Category Archives: Standards

EXCELLENT FEEDBACK FROM MOCK INTERVIEWS

We have recently completed a total of 14 mock interviews across the UK to help candidates prepare for their professional reviews with the ICE.  Feedback has again been excellent, including:
  • “Course was very good and there was no aspect of it I would have changed”
  • “The facilitator had a raft of experience and knowledge on the overall ICE review system. A ‘walking data base’ I would call him!”
  • “Specific feedback was received at the end of the session – very useful”
The focus is now on the actual review sessions, with our Dr Andy Goodwin reviewing in York soon.  We wish everyone sitting their review the best of luck, and especially one of our mentees (you know who you are…) who sits his review in London shortly!

SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 2018 COURSES

Full details of all courses can be seen in our latest calendar.  Selected highlights include:
  • Pile Foundations – Principles and Practice on 20 September  LAST CALL
  • Introduction to Health and Safety Law – 9 October
  • Mentoring for Engineering Geologists on Geotechnical Engineering on 11 October
  • Slope Stability – Principles and Practice on 18 October
  • Earthworks – Principles and Practice on 25 October
All courses are running in Chesterfield unless stated otherwise on the calendar.  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.  

SPECIALIST COURSES FOR LOCAL AUTHORITY

Over recent months we have delivered a further two bespoke half-day courses for a large local authority:
  • Timber Design to EC5
  • Masonry Design to EC6
Each course was delivered with the support of specialist tutors who are experts in each field.  Feedback from both courses was excellent, and showed how full day day courses could be adapted to half day formats cost-effectively for small groups. If you feel your organisation would benefit from a short course or series of half day courses, then just call us to discuss your requirements and see how we could help you.  Equally, if you would like to run a bespoke course on a topic we don’t usually cover then please contact us and we will happily see if we can run a suitable course using specialists in the required field.

SUCCESSFUL COURSE ON UPDATED SOIL NAILING STANDARD

We reminded our readers a few months ago that BSI has reviewed and updated the UK’s soil nailing design standard.  In their release, BSI stated:

“BS 8006-2 Code of practice for strengthened/reinforced soils ‒ Part 2: Soil nail design gives recommendations and guidance for stabilizing soil slopes and faces using soil nails. As there is no corresponding EN or ISO standard, BS 8006-2 is the national de facto soil nailing design standard in the UK and Ireland.” Following issue of the standard, we were asked if we could deliver a bespoke course for a consultancy to help them update their design practices.  A workshop based course was developed with Paul Roberts, a Geotechnical Regional Director with AECOM, and it was successfully delivered in June 2018.  It was a pleasure working with everyone on the course. If you have a need for a specialist course that we don’t usually offer then please contact us to see if we can help.  We have numerous contacts in the industry and regularly provide bespoke courses for companies to address their specific needs.

AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER 2018 COURSES

The summer is almost here, though with the heatwave it feels like it has been here a while!  We still have plenty of courses coming up, and in fact now is a good time to book your training for the Autumn.  Full details of all courses can be seen in our latest calendar.  Selected highlights include:
  • Contractual Awareness, on  2 August
  • The ICE Professional Review – Preparing for the Interview (maximum of 4 delegates), on numerous dates in August and early September
  • Slope Stability – Principles and Practice, on 13 September
  • Pile Foundations – Principles and Practice, on 20 September
  • Ground Investigation Design to EC7 – The Essentials (half day course), on 27 September
In addition to these standard day courses, we are running our Design Programme on Shallow Foundations and Settlements.  This programme of 6 evening  courses allows delegates to explore the subject matter in more depth than possible during a typical day course. All courses are running in Chesterfield unless stated otherwise on the calendar.  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.  

MOCK INTERVIEWS FOR PROFESSIONAL REVIEWS

It’s that time of year again, with candidates for the Autumn 2018 professional reviews with the ICE having to submit their applications in w/c 16 July.  We wish the best of luck to everyone, though good preparation is the key to success!  We offer a range of courses that address aspects of the professional review, and others that address common areas of weakness at review such as management and contracts.  A summary of the courses we commonly suggest to candidates may be found here. The most common courses we run at this time of year are our mock interview sessions.  These are, or should be, one of the last parts of your preparations and we highly recommend them.  Run by a very experienced ICE reviewer for no more than 4 people each day, the course begins with an overview of the review process from a reviewers perspective before each candidate experiences a mock interview.  All candidates watch each other so everyone learns from everyone else too.  Though challenging as you would expect, the courses are run in a supportive and constructive atmosphere.  Individual feedback on your draft Professional Report and your performance at interview is provided after the course. So far we have 6 dates in our diary but places are running out.  If you wish to receive more information or wish to book onto one of these courses then please contact us.

2018 REV 4 COURSE CALENDAR

As always, and driven by some unforeseen personal issues, we have undertaken a periodic review of our course calendar and made some small changes.  The new calendar can be downloaded from here. All courses are running in Chesterfield unless stated.  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.  

ISTRUCTE TALK WELL RECEIVED

About 50 people turned out to hear our Dr Andy Goodwin speak about EC7 at the IStructE Regional Group meeting at University of Sheffield on 16 May 2018.  Entitled “EC7 is Just for Geotechnical Engineers – Isn’t It?”, the talk gave an overview of the drivers behind the ‘new’ code and the principal practical changes from a structural engineering perspective.  The talk seemed too go down well, and it attracted a lengthy Q&A session.   

MOCK INTERVIEW COURSES CONTINUE

We are pleased to have just been commissioned by a large consultant to run some additional mock interview courses for their graduates pursuing a professional qualification in the Autumn 2018 review sessions with the ICE.   All courses are scheduled to run in August 2018.   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. Our Dr Andy Goodwin delivers the courses based on his extensive mentoring experience and his role as a 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.

ISTRUCTE TALK ON EC7

Just in case you haven’t seen the advertising put out by IStructE, you may wish to know that our Dr Andy Goodwin is giving a presentation to the Regional Group on 16 May 2018.  Entitled “EC7 is Just for Geotechnical Engineers – Isn’t It?”, the talk is aimed at de-mystifying EC7 to help structural engineers recognise its implications for them and aid its wider adoption going forward.  It is being held from 6pm in Lecture Theatre 3, The Diamond, 32 Leavygreave Road, Sheffield S3 7RD.  Further details can be found here.