Category Archives: Mock interview

WE HAVE MOVED…….

After 5 years at Tapton Park Innovation Centre, we are pleased to announce that we have moved a few miles south to take an office in The Hub in Clay Cross.  The new larger office can accommodate visiting tutors and staff, and there are on-site meeting and training rooms too. Our new address is: The Hub at Gladstone Buildings, Broadleys, Clay Cross, Chesterfield S45 9JN. We are retaining a presence at Tapton Park to the end of November, which remains our registered address for now.  Any post sent there will still reach us rest assured.  

COURSES IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER 2017

  We have a range of courses coming up towards the end of the year.  They include:
  • Pile Foundations – Principles and Practice (7 November)
  • CDM for Designers and Clients (14 November)
  • Mentoring for Engineering Geologists on Geotechnical Engineering (21 November)
  • Slope Stability – Principles and Practice (28 November)
  • Introduction to Reinforced Earth (5 December)
  • The ICE Professional Review – Overview and Preparation (7 December)
  • Introduction to Structural Design to the Eurocodes (12 December)
  • Introduction to Structural Steelwork Design to EC3 (date TBC)
Each course is running in Chesterfield.  Discounts are available for group bookings or delegates attending more than one course. Please call or email us to reserve your place on a course. Remember too that all courses can be run bespoke for your company if there are sufficient numbers – just call us to see what we could do for you.  

COURSES IN OCTOBER 2017

With summer over, and new graduates starting maybe, now is a good time to look at your staff development needs.  We have numerous courses coming up in October, including: Geotechnical Design to Eurocode 7, 3 October 2017 (£295 + VAT)  This course looks at the practical application of EC7 in design using worked examples and discussion sessions.  It provides the equivalent of 1.5 days training in a ‘long day’ format. Essentials of Project Management, 12 October 2017 (£220 + VAT) Especially useful for those looking to sit their ICE review in 2018 and those new to project management, the course examines what constitutes good practice to deliver a successful project. Retaining Wall Design – Principles and Practice, 17 October 2017 (£220 + VAT) The analysis, design and performance of gravity and embedded retaining walls will be explored using worked examples and with reference to current design codes. ICE Professional Review – Preparing for the Written Exercise, 19 October 2017 (£220 + VAT) Lead by an experienced ICE reviewer, the course is aimed at those sitting their professional review in 2018. It will explore what makes a good Written Exercise before discussing typical questions. Each course is running in Chesterfield.  Discounts are available for group bookings or delegates attending more than one course. Please call or email us to reserve your place on a course. Remember too that all courses can be run bespoke for your company if there are sufficient numbers – just call us to see what we could do for you.  

ADDITIONAL MOCK INTERVIEW COURSES COMMISSIONED

Surepath Training has had their commission from a large multi-national consultancy extended to run an additional mock interview course for their graduates pursuing a professional qualification in the Autumn review sessions with the ICE.  The new course takes the total to four, all of which will run in August 2017.  Each course involves the candidates submitting their draft Professional Report in advance, based on which the candidates undergo a mock review and then receive individual feedback on their report and their interview. In addition, we have been commissioned to support a new mentee during his preparations for his professional review.  This bespoke support package culminates with a mock interview and individual feedback, again in August. Our Dr Andy Goodwin delivers each of the courses, based on his extensive mentoring experience and his role as a lead reviewer for the ICE.  If you have a group of people needing training in this or any other skill area then contact Andy to discuss how he may be able to design a course / mentoring programme to suit your needs and add value to your service provision.

COURSES IN JULY & AUGUST 2017

The summer holiday season is almost us but there is still time to invest in yourself or your staff with some high quality training.  We have numerous courses coming up in July and August that may be of interest, many of which are designed to be especially useful for those preparing to sit their ICE Professional Review in the Autumn session.  The courses include:
  • Ground Investigation Design to EC7 – The Essentials, half day course on 4 July (£125/delegate)
  • Introduction to Health and Safety Law, day course on 11 July (£220/delegate)
  • Mentoring for Civil Engineers on Engineering Geology, ‘long day’ course (equivalent to 1.5 days training) on 13 July (£295/delegate)
  • The ICE Professional Review – Overview & Preparation, 25 July (£220/delegate)
  • The ICE Professional Review – Preparing for the Interview, 8 August (£295/delegate; strict maximum of 4 delegates)
  • Managing and Leading Teams, on 17 August (£220/delegate)
Each course is running in Chesterfield.  Discounts are available for group bookings or delegates attending more than one course. Please call or email us to reserve your place on a course. Remember too that all courses can be run bespoke for your company if there are sufficient numbers – just call us to see what we could do for you.  

CPD IDEAS…..

Over the last month or so our Dr Andy Goodwin has been posting ideas for CPD on LinkedIn.  The suggestions largely come from his experience as a lead reviewer with the ICE and are targeted in particular at graduates.  However, everyone benefits from CPD so don’t be put off the ideas if you are not a graduate. Ideas suggested so far include:
  • The Brundtland report, “Our Common Future”:  this includes the oft-quoted definition of sustainable development “meeting the needs of today without compromising the needs of tomorrow” (see page 16 para 27 of the pdf for the full definition “Humanity has the ability to make development sustainable to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”).  Graduates pursuing professional qualification with the ICE should know this, and ought to read the report (or at least look over its 300 pages to get a sense of what it is all about).
  • Research and assessment of the issues that can arise when using pyrite-rich fills below buildings and in earthworks. Two references are provided as starters in this field. The first link takes you to a pdf copy of an expert report on issues found affecting buildings in Ireland – it is 200 pages long so if pushed for time just read the Executive Summary! The second is a paper from 2011 on the implications of the phenomenon for earthworks that explains the science aspects as well as being practical.
  • The subject of ethics and ethical behaviour regularly comes up both at ICE professional reviews and when Andy is mentoring graduates. It is an important topic that merits thought and deserves a perspective from outside the ICE, nut just from within.  It is suggested that it is worth looking at the Royal Academy of Engineering work on this topic.
Happy reading! By the way, if you want to LinkIn with Andy yourself and catch up with his new posts as they are issued then feel free to invite him to join your network!

ICE MOCK INTERVIEW COURSE SUCCESSES

Over the months of August and September we at Surepath Training undertook mock interview sessions over 6 days at venues throughout the UK, from London to Glasgow.  As well as being enjoyable and informative for us, as ever, we received excellent feedback from the courses – 95% rated the various aspects of each course excellent or very good.  Each course was delivered by our Dr Andy Goodwin, who is an experienced ICE reviewer who also mentors numerous graduates.   The focus of each course was on giving constructive personal feedback to each delegate on the draft Professional Review Report they submitted in advance and on their performance during the mock interview.  Our aim is help you prepare as best you can. If have a group of people needing a mock review course for the Spring 2017 session, or you / your staff need mentoring support, then contact us for a free quote on how we could help you.