IEM Logbook Training Scheme

When I first started my career as a ‘young engineer’ (my boss always called us), I had fantastic bosses and colleagues, who provided a conducive working and learning environment.

My friends and I received professional and valuable exposures and training, particularly in the power generation industry. Along the way, I was extremely fortunate to meet resourceful and experienced mentors who were kind, patient and generous.

I started working in 2010, and from 2012-2015, I went through IEM Logbook Training Scheme (LBTS) after finding a mentor (interestingly via the IET). My logbook was produced in Words, with my own writings, photos and diagrams.

Printed out and ring-filed, the advantage of doing the logbook in Words is that you could still store it electronically, and extract information when you are doing your Technical Report. Though you may need to do lots of typing, scanning, Words editing. Of course, there’s no point “copy-paste” materials from the internet. Your work has to be “your work”, and your interviewer knows it.

But trust me, it’s a worthwhile effort.

I met my mentor 3 times a year for updates, discussions and got my logbook signed. I’ll have a file for each year, which I duly submit to IEM for endorsement by the LBTS Committee. I attended Professional Interview (PI) in March 2016. My interviewer commented “you are technically good, bu a bit too young (at 29)”.

I did pass, and received my PE in June 2016.

So it’s only natural that I aspire to become a mentor myself. I always felt indebted to the teachers and mentors I had scattered around Malaysia,  Singapore and the UK. I am determined to contribute back to society in a way or another.

Finally, a chance arrived. I attended IEM Logbook Training Scheme – Guidance for Mentors last weekend.

First-ever Mentor training in Johor Bahru

With the 2015 amendment to the Registration of Engineers Act 1967, there are now 2 types of Professional Engineers – Tier 1 (PE) and Tier 2 (PE with Practicing Cert).

The LBTS basically prepares graduate engineers for Tier 1 (PE), and not Tier 2. The points and updates from the workshop were:

• LBTS is for graduate engineers without PE in their organization.
• There are no more mandatory courses for PE registration
• As of 2018, a new “Enhanced” PI is implemented. This is based on the UK-Specs, basically similar to Engineering Council UK’s Chartered Engineer.
• A 15-minute presentation is required during “Enhanced” PI.
• Unlike those days, the technical reports need to be submitted along with PI application.

To achieve Tier 2 (PE with PC), we need to sit for Professional Assessment Examination (PAE). There will be Part A (Common for all discipline, e.g. law, non-technical, ethics and etc.) and Part B (According to discipline). Both Parts have Paper 1 (objective) and Paper 2 (subjective). It is the way forward to streamline engineers in the country. Hopefully, this will not act as a deterrent for future engineers.

As emphasized, the IEM LBTS is designed to assist candidates for PE Tier 1. IEM has a list of mentors according to discipline. A mentor should have attended at least 2 training workshops, be a PE > 3 years, and shall not have more than 3 mentees. Mentors will get 15 CPD hours per year per mentee. As BEM / IEM are moving into “Enhanced” PI, which most of us aren’t the most experience, it is imperative that prospective mentors attend Mentor Training Workshops organized by IEM. Come August 2018, a new IEM Logbook will be introduced to reflect the “Enhanced” PI methodology.

For all aspiring (Malaysian) PEs, good luck.