Institution news
The event, held at the Design Showroom at Gaydon in early December, honoured technical achievements in a range of functional areas and specialisms, from vehicle engineering to research and technology, advanced engineering and design.
Recognition was also given to the many engineers who have worked to achieve professional accreditation, and those who have made exemplary individual contributions, setting the standard for colleagues present and future. In all, the achievements of around 180 engineers were honoured.
Jo Lopes CEng FIET FIMechE, Head of Technical Excellence at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), explained how the awards ceremony was the culmination of months of development and close monitoring to recognise excellence across departments, celebrating many different strengths.
He said: “It is a regular landmark in our progression as a company of engineers, showing that we are aiming for ever-higher achievements.”
Among the invited guests was James Hobbs, the Institution's Marketing Operations Director, who presented and co-presented special awards and Farah Baksh, the Institution's Business Development Manager for the Midland Region.
Farah works closely with engineers at JLR through the company-based professional registration scheme.
Fellow guest presenters were:
- Mike Hawes, Chief Executive Officer, Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT)
- Professor Richard Parry Jones CBE FREng FIMechE Co-chairman Automotive Council
- Sally Davidson-Jones National Partnership & Development Manager, IET
James Hobbs spoke of the close working relationship between Jaguar Land Rover and the Institution over the years, and the benefits of international growth that both organisations are enjoying.
He described how the Institution is working with JLR’s apprentice community, through the joint professional engineering institutions’ Eng Tech Now initiative.
Introducing the 2014 IMechE Special Award, he spoke of the way that engineers grow through Monitored Professional Development Schemes (MPDS).
James said: “Mentors encourage their mentees to manage their learning so they can maximise their potential, develop their skills, improve their performance and become the engineer they want to be. They become professionally registered at IEng or CEng as the ultimate goal.”
James (pictured below, left) presented the 2014 IMechE Special Award to two Mentors of the Year: Dan Hart CEng FIMechE (pictured below, right); and Andy Henwood CEng MIMechE.
Dan Hart has engaged in mentoring throughout his career, and said he was proud to work in a company that positively supported development.
An experienced Professional Review Interviewer, he said: “Supporting developing engineers in their goal to achieve professional accreditation is an honour and a pleasure. The IMechE mentors at JLR do sterling work and I proudly accept the award on behalf of all of them.”
Andy Henwood said he was proud of the honour, and that mentoring was a very real and rewarding experience.
Andy said: “Developing our new intakes of graduates into the company, so that they can eventually lead technology development and take on many key roles, will contribute to JLR being an outstanding UK and global organisation.”
James co-presented the IMechE & IET Joint Special Award to two engineers in recognition of their significant contribution to understanding the current status of chartered engineers within Jaguar Land Rover.
Accepting his award, Michael Brown AMIMechE said: “The award is a great honour and surprise, coming so early in my time at the company. It has motivated me even more, and I hope it also motivates my colleagues to make a difference to the company.”
His fellow winner, Niall McCain AMIMechE, commented: “I hope that the work myself and Michael have put in enables even more engineers to access the professional development opportunities within the company. Hopefully even more of my colleagues will seek to get accredited in 2015.”
There were also presentations to new members of professional engineering institutions (PEIs). Of 28 new members of PEIs, many of whom have become Chartered Engineers, 21 were members of the Institution. Of six new Fellows, five were elected FIMechE.
Dr Wolfgang Ziebart, Director Group Engineering, rounded up the Technical Excellence Awards ceremony by thanking and congratulating the JLR engineers for their achievements.
If your company would like to develop its professional engineers with the Institution your local Business Development Manager can discuss company-based registration, development opportunities, provide feedback on applications and, where possible, can even hold professional review interviews on site.