IEM UTM Student Chapter
FAQs

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MEMBERSHIP

Q: I would like to join the IEM but I have yet to get my degree certificate and official transcript. Does that mean that I would have to wait until I get them? Then I would not be able to participate in the activities organised by the IEM yet.

A: If your course is accredited by the IEM, we would process your application and grant you membership even pending submission of copies of your degree and transcript. You are still required to submit them after you have obtained them.

If there is ambiguity on the status of your course, your application would be kept in abeyance until your submission is complete. In such a case, you would have to wait. But non-members are also allowed to participate in IEM activities. Talks are free of charge, and commitment fees for visits are nominal and equal for all participants. It is only for courses and seminars that you would have to pay more for as non-members.

Q: I would like to join the IEM but I have yet to be registered by the Board of Engineers, Malaysia (BEM). I find the process very time consuming and I lose a few months before I can start the IEM Training Scheme. Is there no other way where I can minimise this loss of time?

A:
If your course is accredited by the IEM, we would process your application and grant you membership even pending submission of copies of your BEM registration letter. You are still required to submit it after you have obtained it. You can then start on the IEM Training Scheme immediately upon graduation.

If you are currently a Student member of the IEM, you can start on the IEM Training Scheme immediately upon graduation, i.e., after your official date of graduation. You need not wait for your transfer to Graduate membership.

Q: I have just graduated from a Bachelor of Engineering course from an institution recognised by the IEM and I understand that my course was an accredited one. I am now taking up a full time Masters degree course. I would like to join the IEM, but should I apply as a Student or a Graduate member?

A:
Since you already have an accredited first degree in engineering, you should apply to be a Graduate member. But you can apply to pay the fees of a Student member by forwarding proof from your current head of department that you are a full time student of a Masters programme.

Q: I understand that my course has yet to be accredited by the IEM and the BEM. Is there then no hope for my fellow course mates and I to be IEM members?

A:
Now, the IEM accepts engineering students from recognised institutions as Student members. However, further promotion of membership grades would be subject to the results of the accreditation exercise by the BEM and the IEM. Student members whose degree courses are not accredited would not be eligible to be transferred to Graduate membership.

Q: How would I know if my course is accredited by the BEM and the IEM?

A:
There are many levels of recognition accorded by the BEM and the IEM on the various engineering courses. It is best to check with the IEM Secretariat on the status of your course on an individual basis.

Q: I have just submitted my application to transfer my membership grade from Student to Graduate. At about the same time, I received a notice from the IEM to pay my subscription fees for the coming year. Should I wait until my application is approved before I pay?

A:
No, you should first pay the amount stated in the notice sent to you. The IEM would bill the difference once your membership transfer is approved.

Q: I am still a Student member of the IEM although I have graduated a few years ago. I understand that there is no obligation for us to transfer our membership grade. Would I encounter any problems later on?

A:
You would not have any problems whatsoever, except that you would be charged a higher fee than a Graduate member when applying to sit for the Professional Interview. The IEM has worked out all the penalties possible for members who do not care to upgrade their membership when they should. Please note that even though you are a Student member, you are still required to pay the subscription fees of a Graduate member once you are 24 years old.

Q: What are the benefits of being an IEM Graduate or Student member?

A:
The benefits are many. The IEM organises many courses, seminars, talks and visits which are of interest to the engineering profession (of technical nature) as well as to the development and well-being of engineers (non-technical).

Through technical activities, you get the opportunity to enhance your technical knowledge and skills as an engineer. This is important for your development as professionals; and essential for the progress and promotion of the profession as a whole.

Whilst most people would be more familiar with our technical activities, some may question the need and rationale for non-technical ones. Non-technical activities include social activities during the weekends, talks and courses/workshops on personal development, investment and health, and visits to places of interest e.g. the Firefly Park at Kuala Selangor. We also organise community service projects. All these activities provide the avenue for interaction among members, senior and junior alike; it is one of the ways for you to network, socialise and be exposed to the outside world. You get to meet engineers of all disciplines, from various sectors, of all levels and age, and from all over the world, for our activities are not confined to Malaysia or Asia alone. These are means of developing a broader outlook, and hone your communication and social skills.

You can also participate more actively in the Institution by giving your time and energy to organising the above-mentioned activities, and play a role in issues of concern to engineers by giving opinions and be proactive in effecting positive changes for the good of the engineering profession in our country. The various Committees and Sub-committees in the IEM always welcome such participation, commitment, and enthusiasm from members. The basic criteria is to be sincerely committed to the betterment of the Institution, and subscribing to the basic noble values of excellence, creativity and professionalism. Of course, we need people with a sincere voluntary spirit. If you satisfy these values, be a Committee or Sub-committee Member! By participating actively in the running of the Institution, too, you would train yourselves in leadership and management skills, apart from the non-technical skills mentioned above.

As members, you would be informed regularly of the events and upcoming activities of the IEM through the monthly bulletin, the Jurutera, for which you pay only a nominal subscription fee annually. There is also the IEM e-community that you can be part of. Members also enjoy cheaper rates should there be any charge for the activities organised by the IEM.

