Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 23

6.4.3 Application for Corporate Membership of IEM (leading to PEng registration with BEM)

Q42: I am an Electrical Engineer. I was told that there is no necessity for us to becom Professional Engineers as we do not endorse and submit plans to the authorities. It seems then, that the Professional Interview is largely only relevant to Civil Engineers. As professionals, we should constantly upgrade our knowledge and skills. Corporate membership of the IEM (which is granted once one passes the Professional Interview) is a benchmark of reaching a certain point in the development of an engineer. The engineer would then be recognised as a professional engineer, although to legally endorse as one, one needs to register with the Board of Engineers (BEM).

A Professional Engineer also enjoys better opportunities for promotion (which is often associated with salary increment!) in Government departments and more especially in the private sectors. A Professional Engineer is often seen as a valuable asset to the organisation, spanning both technical and leadership values. 

Your client would feel more confident when dealing with you, if you are a Professional Engineer. That shall be the prime reason why engineers from the non-mainstream (Civil, Mechanical and Electrical) disciplines are acquiring their Professional Engineer status. As a Professional Engineers registered with BEM have to obtain a minimum of 50 “Continuing Professional Development” (CPD) annually to maintain their PE licences.55 This is a draft copy. If you find any discrepancy and inappropriateness or any other comment and suggestion, please contact: yesepnp5@gmail.com 

Q43: I graduate with degree in Chemical Engineering. I did not have the pleasure to work under a MIEM/PEng of the same discipline in my company. However, my work nature enabled me to interact closely with a MIEM/PEng of same discipline in another company. I wish to apply for Corporate Membership with IEM now.

You are suggested to adopt Log Book System with the MIEM/PEng of the other company as your mentor, with blessings from IEM upon scrutinised requirements on both sides. You are allowed to backdate the Log Book entry 1 year upon the official commencement of your mentor-mentee system. Upon satisfying all criterions, you may then forward your Corporate Member application to IEM. The IEM Training Scheme or the Log Book Scheme (they are both the same) provides for young engineers like you. Under the scheme, the IEM helps you secure a Mentor from their list of available Professional Engineers to enable you to gain guided training.

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 22

Q40: I have just submitted my application to transfer my membership grade from Student to
Graduate. At about the same time, I received a notice from the IEM to pay my subscription fees
for the coming year. Should I wait until my application is approved before I pay?

No, you should first pay the amount stated in the notice sent to you. The IEM would bill the
difference once your membership transfer is approved.

Q41: I graduated from a renowned foreign university in 80s. However, I did not apply for
registration with BEM until the 90s. The application was suspended as I could not produce a
transcript requested by BEM due to the long time lapse. I wish to apply for graduate membership with IEM now.

Your application cannot be accepted. Without registration with BEM, your practice is deemed
illegal from statutory obligation aspect. You could have been more persistent in obtaining your
transcript to complete your registration with BEM. IEM welcomes your resubmission when ready.

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 21

Q38: I have just graduated from a Bachelor of Engineering course from an institution recognised
by the IEM and I understand that my course was an accredited one. I am now taking up a full time Master Degree course. I would like to join the IEM, but should I apply as a Student or a Graduate member?

Since you already have an accredited first degree in engineering, you should apply to be a Graduate member. But you can apply to pay the fees of a Student member by forwarding proof from your current head of department that you are a full time student of a Masters programme.

Q39: How would I know if my course is accredited by the BEM and the IEM?

There are many levels of recognition accorded by the BEM and the IEM on the various
engineering courses, updated at regularly. It is best to check with the IEM Secretariat on the
status of your course.

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 20

6.4.2 Application for Graduate Membership of IEM

Q36: I would like to join the IEM but I have yet to get my degree certificate and official transcript. Does that mean that I would have to wait until I get them? Then I would not be able to participate in the activities organised by the IEM yet.

If your course is accredited by the IEM, we would process your application and grant you
membership even pending submission of copies of your degree and transcript. You are still
required to submit them after you have obtained them.
If there is ambiguity on the status of your course, your application would be kept in abeyance
until your submission is complete. In such a case, you would have to wait. But non-members are
also allowed to participate in IEM activities. Rate for Registration or Commitment fees shall be
per flyer as published by IEM.

Q37: I would like to join the IEM but I have yet to be registered by the Board of Engineers,
Malaysia (BEM). I find the process very time consuming and I lose a few months before I can
start the IEM Training Scheme. Is there no other way where I can minimise this loss of time?

