Read how Alex Paterson, OLE Design Engineer at Amey, achieved IEng professional registration with the PWI through Experiential Learning to advance his railway career.

Can you tell us a bit about your background?

I am an OLE Design Engineer based in Manchester and have recently received my Incorporated Engineer status. I have been in the industry since I was 18 years old when I became an apprentice at Parsons Brinckerhoff. I have since been working in electrification for almost 10 years and have worked on both mainline electrification and renewals projects across various design stages. Electrification, as a discipline, is very dear to me, and I feel as though I’m playing a part in the decarbonisation and modernisation of the network – I never grew up having any interest in trains or the railway, but it has since become a passion and an industry which I truly love. 

Why did you want to become professionally registered?

Even before I started working in the industry, I was aware of the prestige that Chartership held as a career milestone for an engineer. For me, achieving IEng was a natural step in this journey and a clear indicator of my progress and experience thus far. I also believe that the requirements of IEng spurred me on to seek different experiences at work, such as leadership and mentoring, and ensured that I developed in other aspects besides acquiring purely technical skills. As a result of seeking this accreditation, I feel that I have become much more comfortable in mentoring others and getting involved in initiatives besides working on projects. 

How did you find the process?

As I currently do not have a degree, I have felt excluded from Professional Registration for quite some time. Having achieved EngTech during my apprenticeship back in 2017, I felt stuck on this level of Professional Registration and got to a point where I felt ready for IEng for a while (not to discredit the knowledge and experience required at EngTech level). I was knocked back by some other professional institutions, which appeared not to want to engage with candidates who had learning through other channels than the traditional university route. However, the PWI were supportive from the start of the process and guided me through the Experiential Learning route, which I was able to use to demonstrate my learning up to degree level through my own experience on the job. 

Following the experiential learning report, I was able to use this stage of the process to form the basis of my full IEng submission. Fitting my (almost) 10 years of experience into such a short report was difficult for me, but it did give me confidence that I was qualified to achieve IEng. Many colleagues at my current company, Amey, helped me with the process and assisted me in identifying the areas of my experience which would be most suitable. Developing a strong local network in the workplace was essential for me in gaining the experience and exposure required for this step in my career – special mentions to Adam McCreadie and Michael Moore, who have both been excellent mentors over the years. 

As for the interview process, I was shocked by how enjoyable this part was. One of the main reasons for me joining the PWI was its strong Railway bias, and this really helped to settle me for the interview. The Reviewers themselves were great to talk to and experienced in working on the railway, meaning that the whole experience just felt like an engineering discussion, as would be typically held during the design process for a project. They were extremely engaging and put me completely at ease – especially as I have a learning disability which sometimes impacts my memory recollection. Both Reviewers gave me the time I needed at points to recall my experience thoroughly and I was able to circle back on the parts I had missed at the end. 

How do you consider being recognised with IEng status as helping you in your career?

I am currently studying for a degree at Sheffield Hallam University which is almost complete. I feel that achieving IEng has reinforced my levels of experience and will go hand in hand to demonstrate both my experience and formal education. Professional Registration has become of increasing importance in the Rail sector of late, with many companies requiring IEng and above as a prerequisite within the job market. For me, having Incorporated Engineer status will help me get to where I want to be in the future through Chartership and more senior engineering roles. 

Thank you, Alex, for sharing your journey and choosing to pursue your Professional Registration with the PWI.

If you’re interested in achieving IEng and taking the next step in your engineering career, click here to learn more about how we can support you.