In short, no matter what level of participation you choose to be at, the IEM provides you with a myriad of avenues to better yourselves. So, do be a member of our family! You should, all the more because you are an engineer, and the IEM is THE organisation which protects and looks after the rights and welfare of engineers.

ROUTE TO PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER

Q1: I would like to join the IEM but I have yet to get my degree certificate and official transcript. Does that mean that I would have to wait until I get them? Then I would not be able to participate in the activities organised by the IEM yet.

A1: If your course is accredited by the IEM, we would process your application and grant you membership even pending submission of copies of your degree and transcript. You are still required to submit them after you have obtained them.
If there is ambiguity on the status of your course, your application would be kept in abeyance until your submission is complete. In such a case, you would have to wait. But non-members are also allowed to participate in IEM activities. Talks are free of charge, and commitment fees for visits are nominal and equal for all participants. It is only for courses and seminars that you would have to pay more for as non-members

Q2: I would like to join the IEM but I have yet to be registered by the Board of Engineers, Malaysia (BEM). I find the process very time consuming and I lose a few months before I can start the IEM Training Scheme. Is there no other way where I can minimise this loss of time?

A2: If your course is accredited by the IEM, we would process your application and grant you membership even pending submission of copies of your BEM registration letter. You are still required to submit it after you have obtained it. You can then start on the IEM Training Scheme immediately upon graduation.
If you are currently a Student member of the IEM, you can start on the IEM Training Scheme immediately upon graduation, i.e., after your official date of graduation. You need not wait for your transfer to Graduate membership.

Q3: I have just graduated from a Bachelor of Engineering course from an institution recognised by the IEM and I understand that my course was an accredited one. I am now taking up a full time Masters degree course. I would like to join the IEM, but should I apply as a Student or a Graduate member?

A3: Since you already have an accredited first degree in engineering, you should apply to be a Graduate member. But you can apply to pay the fees of a Student member by forwarding proof from your current head of department that you are a full time student of a Masters programme.

Q4: I understand that my course has yet to be accredited by the IEM and the BEM. Is there then no hope for my fellow course mates and I to be IEM members?

A4: Now, the IEM accepts engineering students from recognised institutions as Student members. However, further promotion of membership grades would be subject to the results of the accreditation exercise by the BEM and the IEM. Student members whose degree courses are not accredited would not be eligible to be transferred to Graduate membership.

Q5: How would I know if my course is accredited by the BEM and the IEM?

A5: There are many levels of recognition accorded by the BEM and the IEM on the various engineering courses. It is best to check with the IEM Secretariat on the status of your course on an individual basis.

Q6: I have just submitted my application to transfer my membership grade from Student to Graduate. At about the same time, I received a notice from the IEM to pay my subscription fees for the coming year. Should I wait until my application is approved before I pay?

A6: No, you should first pay the amount stated in the notice sent to you. The IEM would bill the difference once your membership transfer is approved.

Q7: I am still a Student member of the IEM although I have graduated a few years ago. I understand that there is no obligation for us to transfer our membership grade. Would I encounter any problems later on?

A7: You would not have any problems whatsoever, except that you would be charged a higher fee than a Graduate member when applying to sit for the Professional Interview. The IEM has worked out all the penalties possible for members who do not care to upgrade their membership when they should. Please note that even though you are a Student member, you are still required to pay the subscription fees of a Graduate member once you are 24 years old.

Q8: What are the benefits of being an IEM Graduate or Student member?

A8: The benefits are many. The IEM organises many courses, seminars, talks and visits which are of interest to the engineering profession (of technical nature) as well as to the development and well-being of engineers (non-technical).
Through technical activities, you get the opportunity to enhance your technical knowledge and skills as an engineer. This is important for your development as professionals; and essential for the progress and promotion of the profession as a whole.

Whilst most people would be more familiar with our technical activities, some may question the need and rationale for non-technical ones. Non-technical activities include social activities during the weekends, talks and courses/workshops on personal development, investment and health, and visits to places of interest e.g. the Firefly Park at Kuala Selangor. We also organise community service projects. All these activities provide the avenue for interaction among members, senior and junior alike; it is one of the ways for you to network, socialise and be exposed to the outside world. You get to meet engineers of all disciplines, from various sectors, of all levels and age, and from all over the world, for our activities are not confined to Malaysia or Asia alone. These are means of developing a broader outlook, and hone your communication and social skills.

You can also participate more actively in the Institution by giving your time and energy to organising the above-mentioned activities, and play a role in issues of concern to engineers by giving opinions and be proactive in effecting positive changes for the good of the engineering profession in our country. The various Committees and Sub-committees in the IEM always welcome such participation, commitment, and enthusiasm from members. The basic criteria is to be sincerely committed to the betterment of the Institution, and subscribing to the basic noble values of excellence, creativity and professionalism. Of course, we need people with a sincere voluntary spirit. If you satisfy these values, be a Committee or Sub-committee Member! By participating actively in the running of the Institution, too, you would train yourselves in leadership and management skills, apart from the non-technical skills mentioned above.

