The Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (CICES) 
Graduate Development Programme (GDP)
We are pleased to announce that at Symmons Madge Associates (SMA) has recently been accepted as an Approved Course Provider by the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors.
This approval covers both coaching & mentoring and short courses for individuals on CICES Approved Development Schemes.
SMA’s Quality Assurance accreditation specifically includes coaching and mentoring – so we will be following the guidelines set down in that QA procedures and systems. This will include constant internal review via course feedback sheets, tutor evaluation visits, internal auditing and employer assessment of Mentors.
We have found that trainees, who are given strong coaching and mentoring support, progress towards the achievement of the competencies quickly and efficiently. The result is both cost-effective progress towards gaining the necessary knowledge, skills and experience, and rapid progress towards becoming a Technical Member or Member of the Institution.
Many employers are keen to assist their employees to become Chartered or Technical Members, but either lack the physical and/or detailed knowledge base to do so. To assist these employers SMA can provide both the expertise of a knowledgeable Mentor and the ability to provide high quality personal development for each aspiring Chartered or Technical Member – based on our experience gained in administrating, organising and delivering a similar initiative to employers who have graduates seeking Membership of the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. We have successfully been offering this service to those Institutions for many years.
We offer:
- Individual guidance and support by an experienced Mentor who will be familiar with the requirements of becoming a Chartered or Technical Member
- Provision of bespoke training to meet the individual employee’s needs – in the context of both the General and Specific Competencies
The length of the GDP will be dictated by each graduate's commitment to and the employer’s preparedness to assist in reaching the required standard to take the Professional or Technical Review. In addition, an employee’s prior experience will be taken into account as it could well contribute to shortening the process.
Programme Details:
Mentoring meetings, typically every two months, (with e-mail and telephone contact in the intermediate months) accompanied by relevant courses to meet the specific Competency requirements of each employee.
Approaching the Review time, employees will receive specific guidance on how to conduct themselves at the Reviews (including a mock Review).
Each employee will develop an annual CPD Plan – with the aid of advice from the Mentor. Also, an annual review report will be sent to the employer detailing the progress achieved by each employee on the Programme.
On a regular basis, both the employee and the employer will be asked to assess the 1 to 1 sessions.
Some of the benefits resulting from our bespoke role include:
- Substantial savings on your training expenditure
- Structured and efficient completion of the CICES Competencies - ensuring you see more rapid returns on your investment
- Demystification for you and your staff of what can often seem a confusing, daunting and regimented system
- More effective matching of the individual's strengths with the requirements of the Competencies.
- The trainee feeling more valued, raising their motivation and commitment levels and enhancing your staff retention levels with the attendant savings
- Eliminating feelings of isolation and lack of direction for the trainee via regular meetings, e-mails and telephone conversations
- Continual updating of any new CICES requirements
- A well-thought-out development programme which should be cost-effective, relevant, minimise abortive or non-productive management & trainee time
- The co-ordination of the formal training into the overall development programme of a trainee can be organised more effectively
- Giving a clear signal to the trainee that the employer is committed to his/her continuing development within the organisation.
We would welcome the opportunity to meet you to discuss this initiative in more detail and to explore avenues, which may benefit both your trainees and your organisation. Should this be of interest, please contact us.