One in a series of frequently asked questions from North West ICE members on Training Schemes. We advise on when to apply for Professional Review after signing off a Training Agreement.
How soon after signing off my Training Agreement can I apply for my Professional Review?
The period between completion of a Training Agreement (or Career Appraisal) and submission for Professional Review is often referred to as a “period of consolidation and preparation” and typically requires 6 – 9 months. Unfortunately, some candidates confuse completion of a training agreement (or successful career appraisal) with readiness for submission.
1) Why not apply for Review immediately afterwards? You will have spent a number of years achieving all your Development Objectives. It’s likely that your most recent experience will demonstrate higher levels of understanding and responsibility. While this will be fresh in your memory, you may not have had much time to reflect on this or to have seen the operational / maintenance implications of your decisions. You will probably want to cite earlier experience as a demonstration of the breadth of your expertise and understanding. This may not be as fresh in your memory, and you may need time to do more research amongst your development records in order to do justice to this experience in your submission. Also, regulations or industry practice (e.g. Health, Safety and Welfare, or Environmental) may well have changed, and you will want to demonstrate your awareness as to how decisions taken a couple of years previously would have been influenced by recent changes.
This period of reflection is intended to consolidate the training and development you have achieved.
2) You need time to prepare The Professional Review is intended to examine your expertise with respect to the attributes in ICE 3001 Appendix A, You need to demonstrate, with specific examples, how you have developed those attributes. Like any examination, it has rules and protocols. It is essential that you have a thorough understanding of what is expected of you and what you can expect.
Candidates often underestimate the length of time necessary to actually write the submission reports, let alone the administration required to collate documents, especially when they are reliant on busy colleagues for commenting on reports or completion of sponsorship forms.
This period of Preparation is intended to avoid any unwelcome surprises.
Many candidates have benefited from attendance at the ICE NW Professional Review Workshops to gain an insight into the process, the protocols and the expectations of Reviewers. See events for details.
Note: Candidates should never assume that signing off the ICE3144 form (or submission for Career Appraisal) is a ‘rubber stamp’ exercise. Candidates may find that they have to delay their submission for Professional Review because additional information or clarification is required by SCE or MDO. Submission of a 3144 or Career Appraisal well in advance of your intended date for professional review submission and identifying a period of consolidation and preparation in your overall timetable reduces the possibility of any such delay.
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