As members, you would be informed regularly of the events and upcoming activities of the IEM through the monthly bulletin, the Jurutera, for which you pay only a nominal subscription fee annually. There is also the IEM e-community that you can be part of. Members also enjoy cheaper rates should there be any charge for the activities organised by the IEM.

In short, no matter what level of participation you choose to be at, the IEM provides you with a myriad of avenues to better yourselves. So, do be a member of our family! You should, all the more because you are an engineer, and the IEM is THE organisation which protects and looks after the rights and welfare of engineers.

Q9: How do I prepare for the Professional Interview? What are the requirements and documents to be submitted?

A9: The Engineering Professionalism and Ethics (EP&E) book published by the G&S would best answer this, as it covers an elaborate explanation and guide for members intending to sit for the Professional Interview (P.I.). However, answers to simpler questions can be obtained from this FAQs section

Q10: I am an Electrical Engineer. I was told that there is no necessity for us to become Professional Engineers as we do not endorse and submit plans to the authorities. It seems then, that the Professional Interview is largely only relevant to Civil Engineers. Why then is the G&S promoting this to the extent of even making it your Vision Statement?

A10: As professionals, we should constantly upgrade our knowledge and skills. Corporate membership of the IEM (which is granted once one passes the Professional Interview) is a benchmark of reaching a certain point in the development of an engineer. The engineer would then be recognised as a professional engineer, although to legally endorse as one, one needs to register with the Board of Engineers (BEM). Hence, the G&S sees it as our role to encourage members to upgrade themselves to Corporate membership, for the betterment of the members, our Institution, and the society at large; for how can there be progress and development if one is satisfied in remaining at the same level of professionalism?

A Professional Engineer also enjoys better opportunities for promotion in Government departments and in the private sector generally.

Q11: I am working as a sales engineer. Can I still be a Professional Engineer? I dont see how I can fulfil most of the training requirements.

A11: Yes, you can. You should register under the IEM Training Scheme and train under a Mentor. Your Mentor should be able to advise you on how to fulfil the requirements to be a Professional Engineer.

Q12: There are no Professional Engineers in the organisation where I work. How do I qualify to sit for the Professional Interview then?

A12: The IEM Training Scheme or the Log Book Scheme (they are both the same) provides for young engineers like you. Under the scheme, the IEM helps you secure a Mentor from their list of available Professional Engineers to enable you to gain guided training. More advice on this can be found in the Engineering Professionalism and Ethics, 5th Edition (EP&E) published by the G&S.

Q13: I have worked for more than ten years, and still a Graduate member of the IEM. Recently, I have been bypassed in a promotion exercise in my company, the reason being that I do not have a Professional Engineer qualification, and therefore could not endorse designs done by my subordinates. As I am now at the management level in my company, I no longer do any design work. How do I then satisfy the requirement of one-year design experience to sit for the P.I.?

A13: There must surely be a time when you were doing design work somewhere along your career path. You can submit those works as long as they were done by you, and verified by a Professional Engineer.

That is why the IEM encourages Graduate and Student members to upgrade themselves to Corporate membership as soon as possible, as design opportunities decrease the longer we work. The requirements also become more and more stringent in light of the bigger pool of engineers from more and more modes of study, to maintain the standard of engineering practice.

Q14: I graduated prior to 1.1.1998, but only registered with the BEM recently. Do I have to undergo three years or four years of practical training to qualify to sit for the P.I.?

A14: Since you registered with the BEM after 1.1.1998, you would be required to undergo at least four years of practical training and fulfil all the requirements as for post 1.1.1998 Graduate engineers. The revised requirements are for those who registered with the BEM after 1.1.1998, regardless of when you graduated. It is a requirement of the Registration of Engineers Act 1967 that all engineers should register with the BEM as Graduate Engineers upon graduation. That is why the IEM insists that graduate engineers register with the BEM before admitting or transferring them to Graduate membership.

Q15: For those who registered with the BEM after 1.1.1998, is it a must to sign up for the Log Book Scheme (LBS) and keep a Log Book?

A15: Yes, eventually. It is a very advisable thing to do regardless of when you registered with the BEM as there are many advantages to the LBS. The LBS ensures that a qualified senior engineer properly guides your training, and that your experience is formally and properly recorded. In case of change of employers or mentor, the Log Book maintains clear and formal records of your work experience.

Keeping a Log Book also helps the IEM to keep track and monitor and assess your training to ensure that you have fulfilled all requirements.
You may also find the Log Book very useful in preparing your Report on Training when applying to sit for the P.I.

Q16: For those who registered with the BEM after 1.1.1998, they are required to attend mandatory courses and acquire certain units of professional development. Can additional units of professional development replace mandatory courses?

A16: No. There is a special syllabus for the mandatory courses, therefore they are not replaceable by other courses.

Q17: For courses, if the effective training time is 6 hours, would you log in 4 hours only as the maximum period allowed is 4 hours a day?

A17: Yes, log in only 4 hours.