learning after the course. If you require any additional information before making a booking, please contact us at enquiries@surepathtraining.co.uk.    

The ICE Professional Review – Preparing for the Interview, 28 February 2014 at East Midlands Airport, £395 plus VAT per delegate This course is ideal for graduates who are sitting their Review in the Spring session, or possibly the Autumn session if your preparations are well advanced. The course gives you the opportunity to receive feedback on your draft reports (which must be submitted in advance), to discuss the review process, and most importantly to undergo and receive feedback from the experienced ICE Reviewer who will conduct a mock Professional Review Interview with you during the course. Numbers are strictly limited to a maximum of 4 delegates so early booking is advised. If you require any additional information before making a booking, please contact us at enquiries@surepathtraining.co.uk.