Mandy Mills is the Chartered Institute of Building’s head of quality assurance and was an instrumental figure in rolling out the new Technical Membership grade – a new grade aimed at individuals working as technical specialists within the construction industry
Post-nominals are not just a fancy title at the end of your name. They are a mark of recognition for an individual’s hard work and dedication to their career and the industry which they represent.
Historically, those who excel in one area – a site supervisor, fire safety officer, rail technician, utility technician or site manager, for example – have struggled to find a suitable place within a professional body and gain recognition for their talent.
That’s why I am pleased that following a highly successful pilot scheme, the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) is now offering Technical Membership – allowing us to extend our support to even more professionals working in this vital industry by recognising and awarding post-nominals to people who have become experienced professionals.
A significant development not only for us as the world’s largest professional body for construction management and leadership but also for the wider construction industry – the new grade has been designed to empower these individuals are experts in their area of expertise – often having spent decades mastering their craft.
I firmly believe it will also improve their chances of gaining promotions and achieving higher salaries.
Technical specialists earn the right to have TechCIOB at the end of their name and they will also benefit from other exclusive opportunities for CIOB members, including unique industry training programmes and access to hundreds of CIOB events.
Developed for the industry, by the industry
I worked closely with members and stakeholders throughout the industry across the globe to develop the new membership grade. We encouraged people from different areas of the industry to take part in the pilot, carried out multiple presentations to introduce ourselves and clearly explain the application process as well as what was expected of candidates.
Our advisers were on hand throughout and regularly asked participants to give updates on their progress with the aim of keeping people on track with their submissions and applications.
I feel incredibly proud to be a part of something that truly feels like a gigantic stride for both CIOB and the wider construction industry. It was great to see those who took part in the pilot enjoy their graduation ceremonies and I look forward to seeing them all thrive with their new accreditation. specialists to promote their achievements and successes while also demonstrating their professionalism.
I was also thrilled to hear so many positive comments from those who took part in the pilot, including how Technical Membership will “demonstrate to any future employers that I have met the required standard as a technical professional within the construction industry”.
Meanwhile, another member said upon graduation, they “definitely recommend others to sign up to TechCIOB because it shows you are a dedicated person, and it gave me a real sense of pride with all the study and work hours that was put in to get to this stage”.
You can apply for Technical Membership now
Now Technical Membership is in full flow, I am actively encouraging more technical specialists to submit their applications for the new grade.
Other suitable specialists, including CAD designers, building control technicians and BIM modellers, would also be suitable for applying for TechCIOB membership with CIOB.
As well as people who work in technical construction roles, TechCIOB membership is also available for those working in offsite manufacturing, digital technologies and robotics.
You can find out more information about Technical Membership and apply online via the CIOB website: www.ciob.me/join.
Mandy Mills
Chartered Institute of Building
Head of quality assurance
Tel: +44 (0)1344 630 700
