Benefits of CIOB Qualification and Membership
Below are the topics covered in this article. You will learn everything there is to know about a CIOB qualification and the benefits of becoming MCIOB.
1. CIOB Background
2. College of Contract Management’s Approved CIOB Courses
3. CIOB Membership Grades
4. Student Membership
5. Discontinued Memberships
6. CIOB Professional Review
7. The Application Process
8. Benefits of Membership
9. Codes of Conduct & Ethics
10. Health and Safety
11. How Much is Membership?
12. CIOB Overview
CIOB Background
The CIOB, or Chartered Institute of Building, is an organisation that has been around since the early 1800s. They are well recognised across the globe for their dedication to providing the best quality and ethical values within their practices. A CIOB qualification is an excellent addition to anyone who is working within the building environment. Additionally, the CIOB has the power to accredit and provide courses. These courses are known to reflect their high educational standards. Taking a CIOB qualification course is a great way to take your first steps toward membership. Any person who wishes to become a Chartered Member, will first have to complete a Professional Review of their competence.
College of Contract Management’s Approved CIOB Qualifications
Below are a list of the courses offered here at the College of Contract Management. Most importantly, all of these are accredited by the CIOB:
1. CIOB Level 3 Diploma in Site Supervisory
2. CIOB Level 4 Certificate and Diploma in Site Management
3. CIOB Chartered Membership Programme
4. CIOB Professional Review Coaching
Membership Grades
These are the four currently offered membership grades in the CIOB. It is worth investigating the type of membership you are eligible to apply for. Similarly, most individuals will begin at the Applicant member rank and move their way to a chartered member. However, individual circumstances will be considered when applying for certain memberships. Experience, skills and education type will vary with each candidate. It is worth checking your experience on the CIOB website to see which membership you are eligible for.
Applicant
This is the first stage of applying to the CIOB. However, this membership won’t give you any postnominal letters like MCIOB will. This is usually a steppingstone to the chartered membership. Moreover, this applicant membership is usually only temporary and shows employers that the candidate is on the road to full membership.
Student
Student CIOB membership is for those who are within a CIOB course or degree or studying part-time. Many students can receive a free membership if they are exclusively studying full-time. This is an excellent addition to any student’s toolkit while they prepare for chartership. You can use your CIOB login to access a wealth of interactive resources such as their platform for aspiring professionals, Novus.
Member
The Chartered Membership to the CIOB is one of the most longed-for membership and the one most construction individuals have heard of. It is a mutual goal of many to earn chartered membership. In addition, the membership harbours many benefits, which can be accessed throughout your membership.
Fellow
A Fellowship to the CIOB is one of the highest achievements you can acquire within the construction industry. Many professionals who have become FCIOB denote their fellowship as a key turning point in their career. The fellowship itself is equivalent to a postgraduate degree and therefore holds a lot of weight in your educational successes. This accolade will take a great deal of work to demonstrate your experience and leadership capabilities. Fellowship is a goal of many and it is worth investigating whether or not it is something you could one day be eligible for.
Student Membership
Importantly, if you are gaining a CIOB qualification or accredited degree, you can apply for CIOB Student Membership. This is a great incentive to progress to a chartered membership after finishing your degree. The student membership will give you access to incredible networking opportunities and learning resources to help your professional development while studying.
Discontinued Memberships
Alternatively, the membership ranks of Associate member and Incorporate member were previously offered as a preliminary membership before moving up to become chartered. This, along with today’s applicant and student memberships, didn’t offer the chance to gain any postnominals. However, this was still a membership used as a tool to get one step closer to becoming a full member. The CIOB believed it would make more sense to label a beginner membership an ‘applicant’ and then the individual can progress to the level they wish.
CIOB Professional Review
To become MCIOB, you will need to first complete the Professional Review. The Professional Review is the final obstacle in the way of your chartered membership. There are three pathways of Professional Review depending on your education and skill levels. Two of the routes are whether you are working in the industry with experience or currently in the academics sector without front-line experience. The other route is an NVQ professional review route, which is subject to your NVQ education level. With a Level 7 NVQ you will be able to fast-track your application with a much shorter version of the complete professional review.
Professional Review Coaching is available here from the College of Contract Management should you need a guide throughout the process. An expert lecturer will work with you. They will provide feedback on your progress throughout the review. So far we have a 100% passing rate of our candidates who use our coaching service to become MCIOB.
The Application Process of Becoming MCIOB
The application process to become a Member of the CIOB will vary from person to person. However, this all depends on your previous experience and qualifications. If you have a level 6 or above qualification (relevant degree or CIOB course), but no experience you will need to complete the Professional Development Programme. On the other hand, if you have relevant experience but not a level 6 qualification, you can apply through the Chartered Membership Programme. This is a great way to gain your membership if you know you have the experience.
