At its meeting in late October, IHEEM’s Council agreed to the launch of a number of new membership categories, beginning with the Skilled Person Affiliate (HEJ – October 2013).
Three new categories have now been introduced – Technician, Crafts Person, and Apprentice. All are corporate grades, permitting the use of IHEEM postnominals, which will be awarded after peer review by the Institute’s Membership & Registration Committee. The Technician category (TIHEEM) has been introduced as part of IHEEM’s contribution to the engineering community’s drive to increase membership and registration within the country’s technician workforce (see also article, pages 18-22). Members awarded this grade will also be eligible for registration as an Engineering Technician, and will be encouraged to aim for this. The Crafts Person category (CPIHEEM) recognises those technical or trades personnel working in the sector with a minimum level of qualification and appropriate competencies built up through experience. Applicants may previously have felt that Institute membership was not for them. The Apprentice category (AIHEEM) supplements the existing Graduate grade, and is designed for those just starting out in their career in the sector, potentially on an approved Apprenticeship scheme. IHEEM’s recruitment/membership manager, Chris Parker, said: “The introduction of these new grades completes the recent review, and by introducing these new categories, we are providing a place for a new range of members within the UK’s largest specialist institute for the healthcare estates sector. “Technical and trades personnel have typically felt excluded from membership, and the benefits it brings. By introducing membership and professional development at an earlier stage in their career, we expect new members to want to grow their membership as their career progresses. (see Fig. 1). Professional development is all the more important in our competitive sector, and IHEEM is well placed to provide the tools such members need to progress in their career. These membership categories have been competitively priced to encourage application, and I feel that once our new members have seen the benefits of membership, they will recognise the value it brings.” Full details of these new categories, and how to apply, can be found on the IHEEM website (www.iheem.org.uk/membership), or by telephoning the membership department, on 023 9282 3186.
