This blog post is written by Mike Rogers CEng FICE, ICE specialist for The Structural Exam.

Mike is a current Reviewer and Mentor for the ICE and has spent the last 20 years developing the careers of hundreds of civil engineers. He has conducted over 200 ICE Professional Reviews of all grades, from Engineering Technician all the way up to Fellowship.

Receiving your result

As we draw towards the date for the ICE Professional Review Autumn Session results to be released, I wish all those candidates awaiting the e-mail with the result letter good luck. I hope the result is the one you and your sponsors are hoping for.

Your result will arrive by email, usually by around 9:30am UK time.

The pass rate at the ICE reviews varies across the globe and with each session. There is no set pass rate that the reviewers have to aim for.  It is a joint decision at each review between the two independent reviewers as to whether the candidate has been successful or not. The criteria are set out within the Nine Attributes and the reviewers are not there to set traps or trick anyone. It is the responsibility of the candidate to demonstrate the Attributes on the day of the review and the reviewers are there to enable this to happen and to capture the evidence.

If you pass…

If you pass then warmest congratulations to you! Several months of hard work will have paid off and you can rightly claim your place in the oldest engineering institution in the world. Savour the day and go celebrate with your friends, family and colleagues as there will be few milestones in your career as significant as this.

If things do not go your way…

Should you be unsuccessful, I am sure you will feel completely dejected, upset and angry. An initial reaction will be to appeal against the decision or look at what the reviewers did incorrectly on the day. It is unlikely that you will recall everything with great clarity from the review day – the review will have been a few weeks before and I am sure that you were nervous at the time of the review. Some sound advice would be to take a deep breath and reflect carefully on the letter you have been sent.

Allow a few days to cool off and take some time to arrange a meeting with your lead sponsors to review the letter. After this meeting, you may have a clearer understanding of the reasons why you were unsuccessful on the review day and will be in a better position to consider a reapplication. You can always seek to discuss the details with the ICE Membership Development Staff in your region who will be there to explain and provide further guidance.

The most common cause of failure

In the 14 years that I have been an ICE reviewer, the most common causes of failures I have seen is candidates who have applied for and sat the Professional Review before they are ready or who have not fully understood the process that the ICE use. As a result it can be very difficult for the pair of reviewers to adequately show that the candidate demonstrated the necessary competencies to meet the Nine Attributes.

As you prepare for an ICE Professional review, make sure that you follow the guidance documents that the ICE produce and seek an independent review of the competencies that you have. A Mock ICE Review can be an excellent way of ensuring that you are aware of the required process and will be the chance for you to practice the presentation and answering questions in relation to the Attributes under pressure.

We are also able to provide other one-off consultation help, and would be pleased to assist you in this regard should you require extra tailored support, either through your company or individually. Feel free to use the contact form to get in touch with us.

Getting extra help

The Mock ICE Review should ideally be undertaken at least four to six weeks before the review, allowing time to adjust the report before it is submitted to the reviewers and amend the presentation to change the emphasis on the day. This approach can make the difference between a marginal fail and a pass on the day but cannot make up for a shortfall in overall experience. You should seek an honest evaluation of your readiness for the Professional Review with your sponsors in the run up to the application and ensure that you give the Professional Review the respect it deserves. Success on the day is a tremendous feeling but an under prepared candidate does no one any favours, especially the candidate.