Engineers Journal / News

Professional Diploma in Engineering Leadership and Management

Thursday 2 June 2022

Meet Caoimhe Carroll, the Programme Coordinator, who talks about the programme content, the profile of the delegates, the type of projects that have been presented, and just some of the excellent feedback we have received from this programme over the years.

Programme background

This programme was designed in collaboration with leading employers to specifically address gaps in knowledge, skills and behaviours across technology management, business acumen and engineering execution.

Running since 2013, this year’s iteration will be the thirteenth programme, and the first blended approach offering a mix of in-person and online classroom delivery dates.

Delegate profile

The programme is aimed at engineers with between three and six years’ experience, and is intended to accelerate the development of engineers who are looking to take on new roles and responsibilities within their professional career.

The programme is designed for those who are committed to gaining the higher-order skills and abilities required to operate in new or unfamiliar contexts, such as handling complexity, and are linked to employment as a senior professional or manager with responsibility for the work output of teams.

Several delegates who completed this Diploma successfully went onto achieve the Chartered Engineer title, and the Competences for this title align across the module components as follows:

Programme content

As outlined above, the topics covered in this programme range from project management, leadership, negotiation and influencing skills, to establishing lean principles and a foundation in contract management, finance, risk analysis, and technical presentation skills, culminating in the strategic execution of a group project.

The skills and insights which delegates gain from each module will give them the full scope of the required competences of a capable leader.

The teaching and learning methodologies that are used during the programme enable participants to gain insights into, and feedback on, their own strengths and weaknesses in an environment that is at a remove from the political issues that can predominate in their own work organisations.

Team Project

One of the most interesting components of this programme is the Team Project that the delegates are tasked with. This module involves teams of participants choosing a real-world challenge from one of their organisations and presenting a project solution/recommendation based on team research and analysis.

This team project develops the skills of research and enquiry to enable learners to generate, evaluate and select ideas which demonstrate the role of a professional engineer in business and strategy formulation. Each project team will have an industry expert assigned to their project who will act as a supervisor to guide each team through the process.

This module concludes with an opportunity for each group to present a business case for their project solution/recommendation to a panel of personnel from Engineers Ireland, TU Dublin, and selected industry experts.

A brief glance at a selection of project titles over the years show just how much the Engineers Ireland Vision is at the heart of these topics and really encompasses the spirit of the programme:

“A community of creative professionals delivering sustainable solutions for society”

Assessing the Use of Waste Heat from Edge Data Centres in Co. Offaly (2021)
Feasibility of Integrating Hydrogen in the Future Energy Mix (2020)
Optimising Wind, Solar and Battery Storage at Irish Wind Farms (2019)
The Potential Use of Bailey Bridges for Temporary River Crossings (2018)
Review of Renewable Energy Heating Source for Domestic Hot Water System (2017)
Analysing the Viability of a Build to Rent Delivery Model (2016)
Designing a New Lessons Learned Procedure to Facilitate Knowledge Sharing (2015)
The Introduction of the Role of Assigned Certifier BC(A)R 2014 and the Impact on Established Projects (2014)

Testimonials

Having been involved in the delivery of this programme for a number of years, and acting as Programme Coordinator since 2020, one of the most rewarding aspects of my role has been getting to know the delegates. Hearing about how positive their experiences have been attending the programme, and how beneficial it has been in developing their leadership skills and ultimately enhancing fundamental engineering competencies, is a highlight. The testimonials we have received over the years really demonstrate the strengths of the programme. Listed below are just a sample from last year’s class of 2021.

John McNally, Offaly County Council:

“I really enjoyed undertaking the CPD Diploma in Professional Engineering. This course provided me with much of the theory behind the managerial work I do on a daily basis.

It required me to look inward at how I approach challenges, and taught me different methods of solving problems.

I connected with a diverse range of interesting engineering professionals on the course, which provided an excellent array of lectures and was very well administered.

I would recommend this CPD Diploma to anyone looking to broaden their competencies in today’s modern engineering profession.”

Dejan Stojanovic, ESB:

"I was privileged to attend Engineers Ireland programme for continuous professional development and proud to be awarded with Technological University Dublin diploma in Professional Engineering.

This programme nurtures culture of team work where multiple project management and engineering skills are combined to deliver challenging and exciting projects. It brings fantastic feeling of belonging to wider engineering community and expands the range of opportunities for further career development."

Patrick Flynn, Dublin City Council:

“I found this Diploma programme to be extremely helpful. I gave me a number of new skills as well as honing those that I had developed over the years.

I found the online delivery of the programme excellent, and I’m delighted to see that it is being rolled out this year as a blended learning experience. All of the lecturers involved were very clear in their delivery and willing to address any questions.

The support staff in Engineers Ireland couldn’t have been more helpful and ensured a seamless delivery of a quite complex programme. I would recommend the CPD Diploma to all those interested in gaining a better understanding of varied aspects of engineering management.”