CIOB Qualification
To help you get the best chance at success in your membership endeavours, we have a designated course called the CIOB Chartered Membership Programme. Being accredited by the CIOB, this programme provides high-quality content. This will give you an excellent chance at membership, even if you haven’t previously achieved a Level 6 or above qualification. This is an important step for many to bridge the knowledge gap you need to progress in your membership. You’ll also have access to our online learning platform in order to view your learning resources and feedback.
Benefits of Membership:
Professional Recognition
Becoming a member of the CIOB will improve your professionalism through affiliation. The CIOB is known for professional excellence and health and safety regulations. By becoming a member you are taking forth these skills and qualities into your career and are showcasing them to future employers. Moreover, the institution is recognised globally and have members worldwide. Therefore, you will instantly gain recognition for being a member.
Networking Opportunities
Since the CIOB is so well recognised worldwide, you will have the opportunity to network with other CIOB members and share and adapt industry knowledge. Working within the built environment is always changing and growing, so it’s important to keep track of news and information from other CIOB members.
CIOB Qualification Moodle Access
Members of the CIOB or those taking a CIOB qualification will also be given access to the institution’s CIOB moodle page. It is useful as it will allow you to access learning materials, practice exams and research documents. You can use this CIOB moodle page as your hub for guidance and academic content in relation to your educational endeavours.
Member Only Events
Also, member-only events are on offer to people who have CIOB membership. Indeed, there are often many of these each year around the world and provide an excellent opportunity to meet and network with other people in the construction industry.
Increased Career Prospects
Additionally, one of the most influential benefits of becoming MCIOB is the increased career opportunities and openings in the industry. Many employers look to the CIOB for reassurance of high standards and competence in the industry. Furthermore, it shows that you have undergone thorough assessments to prove you are capable in your profession.
CIOB Qualification CPD Hours
Furthermore, institutions such as the CIOB require individuals to participate in CPD hours annually. This includes ‘informal’ and ‘formal’ hours. Formal hours can include anything from academic courses, Master’s degrees, professional seminars and training sessions. Informal hours can include academic reading, informal focus groups or training in your current job. This is to help keep your knowledge kept up to date throughout your career. It’s important to adapt and learn new techniques while technology develops.
Company Membership and CIOB Qualification
It is also a possibility to apply for company membership. This is an excellent way for an organisation to gain chartership rather than individual employees. Firstly, one of the few requirements of this prestigious award is that 25% or more of employees of the firm must have a chartered membership or above. Much like the individual chartered membership, it proves you are competent as a company and will increase your credibility.
Codes of Conduct & Ethics
Most importantly, the CIOB requires members to maintain a strict code of conduct throughout their membership and relationship with the CIOB. Undoubtedly, this is to help uphold the excellent reputation of the CIOB and practicing the ethical and quality standards they believe in. So, if you’re a member you’ll need to abide by their rules to keep your membership.
The CIOB prides themselves on their codes of conduct and ethical standards. This is an excellent framework which ripples throughout the entire institution and all its members. Ethical guidelines are a core part of being a CIOB member. Recognising discriminatory behaviour and preventing it is a key value of the CIOB and you’ll have to stay vigilant.
Health and Safety
Following on from the CIOB’s ethical standards, their health and safety regulations are also industry-leading. As well as providing excellent standards in quality, the CIOB enforces safe practice within your skill-base to avoid workplace accidents and risks. In particular, construction duties involve high amounts of risk: high platforms to fall from; dangerous tools and heavy equipment. Being a member of the CIOB will ensure your safety training is high quality and you can avoid risks and injury to yourself or the public.
How Much is Membership?
The membership prices of the CIOB are all differing prices. So, if you are an applicant member, you can expect to pay £253 for your membership. As a student, your membership will be much more affordable while you study. Moreover, if you are a full-time student, your membership will be free. The membership of a part-time student is £38. In contrast, Chartered Member fees and Fellowship fees vary depending on whether you are an academic or regular member. For example, these memberships are on average between £100 and £300. It is worth noting, however, there are additional fees for the professional review, admissions and registration fees. Furthermore, if there are any additional fees, they can be found on the CIOB website.
CIOB Qualification Overview
In conclusion, if you already are or are looking into working in the construction industry, the CIOB should definitely be on your radar. There is always a way to become a chartered member, even if you don’t have the previous experience or qualifications.
Furthermore, you’ll find your career is much more successful with CIOB qualifications and memberships. But, if you haven’t considered any courses or chartership, now may be an excellent time to invest in your career. In fact, if you’re interested in a career such as Site Management, here at the College of Contract Management, we offer a CIOB Level 4 Certificate and Diploma in Site Management. Becoming accredited by the CIOB is a great addition to your CV. The course works directly with the CIOB to give you all the information you need to succeed. By doing this course, you will become eligible to apply for the Chartered Membership Programme to become MCIOB after completion.
Finally, the benefits of becoming MCIOB are an excellent and rewarding. Remember, it’s always great to invest in developing yourself as a professional individual. There are many ways you can do this. Primarily, considering a CIOB qualification or a Chartered Membership Programme is a great way to earn your chartership.