Update on career development pathways

20/09/2012

by Matt Gallagher, Director for Education and Professional Development, BINDT

NDT is a highly rewarding career, yet there are not enough entrants into the profession to replace those who are retiring and to meet increased demand.

Since 2007, The British Institute of NDT has been supporting the development of a new integrated professional development programme for NDT and condition monitoring. The main purpose of the programme is to provide flexible and connected pathways – linking work-based learning, apprenticeships and CPD with vocational qualifications (certification), academic awards and professional engineer registration.

The new NDT degree programmes are delivered by distance learning. This provides substantial flexibility and enables students to study at any location with internet access. Currently, there are students working towards a degree whilst offshore or overseas. For new entrants into the profession, distance learning means that they can be employed whilst studying – which means that they are not building up student debts and are able to gain valuable work experience.

There are various entry routes into the programme. School leavers will need typical university entry qualifications. Those with NDT certification can gain entry without meeting academic prerequisites. Certification also earns exemptions from some modules through accreditation of prior learning (APL). Those without university level entry qualifications or valid vocational certification (for example PCN) will have the opportunity to embark on an apprenticeship programme, which starts with a one-year college-based course on general engineering followed by work-based NDT training.

NDT professional development qualification matrix

The qualification matrix provides a graphical illustration of a flexible programme where equivalences, exemption routes and different entry points are provided. The aim is that no-one with the necessary ambition is excluded. Entrants can come straight from school with A-level qualifications or through the vocational route with PCN certification at Levels 1, 2 or 3.

Work-based	Vocational	Academic	Prof reg	NQF equivalent
APPRENTICESHIPS WORK-BASED LEARNING CPD		Engineering Doctorate		8
		Masters Degree	Chartered Engineer	7
		BSc (Hons) NDT	Incorporated Engineer	6
	PCN Level 3	Foundation Degree Stage 2	Incorporated Engineer	5 4
	PCN Level 2 PCN Level 1	Foundation Degree Stage 1	Engineering Technician	3
SCHOOL LEAVER OR OTHER ENTRY LEVEL

NDT degree programme content

The Foundation Degree in NDT (FdScNDT) is equivalent to two-thirds of a full bachelor degree programme. By distance learning, students without any accreditation of prior learning (APL) would typically take four years to complete the degree.

Entrants who have held certification in NDT can be exempted from some of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 modules.

FdScNDT graduates are eligible to enter the BSc(Hons)NDT top-up course. Candidates with PCN or ASNT Level 3 certification in four appropriate methods may be granted direct entry into the BSc(Hons)NDT programme.

Partnership with industry

A key element for attracting school leavers into an NDT training and education programme is the availability of work placements. The British Institute of NDT is encouraging UK industry to offer suitable placements.

The Institute is also considering establishing bursaries and funded internships for selected trainees.

Continuing professional development

Another key element of the programme is high-quality material for continuing professional development (CPD).

Flexible delivery provides a variety of access points, online or through lectures in different locations. Material will be produced from accredited texts, including published papers on the most recent developments.

Those registered for the CPD programme will be provided with their own web space within the Institute’s new website. This can be used for logging CPD and work experience. The CPD programme will be designed to satisfy ongoing professional registration requirements as well as certification renewal.

Planned new features of the integrated programme

The equivalence already established, and illustrated in the earlier Table for vocational qualifications, academic awards and professional registration, could logically be extended to include a new Level 4 certification pathway to engineer-level competency.

The technical scope of the Foundation and BSc degrees is to be broadened into condition monitoring, and distance-learning foundation and bachelor degrees in condition monitoring are being planned for launch in September 2013.

Consideration is being given to campus-based BEng and MEng degrees in Inspection & Test Technologies (ITT). The BEng programme will include opportunities for work experience during vacations as well as specific training towards certification.

An apprenticeship programme is being developed in conjunction with the UK’s Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB). This will provide an entry level for 16 to 18 year olds. Younger entrants will attend a one-year college-based general engineering course before embarking on the work-based NDT training programme. It is hoped that the first apprentices will be recruited to start in September this year.

The new University Technical College (technical school for 14 to 19 year olds) being built at Silverstone, Northamptonshire, will have NDT and materials testing in its curriculum. It is hoped that in the future this material will be made available to mainstream schools.

With the developments being considered it is possible that the qualification matrix will look more like the Table below.

Inspection & Test Technologies professional development qualification matrix

Work/classroom-based	Vocational	Academic	Prof reg	NQF equivalent
APPRENTICESHIPS WORK-BASED LEARNING CPD ACCREDITED TRAINING MODULES		Engineering Doctorate		8
		MEng, MSc NDT, CM, ITT	Chartered Engineer	7
	Level 4 NDT Engineer	BEng BSc (Hons) NDT, CM, ITT	Incorporated Engineer	6
	PCN Level 3	Foundation Degree S2 NDT, CM	Incorporated Engineer	5 4
	PCN Level 2 PCN Level 1	Foundation Degree S1 NDT, CM	Engineering Technician	3
SCHOOL LEAVER OR OTHER ENTRY LEVEL

Education Committee

To assist with the development of the integrated programme, the Institute has established an Education Committee to oversee and undertake a number of tasks, including:

Working with higher and further education bodies in the design of inspection and test technologies (including NDT and CM) education programmes.
Liaising with academics and researchers in identifying research material that is suitable for education purposes.
Commissioning the writing of education and training material.
Liaising with industry bodies to identify current and future education and training needs.
Liaising with the Institute’s professional registration committee (Engineering Council Working Group) to help ensure that education and training provision satisfies professional registration standards.
Generating, classifying and maintaining an online library of academic, education and training material.
Managing the Institute’s Initial and Continuing Professional Development programmes.

The committee had its inaugural meeting on 12 July 2012 and its work has already started.

For more information on the Institute’s education and professional development programmes, contact Matt Gallagher (email: matt.gallagher@bindt.org).

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