Learn more about becoming an MCIOB from one of our Chartered Members

If you’re a construction professional interested in boosting your career and gaining a globally recognised qualification, our chartered membership can help. 

We had a conversation with our member, Rosie Wills MCIOB, about her chartership experience and tips on completing the Chartered Membership Programme (CMP) before moving on to the Professional Review (PR) written assignment. 

CIOB: What made you decide to become a member of CIOB?

Rosie: I had been working in the industry for the past 8 years, but didn’t have an industry-specific qualification. I was aware that CIOB was a great benchmark for the industry, especially for someone in a management position. 

Working in social housing responsive repairs, I knew that I had a number of routes I could pursue, including more housing or management-specific qualifications/chartered memberships, but ultimately, I felt that construction management was what I was most passionate about.

CIOB: Describe the process you went through to become Chartered. 

Rosie: I chose to do the CMP then the PR because I felt that it would be a good way to consolidate, strengthen and demonstrate the knowledge I already had, without having to embark on a very lengthy qualification, which may well have resulted in a similar outcome. By achieving the CIOB benchmark, I am now free much earlier to continue my development with more flexibility and focus on courses and/or qualifications which better suit me, my employer and my customers.

CIOB: Did you attend any workshops or take any courses to help with your Professional Review?

Rosie: I completed the CIOB Chartered Membership Programme (CMP) through an external consultant (Steve Payne Consultants Ltd), they also supported me through the Professional Review process. It was really useful to have had this guidance for both elements. I found that I really had to dig deep into all of my experience to demonstrate that I met the standards required and it hit home how much will be expected of me to be able to continue to maintain the standards moving forward.

CIOB: Did you get a mentor or receive any other guidance to help with this experience?

Rosie: I joined group webinars held by my external consultant and found it useful to listen to other applicants’ questions. This helped me structure the review responses for ease of marking, which helped to negate the need for an interview, which was a relief.

CIOB: What is your advice to anyone looking to take this pathway?

Rosie: I think anyone who believes in the value of their experience, and feels that they can demonstrate this, should definitely go for it. I was nervous at the beginning of the process and at several points throughout, and I found that I fluctuated between self-confidence and self-doubt depending on what I was focussing on. I knew I was going through the process with some incredibly talented and successful construction professionals but also had to remind myself that I had to focus on what I knew I had to offer and demonstrate of my own experience.  

I would recommend having a mentor or coach, but if not, doing a lot of research into how the application should be structured for the best outcome would be beneficial. I have seen already that the CIOB community seems keen to help others, especially newcomers, so it would always be worth seeking out someone who’s recently gone through the process.

CIOB: How has this journey affected your career?

Rosie: I’m sure that it would definitely help to elevate any career prospects should I be in the job market. That said, it’s not why I sought the membership. I am fortunate that my employer supported me through the process, and I intend to use it to benefit them as much as me, with no plans to move on any time soon. 

The professionalism agenda for social housing is a key discussion at the moment, and I am sure that being a CIOB member will help to demonstrate that I am both suitably experienced and qualified for my role. 

In terms of customer confidence, I think that the membership will help. There are times occasionally where customers will be dubious about my level of qualification and experience, very often based simply on an old-school gender bias, so it will help to provide that reassurance. I also act as a witness for my employer in court, where I have to detail my experience and level of qualification. Having the CIOB membership will help to demonstrate a decent level, and is very often the same membership level as the experts. 

If you were inspired by Rosie’s story and are interested in taking the leap to chartership, we have several different pathways to choose from, based on your education and skills.