New qualifications at the centre of sweeping changes for Institute. Michael Glackin reports.
CIOB chief executive Chris Blythe has set out far-reaching plans to modernise the professional body, including changes to membership qualifications. Blythe told CM the changes are essential if the CIOB is to survive: “The CIOB needs to re-engage with employers and adapt to the increasingly global needs of the industry.”
The blueprint is part of the newly unveiled Strategic Plan, which sets out how the Institute should evolve over the next 10 years. “The world is changing fast and professional bodies have to change with it. We don’t want to alienate members of 40 to 50 years, but at the same time we have to adapt and move forward,” says Blythe.
He adds: “An organisation that is controlled by its members is sometimes in danger of going at the pace of the slowest and that is something we have to address. We don’t have the luxury of going at the slowest pace, and we don’t have the luxury of keeping the organisation as it was in the eighties or nineties — it needs to be relevant to 2020, 2030 and 2040.”
The principal thrust of the changes will centre on greater collaboration with employers and developing what Blythe calls “more relevant” qualifications. This would involve introducing a range of qualifications to recognise specialist roles.
“The current MCIOB qualification is a bit all or nothing: you get the full qualification or nothing at all,” explains Blythe. Routes to full membership are already different for people with different academic qualifications and experience, but can involve sitting lengthy exams for those without the relevant degree.
“We’re looking at developing qualifications that will enable people to get recognition to what they are doing in the workplace,” he says. “It might be a diploma or certificate in a particular skill, such as planning and scheduling. The qualification won’t give you chartered status, but it could be used as part of that.”
Blythe adds that the new qualifications would form modules that could enable people to build up a range of credits that would accumulate towards gaining a more formal qualification.
CIOB chief executive Chris Blythe
Such a radical overhaul is sure to ignite fears among CIOB members that the institute is “dumbing down” and diluting long-established standards, a charge Blythe dismisses. “It doesn’t mean we’re lowering standards. The changes are about satisfying the needs of employers and people and the different demands they face over their working life,” he says.
He adds: “We can’t be too precious about what exactly chartered means. Too much of the view on standards is about the process and not what people can do at the end of the process. People wrongly assume if a process is difficult it must be of a high standard and benefit to the industry. For years the process has been seen as part of the test and frankly it shouldn’t be.”
The overhaul is partly the result of discussions with large contractors that want staff to have greater expertise in areas such as supply chain integration, BIM, off-site construction and sustainability. But more controversially, Blythe also wants to see formal credit given to some development courses carried out within individual companies.
Changes also reflect the fact that the type of work carried out by members is changing. Whereas 20 years ago the bulk of the members would have worked in contracting now the range is much broader. Membership breaks down as 40% working for contractor bodies; 25% consulting; 20 client or associated organisations like local authority Building Control; 5% academia with the rest retired or working outside the industry.
Speaking last month new CIOB President Alan Crane said his primary focus was to involve employers more with the work of the Institute. He said: “We want to give employers a bigger say in the curriculum. In fact, we want to give them the biggest say they have ever had.
Blythe adds: “Sometimes the relationship between professional bodies and academia can be just too cosy.”
Young professionals give their views on what the new President should do to improve the CIOB, Vox pop: http://construction-manager.co.uk/news/editorial-january-2012/
This is dumbing dowm of standards just to create more members, putting monies generate by subscriptions first.
There is no short cut to gaining experience and knowledge, perhaps mor should be imparted by the over 40 plus brigade.
There is however opportunity to split technical and managerial or site from office.
I would like to become a MCIOB, I already have an NVQ6, run my own company for 5 years and have been looking into gaining the additional qualification required but as I am also a full time mum time is very limited. I would welcome changes to the system and only have the need to take qualifications relevant to the profession and possibly broken down into units that can be achieved individually.
Sounds like dumbing down to me!
I agree and not before time !!!.
As part of the over 40 years as a member brigade, I have always advocated – that the CIOB is the natural home of resource planning.
Filling that gap in the industry will assist planners and the industry itself.
Also I think the CIOB is now failing the supervisory staff on site. Construction managers and the like. No one has ever made it a condition of being a CIOB member before offering me a job or an employment visa -not the same with the RICS !! Quality Standards on the international mega projects I am involved wioth are appalling – period
Just how are CIOB going to harness India & China. Chris- you need to get a team of individuals around 25 to 30 to plan the future.Identify their needs and you have a chance. Good Luck to all involved.
This sounds like a cry for help from our CE brought on by a panic attack, not fully thought through – not unlike the ‘Chartered Builder or Chartered Constructor?’ debate. At a time when we are, arguably, going through the worst economic downturn in our lifetime, there is need for experienced, intelligent leadership and considered debate with the membership – how about it Chris?
As one who became Chartered at 60 years old I welcome the initiative to recognise work experience in a more structured way. Modular routes to qualification are now common in many areas and the CIOB should not be shy to embrace such ideas.
Degree courses are increasingly expensive and often divorced from reality and I fear that universities are the people dumbing down’ qualifications in a bid to demonstrate their sucess rates are better than their competitors. A work based entry route gets a thumbs-up from me
‘Dumbing down’ and diluting long established standards. The CIOB has lost its strategic focus – is the new strategy from a ‘Chartered Builder’ or a ‘Construction Manager’ perspective?
If it’s too easy it’s not worth having. High standards are all.
Speaking as one who has recently successfully completed the corporate membership exams I would be very reluctant to dilute that process but certainly the CIOB has lost ground to other Institution by not promoted itself towards a wider audience. If it wishes to remain relevant and central to to a very changed Industry then it has to be attractive to the recent graduate. It must project its membership grade and the prospect of progression within the grade in such a way that confirms the Institute as the professional body of first choice within the Industry particularly with a view to the future. It must set about a re-marketing of the qualification by creating a new proactive dynamic regarding the key role CIOB members plays in the Industry worldwide. This should be coupled to examples of how achieving membership has opened new career prospects. With some careful tweaking I wish Chris well.