My IStructE portfolio
We encourage readers to feed back their experience going through their Initial Professional Development, especially in the IStructE portfolios, and preparing for their final Reviews. We are more than delighted that Tim Aston is willing to share his journey with us, and to show how The Structural Exam can assist him.
Tim works for a structural engineering consultancy in the East Midlands, having previously graduated from Loughborough University. He is currently preparing for his Professional Review Interview, and if successful, will undertake the IStructE Part 3 examination in July 2017. Take it away Tim!
Introduction
I am currently in the process of putting together copies of the IStructE portfolio for my Professional Review Interview. I'm planning to write here on The Structural Exam about my preparation and experiences of the interview and subsequent exam – to help me process it, and to help others going through it!
Below are 3 examples of the type of evidence I used in my portfolio. I regularly read the Core Objectives sections of The Structural Exam as a reference when preparing my forms and these examples expand on some of those ideas.
Working on my final reports. I typed my IStructE portfolio on one screen with TSE commentary on the other.
1. Demonstrating objectives through training
Extracts from Core Objective 1.1 Institution
As well as including an overall record of formal training with a brief synopsis of what I learnt, I also included certificates and more detailed notes for the more extensive/relevant sessions I attended.
2. Using sketches to demonstrate conceptual design and communication
Sketches!
I believe good (technical) sketches are useful for me to understand and process structural ideas and communicate to others (including the IStructE reviewers). My company has recently obtained Ron Slade’s book about sketching, and am planning to work through this and the UCL Drawing Gym as part of my exam preparation.
3. Grouping analysis and design
Organising Core Objective 2.2 Analysis & Design
I have previously seen evidence for analysis and design grouped by material, but I was planning to do that anyway under Core Objective 2.3. So, I have followed a (roughly) similar arrangement to books I’ve seen on structural design (Structural Elements Design Manual, and also Design of Structural Elements). It is hopefully organised in a way that quickly allows a reviewer to see the breadth of my experience for this objective and delve deeper into any specific examples.
Next up for me, finalising my preparations for the interview. I will be posting some reflections here, as well as any feedback I receive on my portfolio…
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Does this post help you? How do you go about your IStructE Portfolio? Leave a comment below, or join the discussions in our Forum.
Hi Rana,
There is, of course, no set table of contents for the portfolio. It is entirely personal to you and is likely to be laid out based on a number of projects you have undertaken in previous years, so these may form the main sections of your portfolio. It should provide all the evidence you need for your core objectives, to backup what you have written in your final report forms. However, the objectives can be addressed in any order.
Head over to our forum if you have further questions and we’ll be glad to help.
Ralph
Hi,
I am currently preparing retrospective collated portfolio of works and I am very much confused on how to get a sample table of contents or a sample report. I really do not have any idea how to begin. All my pieces of evidence are available but scattered. Please guide me in this regard.