C&P Engineering Services is delighted to announce that Mike Hicks, E&I Engineering Design Manager, has achieved Chartered Engineer (CEng) status, reaching a professional milestone that has been many years in the making.
Chartered Engineer registration is one of the engineering profession’s most respected achievements, recognising not only technical competence, but also leadership, professional judgement, professional responsibility and a commitment to ongoing development. It is an independent assessment of an engineer’s knowledge, experience and ability to apply engineering principles in practice.
For Mike, achieving Chartered status marks the fulfilment of a goal that began at the very start of his career. “Achieving Chartered Engineer status is something I’ve aspired to since starting out as an electrical craft apprentice.” Like many engineers, Mike’s focus throughout much of his career was on building experience, solving technical challenges and progressing professionally. While becoming Chartered remained an ambition, family life and career development understandably took priority.
“It’s a goal I put on hold for a while as family life took priority, so reaching it now is particularly rewarding.” What makes the achievement especially meaningful, Mike explains, is the nature of the Chartered process itself. “It isn’t simply a qualification or an exam. It’s an independent review of your career, experience and professional competence, which makes the recognition feel even more meaningful.”
Revisiting a Long-Term Goal
As Mike’s career evolved, so too did his responsibilities. Taking on greater responsibility for technical leadership, project delivery and supporting the development of other engineers prompted him to revisit his long-held ambition and commit to the Chartered process. “As my career progressed and I took on greater responsibility for technical leadership, project delivery and developing engineers, I felt the time was right to revisit that long-term goal and see it through.”
For Mike, Chartered status was not simply about achieving a professional title. It was also about challenging himself and gaining independent recognition for the experience and expertise he had built over many years. “I also wanted to challenge myself and have the experience I’d built up over my career independently recognised.”
Understanding the Chartered Process
Achieving Chartered Engineer status requires candidates to demonstrate competency across a number of areas, including technical knowledge, leadership, professional commitment and engineering responsibility. Mike’s application involved compiling evidence from throughout his career, documenting not only projects and technical achievements, but also examples of leadership, decision-making and continual professional development.
“The process involved putting together an application that demonstrated my engineering knowledge, experience, leadership and professional development throughout my career.” A crucial stage of the journey was the Professional Review Interview, where Mike delivered a presentation covering his career and key projects, before answering detailed questions from a panel of experienced engineers. “The biggest part was selecting the right examples and clearly explaining my own responsibilities, decisions and development.”
Reflecting on a Career
Ironically, one of the most difficult parts of the process was not the technical element. “The most challenging part was finding the time to step back and properly reflect on my career while balancing work and family commitments.” Like many engineers, Mike admits that his natural instinct is to focus on the next challenge rather than looking back at previous achievements. “Engineers tend to focus on the next problem or project, so bringing years of experience together and presenting it clearly against the required competencies took real effort.” The application process provided a rare opportunity to reflect on just how much experience and learning had been accumulated throughout his career.
The Role of C&P Engineering Services
Since joining C&P Engineering Services, Mike’s role has continued to develop significantly. While engineering design remains at the heart of what he does, his responsibilities now extend far beyond producing technical solutions. Today, Mike provides technical leadership and engineering assurance, oversees project delivery and helps support and develop the next generation of engineers. “C&P has given me the opportunity to work on a wide range of technically challenging projects and take on increasing responsibility. My role has developed beyond producing designs into technical leadership, engineering assurance, project delivery and supporting the development of others.”
Mike believes that exposure to such a broad range of challenges and responsibilities played a major part in helping him successfully demonstrate the competencies required for Chartered status. “That breadth of experience played a significant part in helping me achieve Chartered status.”
Recognising the Support Behind the Achievement
While Chartered Engineer status is awarded to an individual, Mike is keen to recognise the support he received from family, colleagues and mentors throughout the process. “I’d like to thank my family for their patience and support throughout the process, particularly while balancing the preparation for my application and Professional Review Interview alongside work and home commitments.” Mike also acknowledged the support provided by those who supported his application and offered guidance throughout the journey.
“I’m also grateful to my referees, Paul Bunyan, CEO & Managing Director of C&P Engineering Services, and Ian Barklam, Projects Team Manager at Eastman Chemical Company, for supporting my application. I’d particularly like to thank my Professional Registration Advisor, Robert McAughtrie, Principal Consultant at Consultarc, whose guidance, encouragement and practical advice were invaluable throughout the journey.”
Supporting the Next Generation of Engineers
While Chartered status provides important professional recognition, Mike is clear that it will not fundamentally change how he approaches his role. “It won’t change how I approach the role day to day, but it provides additional professional recognition for the responsibilities I already hold.” However, he believes it will strengthen his ability to provide technical leadership and encourage others to pursue professional registration themselves. “It supports my role in providing technical leadership and engineering assurance, while also helping me encourage and support engineers who are considering professional registration themselves.”
Advice for Engineers Considering Professional Registration
Having completed the journey himself, Mike is passionate about encouraging others to take the first step. His advice is straightforward and practical. “Don’t wait until you feel you have a perfect application or know every answer.” Instead, he encourages engineers to start recording their experience and achievements as they happen. “Start by recording the projects you’ve worked on, the decisions you’ve made and what you’ve learned. Speak to people who have been through the process, ask for honest feedback and focus on explaining your own contribution.” Perhaps most importantly, Mike believes many engineers underestimate just how much relevant experience they have already gained. “You may already have more relevant experience than you realise.”
A Commitment to Continuous Professional Development
At the heart of Mike’s success is a belief that learning never stops. For him, professional development is not something that ends when you achieve a qualification, secure a promotion or gain professional registration. “For me, professional development is about continuing to learn from projects, people and experience.” He believes this mindset is essential within an engineering profession that is constantly evolving through new technologies, updated standards and changing ways of working. “Engineering is constantly evolving, whether through new technologies, standards or ways of working, so learning can’t stop when you gain a qualification or job title.” “It’s essential to maintaining competence and delivering safe, high-quality engineering solutions.”
What’s Next?
Despite achieving one of engineering’s most respected professional milestones, Mike remains characteristically grounded about what comes next. “To be honest, not a great deal changes tomorrow.” His focus remains on the work he enjoys most: supporting colleagues, leading projects and helping clients address technical challenges. “I’ll still be doing the job I enjoy, supporting my team and helping clients solve engineering challenges.” The difference, however, is the satisfaction of knowing he has achieved a goal that has been many years in the making. “I’ve achieved a goal I’ve been working towards for a long time.” Looking ahead, Mike’s ambitions remain focused on personal development and helping others succeed. “My focus now is on continuing to develop, sharing that experience with others and helping more engineers achieve their own professional ambitions.”
A Proud Achievement for C&P
Paul Bunyan, CEO & Managing Director of C&P Engineering Services, said: “Achieving Chartered Engineer status is a tremendous accomplishment and a reflection of Mike’s dedication, professionalism and technical expertise. We are incredibly proud of what he has achieved and the example he sets for other engineers developing their careers.”
At C&P Engineering Services, we are committed to supporting the professional development of our people and providing opportunities for engineers to build rewarding, long-term careers. Mike’s achievement is a fantastic example of what can be accomplished through dedication, perseverance, continuous learning and a commitment to engineering excellence. Congratulations Mike on becoming a Chartered Engineer. A thoroughly deserved achievement and an important milestone in an outstanding engineering career.