TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
Insight I
WHY NOT CONSIDER CONTRIBUTING YOUR EXPERTISE AS AN AE?
joined Waring and Partners Building Services Consulting Engineers in Belfast in 1988 as an apprentice Electrical Engineer, following completion of an OND in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Under the tutelage of Joe Waring, one of the most enigmatic and respected engineers in Ireland and of his generation, I was given the best possible schooling in the fundamentals and building blocks of what would become a successful, enjoyable, and very interesting career in Electrical Engineering. Upon completion of my apprenticeship, I then moved to Beattie Flanigan Consulting Engineers in 1991 as a Junior Electrical Engineer, working my way up through the practice to my current role as Managing Director. The practice was selected and appointed by the Northern Ireland Department of Health to take the Building Services Engineering Lead for the Nightingale Facility, and several oxygen bulk storage enhancement schemes across Northern Ireland, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Embarking on formal
training There were not any Electrical Authorising Engineers in Northern Ireland to provide adequate support to the Trusts in Northern Ireland, and the thought of becoming an Authorising Engineer had been floating around for a few years before I decided to embark on the formal training required to become a registered IHEEM AE (E). The process to become an AE (E) is not
Jason Fisher TD, CEng, MSc, FIHEEM, FIET, FCIBSE, FioL,
TechIOSH, Authorising Engineer HV/LV
Jason Fisher was encouraged by a founding member of the Northern Ireland Branch to join IHEEM 30 years ago, and was among a small number of IHEEM members in the country in the early 1990s. He continues to support the Branch today, attending events both locally and in the Republic of Ireland. He is a member of the IHEEM Electrical Technical Platform, represents IHEEM on several BSI JPELB/64 technical committees for BS7671, and is a mentor and a Professional Review Interviewer.
16 Health Estate Journal September 2024
for the faint-hearted. It is without doubt arduous, demands focus, drive, determination, enthusiasm, and attention – this is justifiably so. The foundation training consists of HTM High Voltage and HTM Low Voltage Authorised Person courses, the NEBOSH general certificate in occupational Health and Safety, and the Authorising Engineer course. This is in addition to being professionally registered as an IEng or CEng, and having extensive High Voltage and Low Voltage experience in a variety of healthcare settings and applications, and being familiar with different types of equipment in current use. Once you have completed these
components, and have met the specified threshold, you will then be called forward to deliver a presentation to two registered AEs and an independent observer. You are also required to undergo a demanding interview, split into two distinct sections, one for High Voltage and one for Low Voltage, each one lasting around an hour and a half.
Challenging but achievable
Is it challenging – yes, is it impossible – no? The entire process is long, thorough, and demands single-minded focus and attention. However, this is completely understandable, given the potential risks associated with High Voltage and Low Voltage Electrical systems, particularly within the critical healthcare, clinical, and patient environment. A consistent and persistent approach to CPD
must be seen as vital; it is not just a case of box-ticking the minimum amount of CPD hours required to maintain professional registration. To promote this approach within my own practice, I organise several CPD sessions every month, with all staff attending all sessions, regardless of their specialism and engineering background. It is beneficial for all engineers to be aware, and have a basic understanding of, areas outside their own discipline. Crucially, quality of CPD matters more than quantity.
Professional development
and support Further to my own accreditation pursuits, I am actively engaged in the professional development and support of our sector via a broad range of responsibilities outside of my day-to-day work, contributing to driving standards as a Professional Review Interviewer, mentor, and Apprentice End Point Assessor. As a technical member of IOSH, and an affiliate member of the Commissioning Specialists Association, I am a strong advocate of promoting and enhancing electrical safety, and the vital importance of successful and thorough commissioning of electrical systems. Having successfully come through the AE registration process, I am very keen to explore how we can mentor and develop the future generations of Authorising Engineers. Early work and initial thoughts on this have already been initiated by mentoring several engineers in my practice to CEng and IEng level to date. To ensure that Authorising Engineer (Electrical) is a clearly defined career path, this must be a priority.
I am extremely proud and delighted to be the first IHEEM registered AE (E) on the island of Ireland, and am looking forward to supporting both the Trusts in Northern Ireland and HSE Hospitals in the Republic of Ireland. If you have an active interest and enthusiasm in High Voltage and Low Voltage Electrical Engineering, enjoy what you do, and are good at what you do – then why not consider going down the AE route?
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