IET membership - ECS fast track

Zdb · Apr 13, 2019

Has anyone signed up for IET membership via the ECS fast track route?

Fast Track your Application - https://www.------.org/membership/becoming-a-member/join-the-iet/miet-and-tmiet-membership/fast-track-your-application-with-your-ecs-card/

I am trying but can't make heads or tails out of their website. Apparently you should be able to put your ECS card number in somewhere to save a load of time but I can't for the life of me find the correct page to do that.

Just wondered if theres's anyone on here that's done it recently that could point me in the right direction.

Thanks

Toneyz · Apr 13, 2019

Diver233 said:
What !!

Really, so the ECA for instance that have been in existence since 1901 was because part P came in ?.

NSI started around 1979

NICEIC 1956

IEE Started 188

What actually happened was all these bodies developed to give us all a choice where we wanted approval from. Otherwise if you had only one choice it would be a monopoly.

Stop being so pedantic it's as bad as the bad spelling brigade (Pete) I posted regarding the competence schemes NOT when these organisations originated. You say about a monopoly well you just have to look at Corgie or now Gas Safe.

TJ Anderson · Apr 13, 2019

essex said:
Joining the IET is even easier and cheaper than joining any of the schemes.

All you need is:

2360

CV with at least two years at QS or management etc.

£165

The whole thing is a nonsense but still holds weight in some circles.

Just had a look on their site. MIET asked for what said plus CV showing you working at graduate level.....

An ECS Gold Card will get TMIET

Not really sure what the benefits are of joining, but imagine there must be some.

AJshep · Apr 13, 2019

I thought about joining a while back,
but as I dont have a HND or HNC I believe I could only get the TMIET title.

MIET is officially recognized in Europe by the directive 2005/36 ( what ever that is ?)
TMIET is not, so I can't work out its value.

Deleted member 26818 · Apr 14, 2019

When I joined the IEE, it was well before I applied for a JIB/ECS card.I have no idea of the requirements or what criteria was in place at the time I joined, as Someone else applied for me.

I only applied for the JIB/ECS card, because someone told me I’d need a card to get on sites in the future.
Hadn’t needed one before, and even when I did get one, it took some time before I was asked for it.
I think the first time I was asked for it, It was only me and an Apprentice who had one.
None of the other guys from the firm I was working for had one, not even the boss or the foreman.
Seeing the Apprentice’s card was when I realised there were different colour cards

Am thinking about going for a black card next year when I renew.
Passed my SSSTS March last year, so won’t have to do the H&S test.
Just not sure whether having Black or Gold will make any difference?

Diver233 · Apr 14, 2019

spinlondon my advice would be to renew the Gold card and have a black card as an extra card.
The way you gain a card in the future is changing and will be far more difficult. If it lapses for a certain length of time it will have to be a brand new application in the future.
Unless they have changed things on the black card, anyone with any management quals can have a black card, but won’t allow you to work as a spark, just manage people.
There was talk of having skilled manager cards.

Deleted member 26818 · Apr 14, 2019

Says on the ECS website, that you need to be eligible for a gold card before being able to apply for the black card.

Don’t really want to apply for two cards, if only one will suffice.

Toneyz · Apr 14, 2019

The problem with the card is that all site managers are concerned with is that you have a card that they can photocopy for their site file. They mostly would not know what my level of competency is. It is reliant upon the company that is employing them making sure although they may be competent in doing a job they have not got the academic qualification to go on the card so in theory should not be undertaking it without supervision.

Deleted member 26818 · Apr 14, 2019

Site managers are concerned with operatives having the relevant H&S qualification.
A valid and in date CSCS or ECS card is proof of this.
Photocopying the card is just record keeping.

The various trade Managers are concerned with the operatives having the qualifications required to do the work.
The colour of of the trade card should be proof of this.

I’ve worked on sites, where not only do they require operatives to produce physical forms of ID and Trade cards, they also require them to be verified via a third party as genuine.
Westfields required their contractors to verify their operatives IDs with a company that they nominated.
The contractors also had to verify the trade cards with the respective issuing organisations.
This was quite easy with the ECS, each operative had to log in to their ‘My ECS’ and email a copy of their card to the contractor.
With the CSCS scheme it was a little more involved, they had to get the CSCS people to email a copy of the receipt for the operative’s card.

One of the reasons contractors use agencies, is because they rely on the agencies conducting due diligence on their workers. Verifying cards and qualifications and obtaining references.

Anthony S · Apr 14, 2019

spinlondon said:
One of the reasons contractors use agencies, is because they rely on the agencies conducting due diligence on their workers. Verifying cards and qualifications and obtaining references.

The main reason companies use agencies is, they get 60 days credit and normally get paid themselves 42 days. Most companies are not cash rich and need credit to survive, hence credit at wholesalers now labour force credit via agencies who are also funded from an out source also take a cut for their financed payroll services.

Zdb · Apr 14, 2019

If you're a member you can now have your membership status and the IET logo printed on your ECS card.

Works out to be quite an expensive logo when you add the membership fee and card renewal together

Here's a photo of someone's I found on Google image:

[ElectriciansForums.net] IET membership - ECS fast track

Andy78 · Apr 14, 2019

spinlondon said:
Says on the ECS website, that you need to be eligible for a gold card before being able to apply for the black card.

Don’t really want to apply for two cards, if only one will suffice.

Whatever application you are doing, try to do it online. I did mine recently and it came back in less than 2 weeks.

On another electrically oriented social media platform some guys were moaning about months and months waiting for their cards, some other guys popped up and said "What you on about, mine took less than a week"
It transpired the difference seemed to be postal vs online applications. Shouldn't be like that but apparently it is at the moment.