PROFESSION WATCH


SEE CLOSES ITS DOORS… … while the Society of Operations Engineers opens its to former SEE members


After 60 years of serving the needs of environmental test engineers covering EMC, vibration, climatic effects, cleanrooms and contamination control along with a growing number of other technology areas, the Society of Environmental Engineers is due to close its doors for the last time. The closure is taking place despite the


Engineering Council having always been clear about the viability of smaller institutions to thrive and effectively represent niche fields of engineering. Despite this, the Society’s licence with


the Engineering Council expired in July 2019 and current members who are registered with the Engineering Council, for example as a Chartered Engineer (CEng), need to become members of another registered society or institution before 31 July 2020 in order to retain their registration. In a letter to SEE members in June, the Society of Operations Engineers (SOE)


held out a rescue offer of free membership transfer. With 17,000 members, the SOE is an established professional engineering institution (PEI) that would provide continuity of registration with the Engineering Council. At the time of going to press, just 150 SEE members had taken up the offer from the SOE, but there is still time for others to make the transfer.


and by taking part in this, former SEE members will be founders of the future home of the environmental sector at the SOE and be at the spearhead of its strategic environmental policy. Members joining the SOE would retain


the same status and grades that they have now and would be entitled to use the SOE’s post-nominals. When asked about the status of honorary members and fellows, the SOE stated that although there is a process such members would have to follow, they would be expected to be able to continue at this level. Former SEE members who are already


I asked the SOE about how


environmental test engineers would fit into the SOE with its wider scope of operations. According to the society, it is currently in the process of developing an environmental engineering working group


members of another registered PEI can transfer their registration. For those who aren’t and who don’t take up the SOE offer, the choices are to allow their registration to lapse or to join another PEI. This would entail going through a full membership application process, the length of which should be taken into account to meet the 31 July deadline.


INNOVATION CENTRE CREATES 200 APPRENTICESHIPS


The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) is investing in engineering skills development with a pledge to introduce 200 new apprenticeship places at its two sites in the UK during 2020. One hundred of the new intake will be


based at the Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre at Ansty Park, Coventry and a further 100 will start at the MTC-run Oxfordshire Advanced Skills training centre in Abingdon. The apprentices will be trained in a


wide variety of manufacturing disciplines from basic engineering to using some of the most up to date manufacturing technology. Paul Rowlett, managing director of the


Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre, said the MTC had gained a reputation for supporting the engineering sector with high-quality apprenticeship training programmes. “Our purpose is to seed the


manufacturing sector with a pipeline of capable engineering technicians,” he said. “Our apprenticeship programme


creates fully-rounded, business-ready, skilled engineers capable of giving employers a genuine return on investment and business impact, helping them


❱❱ The 2020 apprenticeships will give young people opportunities in advanced manufacturing


become increasingly globally competitive.” An essential part of future UK


manufacturing growth, the MTC provides an environment that bridges the gap


between university-based research and the development of innovative manufacturing technology in line with the government’s manufacturing strategy.


December 2019 /// Testing & Test Houses /// 37


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