Your 2020 'to-do' list

Adam Donnan

30 January 2020

Your 2020 'to-do' list

The start of a new decade* is a great time to evaluate your own personal development needs and those of your team, and make sure you are getting the most out of your membership. Here are some suggestions for things to do at the start of the year.

Reviewing your qualifications

1. Are you in the right grade?
Do you hold the IES membership grade that reflects your experience and skills? If you have recently reached one of our work experience thresholds, or have achieved a Higher Education qualification since your initial application, you may now qualify for a different grade. Click on one of the descriptions that best describes you to see what your next steps should be.

I'm a Student Member who graduated last year

If you recently graduated from an IES accredited programme (see full list), you can join the Institution of Environmental Sciences for a reduced fee of £49.50. We work hard with our graduates to help you find your dream job in the environmental sector and support you in the early stages of your career. For graduates, we offer a dedicated CV Clinic, Mentoring Scheme and employability workshops across the UK, all provided free of charge to members.

Please complete the Graduate Application (pdf) to join as a professional member today.

I'm an Associate Member

If you have stayed working within the environmental sciences since you first joined us, you may now have gained enough ‘units’ on our Application Grading System to qualify for Full Membership. Re-grading to Full Member demonstrates to both your current network and any potential employers that you have achieved a standard of excellence in your environmental career. In 2018 we changed how we score PhDs, so you may qualify earlier than expected.

Visit Join Us to calculate whether you qualify for a re-grade.

I'm a Full Member

Could this be the year you achieve the IES's highest accolade, Fellowship? Fellowship is for members who are recognised by their peers as an exceptional individual in the field of environmental science.

Visit our Fellowship page to see examples of the attributes that we seek in our Fellows.

I'm a member who recently retired

Log into the Members' Area, and click on the Membership icon. If under 'Your Memberships' it still says 'Associate', 'Member' or 'Fellow', we don't know you have retired. Let us know by email or phone so we can convert your membership to 'Retired' and you will then pay reduced fees. If you are semi-retired, there is an income threshold of £15.5k to qualify. If you are earning over this, you should remain a professional member until you fully retire.

2. Is it time to apply for Chartership?
IES is firmly established as the place for environmental professionals to become Chartered. With our unique 'Support-Speed-Rigour' approach to Chartered Environmentalist and Chartered Scientist, you can confidently and quickly achieve a higher level of professional standing in 2020.

Our 2019 salary survey showed on average, holding CSci status relates to a median salary (£49k) that is 27 per cent higher than members without chartered status. Holding CEnv relates to a median salary (£51k) that is 33 per cent higher.

These results have renewed our determination in 2020 to support as many members as possible to become Chartered. Learn more about the workshops and mentoring schemes we offer for our Charterships.

Reviewing your learning & the learning of your team

1. Create a plan for this year's CPD
Forward planning is an essential part of the IES CPD cycle. Having reviewed last year's learning, it is time to create an action plan for the coming year to ensure that you continue to develop as a professional.

2. Book your place on an IES or IAQM event
Don't worry, we've got lots planned during 2020 to help you meet the number of hours of CPD required to maintain your Chartership. Here are some highlights for the first half of 2020:

Early careers networks
Air Quality | Land Condition

Webinars
National Quality Mark Scheme explained | Sustainability for coffee farmers | Climate Change, whether you like it or not

Conferences
Land Condition Symposium | DMUG

3. Recognise the contribution of technicians in your workplace
Why not take your New Year motivation and ‘pay it forward’ by getting the whole team involved? Our new REnvTech designation helps organisations and institutions to attract, develop, and retain the highest quality technicians and technical support staff within the sector, ensuring technical careers receive the recognition, respect, and support they deserve.

Technicians come from a diverse range of professions underpinned by the application of technical knowledge and skills, spanning the breadth of consultancy, academia, government and industry. To be eligible for the REnvTech designation, your technical staff will need to have a minimum of two years’ full-time relevant work experience and at least a Level 3 qualification (or equivalent professional experience).

Take a look at the feedback from our first REnvTechs to find out why they decided to get recognised.

Deepening your relationship with the IES

1. Volunteer for the graduate mentoring scheme
Want to develop your coaching and leadership skills, contribute to your CPD and give back to the sector? Why not join the IES graduate mentoring scheme! Share invaluable experience of the industry, give expert advice and inspire the next generation taking their first steps into the world of employment.

71 members already volunteer for the scheme, but we have gaps in academia, local and national government, arms-length bodies and NGOs. Volunteers need to be Full Members or Fellows, and be able to give a small amount of their time to help develop the skills of aspiring environmental scientists while they prepare for the workplace. Tempted? Learn more about the scheme on our careers page.

2. Tell a colleague, friend or client about the IES
We know from our retention figures and high Net Promoter Score that you enjoy being a member of the IES. A larger institution can provide more membership services and have a strong voice within society, government and education.

Ask yourself this New Year, would some of your team members benefit from the support and resources that come with IES membership? Do you have a colleague that has had their application in their desk for a long time and needs a little encouragement? If so, now is the time to spread the word!

3. Work at the IES
The ultimate way to deepen your relationship with the IES is to come and work for us! We are currently recruiting for four positions that all close on 17th February.

4. Advertise your jobs with the IES
The IES jobs page is frequently checked by our members and, with our website receiving thousands of unique visitors each month, we can ensure that vacancies posted here will be seen by some of the most experienced and qualified environmental professionals in the field. Next time there is a recruitment need in your office, why not advertise with the IES?

5. Hold your meetings at IES HQ
Our new office hosts two stunning meeting rooms - The Fjord and The Fjell - which are open for bookings. Professional members are eligible for 50% off booking fees.

6. Stay connected
You can follow the IES on Twitter and our company page on LinkedIn to get the latest news about the IES. Make sure to interact with us on these channels as each like, retweet or comment helps introduce our work to new audiences. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to be alerted when new webinars are added each month. When you achieve a new milestone with the IES, such as moving up the membership grades or becoming Chartered, why not post about it on social media? Your network should know about your fantastic achievements and it spreads the word about opportunities with the IES.

Finally...

Don't forget to renew your membership promptly through the Members' Area. By renewing on time, you free up our administrative team, enabling them to concentrate on delivering our membership services to you.

*ok pedants, we know that technically the decade doesn't start until next year, but that argument was lost at the start of the Millennium.

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