If your course is accredited by the IEM, we would process your application and grant you
membership even pending submission of copies of your BEM registration letter. You are still
required to submit it after you have obtained it. You can then start on the IEM Training Scheme
immediately upon graduation.

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 19

Q34: How would I know if my course is accredited by the BEM and the IEM?

There are many levels of recognition accorded by the BEM and the IEM on the various
engineering courses. It is best to check with the IEM Secretariat on the status of your course on an individual basis.


Q35: I am still a Student member of the IEM although I have graduated a few years ago. I understand that there is no obligation for us to transfer our membership grade. Would I encounter any problems later on?

You would not have any problems whatsoever, except that you would be charged a higher fee than a Graduate member when applying to sit for the Professional Interview. Please note that even though you are a Student member, you are still required to pay the subscription fees of a Graduate member once you are 24 years old.

You are required by the Registration of Engineers Act to register yourself with BEM as a Graduate Engineer. In the eyes of BEM your professional experience starts from the date of your letter of approval from BEM. You may decide to apply to sit for your Professional Engineer ten years after your graduation, but you can only apply to become a Professional Engineer with BEM, at least three years from the date of your letter of approval.

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 18

FAQs on General

Q32: Why should there be an Interview with essay writing?
Many have asked this question at previous dialogue sessions. A lot of the engineers feel that the engineering degree would be sufficient evidence to show the qualification. This issue has been discussed time and again and the IEM Council feels that there is the need to maintain and upgrade the standard of the profession and as such the interview would be able to keep the engineers aware of the importance of the standards of engineering writing.

FAQs on Membership application

Application for Student Membership of IEM
Q33: I am pursuing my undergraduate course in one of the accredited local universities. I submitted my application for Student Membership in lumped package complete with application forms and cheques via a local IEM Branch. I understand the IEM HQ did not receive the postage. What would IEM advise me or the Branch to do now?

IEM would advise the Branch to re-send the photocopied forms (with endorsement as true certified copy per original) to IEM HQ for subsequent action. The Branch has to cancel the missing cheque and reissue a new cheque with matching details. The Branch is also encouraged to ensure proper delivery via secured courier service

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 17

FAQs on Training

Q30: Among those who have undergone the above, can you consider going to the site for supervision 'off and on' just to solve the site problems as site experience?
Definitely. If you go to the site for supervision, the experience can be accumulated.

Q31: Can Post Graduate training be considered?
We consider Post Graduate training as 1/2 of the period required and only if you are a research candidate.

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 16

Q28: How do you divide the time among the various categories of experience?

You would have to estimate your various working experience in proportion to the work carried out. At the end of each 3 months, you have to summarise your work and provide a time estimate of your work in each category of experience.

Q29: A Graduate would have to send the log book to IEM for checking. How long does IEM take to return the book? What if it gets lost?

Perhaps you should send in by registered mail and keep photostat copies of the book in case it gets lost in the post.

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 15

Q26: What would happen if I am told to do some periods of non engineering work by my employer?
One way to overcome this is that you inform your mentor that you are doing non-engineering works for that period and stop the log-book recording for that period.



Q27: Pre-Graduation training for Sandwich Courses is partly recognised by ICE for the purpose of its P.I. Is IEM offering the same recognition?
No.

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 14

Q25: What happens when a graduate trains under a non corporate member?
In such cases, he may have problems with his training. This LBS will safeguard the candidate. For example, a candidate could be trained by a senior engineer, who is not a corporate member of the Institution, but this senior engineer may have an immediate supervisor who is a member and who could provide the necessary guidance on training. Or maybe the candidate could get someone who is a corporate member to be his mentor and someone who can guide and make sure that the non corporate member who is training the candidate is providing the suitable and approved training experience.

Q26: What would happen if I am told to do some periods of non engineering work by my employer?
One way to overcome this is that you inform your mentor that you are doing non-engineering works for that period and stop the log-book recording for that period.

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 13

Q23: Who approves and what qualifications must a mentor have?
The IEM will have to verify and approve your mentor. Ideally, he should have at least 3 years MIEM qualification and be from the same discipline as yours. Corporate members who have been Professional Interviewers for IEM are an ideal choice.

Q24: Can non corporate members be mentors?
Usually the person who is a mentor must be of a certain professional standing. A non corporate member of the IEM will not be able to give candidates tile right training that the Institution requires.

