Reaccreditation For Ascendant Engineer Program
Ascendant Group Limited’s Monitored Professional Development Scheme [MPDS] for graduate Engineers has been reaccredited for three years with no conditions by a visiting panel of representatives from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers [IMechE] and Institution of Engineering and Technology [IET].
Licensed by the Engineering Council in the UK, both the IMechE and IET are recognized internationally as prestigious engineering institutions and the reaccreditation will ensure that the MPDS will continue to provide an esteemed path for aspiring chartered engineers to earn their professional designation.
The MPDS is part of the Company’s training and development programme which is managed by a six-member Professional Development Committee [PDC] made up up of senior members throughout the Ascendant Group.
Pictured is the four-person review panel along with members of the Ascendant Group. [Left-right]: John Horner [IMechE], Bob Goswell [IMechE], Michael Maughan, Vice President, iEPC Limited & Scheme Administrator, Michael Daniel, Senior Vice President & Chief Strategic Development Officer, Ascendant Group and Scheme Owner, Dick Balestrini [IET] and John Lorriman [IET]
It is reviewed regularly by the PDC and further reviewed on a three-year basis for accreditation to ensure that it meets the highest standards and that qualified staff and resources are committed to the professional development of engineers. Internally referred to as Engineers-in-Training [EIT’s], candidates are enrolled in the programme for approximately four years.
Typical candidates have either a Bachelor and/or Master’s degree in Engineering, are Company scholarship recipients or have met the academic requirements outlined by the Engineering Council in the UK.
Each EIT is assigned a mentor for additional support. Mentors are Chartered Engineers within the Company who have specific training on how to evaluate candidates and the professional registration process.
The reaccreditation process is initiated by an application submitted by the Company and is then followed by a visit from the review panel to give them the opportunity to meet with management, the candidates, mentors and supervisors to gain a first-hand understanding of how the MPDS is working.
The programme was first developed at BELCO in 1997, but was not officially accredited until 2002.
To date, Ascendant Group is the only company in Bermuda who has an accredited programme for graduate Engineers which has seen nine employees successfully earn their Chartered Engineer designation.
Currently, there are three BELCO employees enrolled in the programme. The EIT’s are: Donald Marwick [Mechanical], Jonathan Pedro [Electrical], Jarrod Zancanella [Electrical].
“The MPDS programme is essential to ensuring that Bermuda continues to have local engineering expertise to support the Island’s energy future,” Ascendant added.
