The Year Ahead – Professional Membership and Registration with The Welding Institute

As we look to the year ahead, now is an excellent time for reflection and setting both your personal and professional goals for 2021. This may come in the form of joining a professional engineering institution or pursuing your goals of professional registration with the Engineering Council!

What are the main benefits of membership?

Membership of The Welding Institute enables you to benefit from our relationship with TWI Ltd, and therefore its Group Companies, offering a host of membership benefits including:

• Networking opportunities with both our Institute Members, TWI Industrial Members and likeminded professionals
• Career development support and opportunities – aside from the obvious career development of professional registration with the engineering council, this could also range from taking on volunteering roles, speaking at an event (Branch/TGM), supporting our Younger Members’ Committee (YMC) and more
• Access to our library and information services, including TWI Ltd’s library
• Discounts on TWI Training and Examinations Courses

Why become professionally registered?

Professional registration with the Engineering Council is an important accolade for any professional and there is no time too early or late to start the process. It demonstrates your competence and professionalism as an engineer or technician. Here is what some of our Members say about professional membership and registration:

“This is something that any professional engineer should go through, as the process itself is a great learning journey, allowing you to reflect on your professional evolution and leading you to have a balance between the daily tasks of your professional development.” – Konstantinos Chronopoulos MWeldI IEng, Senior NDT and BGAS Lecturer at TWI Training and Examinations Ltd.

“It has given me the boost in confidence to work at a much higher level than I would have previously dared or thought possible, I have also noticed a greater degree of respect and I feel more accepted working at this higher level. I would say that this process required self-motivation and dedication as well as really focusing on the achievements that successfully completing this process will bring.” - David Williams IEng MWeldI, Director of WECAS Ltd

Meanwhile, Gabriella Gallegos MWeldI CEng, Research Fellow at London South Bank Innovation Centre and TWI Project Manager, specialising in robotics and automation, recommended professional registration to all engineers and advises less experienced engineers to consider professional registration due to the opportunities it offers. Gabriela explained that, due to her being a Chartered Engineer, she is able to mentor others, which is something that is important to her, due to her not having that guidance at the beginning of her own career.

Speaking on her reasons for taking on the role of Chair of the Younger Members’ Committee, Catherine Leahy AWeldI, TWI Corrosion Technician, explained, “The outreach programme with both TWI and The Welding Institute’s Younger Members’ Committee is something that I have been heavily involved with since beginning my role at TWI. During my first few months of volunteering, I mainly took part in events organised by colleagues to introduce myself to the outreach programme – this is where my interest in becoming a STEM ambassador began. Since then, I have worked to officially become a STEM Ambassador and work alongside the chair of YMC to plan and co-ordinate outreach events.”

Martin Boyd BEng IEng MWeldI, Manufacturing Engineer, Welding Specialist, at Rolls-Royce Plc said of his professional membership, “I put it off for many years as I had a preconception that it would be very difficult. When I finally got round to it, in reality, it was straight-forward.” Becoming an IEng has helped both Martin’s own career and also benefited his employer, as he explained, saying that it helped him to demonstrate his professional competence while also showing external suppliers that he is suitably experienced and qualified.

Having held EngTech status, Jade White BEng (Hons) IEng MWeldI, Welding Engineer, at Sellafield Ltd, was encouraged to pursue her IEng registration, noting that, “I believed it was important to be recognised by my peers; mainly for recognition of competence, commitment and evidence of expertise.” She added that, “I believe it demonstrates a professional attitude and can also lead to improved career prospects and employability.”

So, why not join a leading professional engineering institution responsible for registration and certification of welding and joining personnel worldwide today, and start your career progression journey with The Welding Institute!

Join here!