When are the annual intakes?

There will be two major cohort intakes in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth each year.
The first cohort intake will commence in March 2010 and each cohort will have 20 graduates in each location.

What is the Graduate Program in Engineering?

The Graduate Program in Engineering is a unique delivery partnership that works hand-in-hand with organisations, graduates and Engineering Education Australia/Engineers Australia (EEA/EA) to develop graduate engineers into professional engineers.

Developed over a 12-month period in consultation with industry and the engineering profession, the program commits EEA/EA, the employer and the graduate to achieving clearly defined outcomes within a detailed, relevant and highly interactive learning model that includes:

• on-the-job mentoring,
• personal coaching,
• face-to-face workshops,
• specialised CER writing workshops,
• CER submissions,
• pre and post workshop activities, and
• on-line learning ,and
• community of Professional Practice (COPP) participation,

All mapped against the detailed and agreed Learning Contract.

What is the Learning Contract?

The Learning Contract underpins the Graduate Program and commits EEA, the employer and its graduates to achievements and outcomes throughout the duration of the program that, under normal circumstances, may only be addressed on an ad-hoc basis as the need arises.

By clearly defining each party’s responsibilities from the beginning, the Learning Contract reinforces employer-graduate engagement and commitment to the program, and forms the basis of graduate career progression and performance review discussions.

What is the total learning hour commitment involved with the Graduate Program?

There are in excess of 150 hours of learning available to Graduate Program participants over the 3 - year durtion of the program.

Mirroring the CPEng CPD requirements, the learning time enforces good professional habits in the graduates, preparing them for what is expected of them as a professional engineer once they achieve Chartered Status.

What are the outcomes of the Graduate program?

Continued professionalism and Chartered Status are key result areas for each graduate undertaking the program.

The Learning Contract commits the graduate to achieving a minimum 50% of the total elements required for Chartered Status with the aim that each graduate will be in a position to apply for and achieve Chartered Status within two years of completing the program.

How are these Outcomes achieved?

Through face-to-face workshops and on-line modules aligned with Stage 2 competencies.

As well as a thorough introduction and orientation to the program through the Management and Graduate Overview modules, some of primary modules undertaken by graduates throughout the program include:

• Engineering Planning and Design,
• Business Acumen,
• Communication,
• Understanding Self and Others,
• Mentoring Development, and
• Ethics.

Pre and post workshop activities and a cohort-assigned Community of Professional Practice (COPP) portal further support all face-to-face workshops, as well as Harvard Manage Mentor (HMM) on-line units, readings and resources, also available through the COPP portal.

What are the key success factors for the program?

• Executive level buy-in and support of the program through the Learning Contract commitments is imperative for the success of the program.
• The quality of program and module delivery is a major success factor and feedback from both employers and graduates will be regularly sought to ensure the program retains its quality and relevance.
• Development of a strong cohort culture amongst graduates, and the instilment of professional habits is considered vital, not only to the success of the program but to the success of the graduates themselves.

What is a Community of Professional Practice (COPP)?

Whilst all graduates are assigned to a cohort within a Community of Professional Practice, unless the program is being run in-house for larger organisations, each cohort will be assigned graduates from varying organisations across many disciplines and industries, fostering the development of professional networking and knowledge transfer.

Cohorts will move through the program as a group, undertaking face-to-face modules together with the same facilitator with networking, peer support and shared learning experiences via the COPP portal, encouraging the development of life-long professional habits.

In which locations is the Graduate Program in Engineering offered?

The first Graduate Program intakes for March 2010 will commence in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.

In regional locations programs will be offered on a needs-basis

Do graduates need to work for a large organisation to undertake the Graduate Program?

You don’t need to be a graduate within a large organisation to undertake the Graduate Program in Engineering.

Each cohort will be assigned graduates from varying organisations across many disciplines and industries, fostering the development of professional networking and knowledge transfer and providing access to a structured graduate development program usually reserved for graduates of larger organisations.

Can first and second year graduates participate in the program?

Whilst EEA recommends graduates in employment between six months and three years for participation in the program, each organisation determines when their employees are no longer considered graduates and therefore at what stage participation is appropriate.

How are graduates supported?

Graduates learn through a blended learning model applied within a structured framework; supported by on-the-job mentors and local program-assigned facilitators and coaches as well as a cohort-based Community of Professional Practice (COPP).

In addition to face-to-face workshops, pre and post workshop activities and CER writing workshops, there are also the on-going communications through the COPP.

Career Episode Report (CER) writing and submission are major components of the program and graduates are prompted and monitored by Engineering Education Australia, ensuring graduates are given every opportunity to achieve their outcomes.

What if my organisation does not fulfill its responsibilities?

If a graduate feels their employer is not supporting them in the program, or that the responsibilities and commitment the employer made within the Learning Contract are not being met, then that graduate should contact EEA and measures will be taken to discuss the situation with organisation involved to mediate a mutual resolution.

What if I decide the program is not for me?

In the first instance, the graduate will be counseled by his/her program facilitator to determine why the graduate is unhappy in the program and an agreed plan put in place.

If the graduate asks to leave the program they will be required to submit a report to EEA and their organisational executive stakeholder explaining the reason for their request.

What if I am transferred interstate?

All situations with extenuating circumstances can be discussed with the EEA Program Manager on a case-by-case basis. Cohort numbers are configured to allow for a certain amount of movement between states; however maximum class sized cannot be exceeded without compromising the quality of the program.

What if I leave mid-way through the program?

No refunds apply for graduates withdrawing from the program, however situations with extenuating circumstances can be discussed with the EEA Program Manager on a case-by-case basis.

What are the benefits for employers?

Outcomes. The Graduate Program is an outcome-focused program specifically designed for engineering graduate development and based on research and feedback from within industry and the engineering profession.

Chartered Status is a key result area for each graduate undertaking the program, with the aim that each graduate will be in a position to apply for and achieve Chartered Status within 2-years of completing the program, increasing not only the graduates credentials but the organisations’ as well.

Structure. Delivered within a structured framework and mapped to engineering competencies, the program allows HR professionals and managers to focus on the overriding elements of learning and development that form the basis of your organisations’ inherent and unique culture.

Commitment. Because there is an underpinning Learning Contract for each graduate, employers can map graduate achievements within the program to performance review discussions and career progression, further addressing the employer-graduate commitment to the program.

Reporting. Full reporting is built into the program including structured reports, briefings and on-going feedback, supporting HR professionals and managers in monitoring graduate progression.

What if a graduate does not fulfill his/her responsibilities?

In the first instance, the graduate will be counseled by his/her program facilitator to determine why the graduate is underperforming and an agreed plan put in place.

If the graduate continues to neglect their responsibilities they will be asked to leave the program and required to submit a report to EEA and their organisational executive stakeholder explaining the reason for their non-performance.

What if a graduate is transferred interstate?

All situations with extenuating circumstances can be discussed with the EEA Program Manager on a case-by-case basis.

What is a Graduate leaves mid-way through the program?

No refunds apply for graduates withdrawing from the program, however situations with extenuating circumstances can be discussed with the EEA Program Manager on a case-by-case basis.