IMarEST: RFA – New streamlined route to membership / professional registration

A new streamlined route to membership and registration for Officers and Ratings within the Marine Engineering and Systems Engineering Branches of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary has been launched by the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST).

This streamlined route recognises the world class training offered to members of these branches, and provides increasing levels of IMarEST Membership and Professional Registration as Officers and Ratings progress through their careers and undertake tasks of increasing professional responsibility.

“We are extremely pleased to have been given the opportunity to work with the RFA on this project, and delighted that RFA personnel can use the streamlined route to progress from Student to Fellow obtaining Engineering Technician, Incorporated Engineer and Chartered Engineer registration at various stages throughout their career,” says Ben Saunders, IMarEST’s Learning & Development Manager.

“The streamlined route requires only the completion of a short application form, confirmation of RFA qualifications and postings, copies of academic certificates and a Professional Review Interview.”

The RFA streamlined route also incorporates starting points where professionals can embark upon the IMarEST’s ‘Experiential Learning’ process. This allows suitably experienced professionals to demonstrate that they have acquired the required further learning to either Masters level (the current academic base requirement for CEng) or Bachelors ordinary level (the current academic base requirement for IEng) in the workplace. To date five RFA Engineers (four Marine Engineers and one Systems Engineer) have obtained Chartered Engineer registration through this process.

Full details of the RFA Streamlined Route and application forms can be found on the IMarEST website at www.imarest.org/Membership/ProfessionalRegistration/StreamlinedRegistration.aspx

The IMarEST already has similarly tailor-made streamlined routes in place for the Royal Navy Marine Engineering Branch; the Royal New Zealand Navy Marine Engineering Officers and Ratings; the Royal Australian Navy Electronic and Marine Technicians, Weapons Electrical Engineering and Marine Engineering Officers; and MCA Certified Yacht Engineers. Further information on all Streamlined Routes is also available on the membership section of the IMarEST website at www.imarest.org