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 12

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 12

Q21: Can my employer appoint a mentor for me?
Yes, if you are unable to secure one yourself.

Q22: What happens if my mentor discontinues before the three years is up?
You should write to IEM and a new mentor can be approved.

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 11

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 11

Q19: How many candidates can a mentor have at any one time?
Each mentor is only allowed to have a maximum of 3 candidates at a time.

Q20: How do I secure a mentor?
IEM is able to assist in identifying suitable mentors, especially for specialized disciplines where shortage of such Professional Engineers exist.

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 10

FAQs on Log Book Scheme (LBS)

Q17: Can I submit backdated recording of experience?
This is a question of discretion. Some mentors may consider this if the graduate shows sufficient proof of his previous work experience.

Q18: What is the time period?
The LBS scheme requires a total of 3 years, unlike the conventional system of 4 years.

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 9

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 9

Q15: Could the candidate approach other engineers to confirm the statement on experiences? Is there a need to obtain the certification of the experience from the previous employer, who have been transferred to other States?

The current employer is allowed to sign or certify your experience. There would be a record of service kept in the department and thus enable your current employer to verify your experience.

Q16: If one failed the essay can he still pass the P.I.?

The IEM does not fail the candidate mainly because he could not write the essay. However, it is expected that the candidate writes and provide sufficient knowledge, of engineering in the essay.

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 8

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 8

Q13: If a person feels that he had done well in his interviews but feels that he is discriminated by the Interviewers who have failed him. Can he appeal against this decision?

Yes, he can write in and give his grievances on this and the Committee will look into it. You can always request for another interviewer when you sit again.

Q14: When can I request for a change of Interviewers?

As soon as you are notified of the Interviewers, you can request for the change. Usually, Interviewers are only changed once.

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 7

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 7

Q11: My boss is a P.Eng. but not a MIEM? What should I do?

Your proposer is an IEM member and he can initial and sign for you. The very fact that your proposer has signed your form means lie has vouched for you and lie will be able to answer any queries about you. Your Boss, can initial the forms on the training experience but he cannot be your proposer. The proposer will then counter endorse your boss' signature.
Normally, the boss to whom you are serving, will initial your working experience and the proposer will be required to counter endorse his statement.

Q12: How do I get a proposer?

The proposer must be someone who knows you well. He can be a friend or your employer.

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 6

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 6

Q9: It is very difficult to record the experiences of the engineers for three years and to list down exactly what has been done during this period are there any alternatives?

All engineers should keep a record of his work schedule. The IEM has the Log Book to assist one in the recording.

Q10: It is very difficult for non civil engineers to prepare the project report as required. Most of these engineers would not have designs to submit on the projects such as those of the civil counterparts?

The P.I. Regulation had outlined the kind of submission for non civil engineers. If the engineer is involved in maintenance of an electrical/mechanical plant or engineering system, the submission could be directed at the applications of the engineering principles, a critical appraisal of the design of the engineering system or the detail modifications to be made or had been made to the system. All these could be compiled and submitted to the Interviewers.

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 5

Q9: It is very difficult to record the experiences of the engineers for three years and to list down exactly what has been done during this period are there any alternatives?

All engineers should keep a record of his work schedule. The IEM has the Log Book to assist one in the recording.

Q10: It is very difficult for non civil engineers to prepare the project report as required. Most of these engineers would not have designs to submit on the projects such as those of the civil counterparts?

The P.I. Regulation had outlined the kind of submission for non civil engineers. If the engineer is involved in maintenance of an electrical/mechanical plant or engineering system, the submission could be directed at the applications of the engineering principles, a critical appraisal of the design of the engineering system or the detail modifications to be made or had been made to the system. All these could be compiled and submitted to the Interviewers.

Professional Engineer Q&A: Part 4

Part 4- FAQs on Professional Interview Application

Q7: Can drawings be exempted from submission?

It all depends. The P.I. Regulation had indicated on the submission of the drawings and detailed calculations by the civil engineer when preparing for the P.I. This is a general clause for the civil engineers but there are alternative rules for the other disciplines.

Q8: Candidates with 1 year design and 1 year field experience are required what would happen to those involved in management?

No district engineer or engineers would be involved in 100% Management work. The engineer would be approached to solve problems at site. If, in the workshop the candidate would also be required to be supervising the function. A workshop can be considered as site for the non civil engineers, especially the Mechanical & Production Engineers.