A FIDIC Certified Consulting Practitioner in today’s world
As a young professional, the energy and dynamism you bring to your company when you join, whether it is a big firm or a small to medium-size enterprise, can have a real impact on the productivity and success of the company. At first glance, this might seem like a big leap considering that you may only just be starting your work life or have just swapped sectors only to take on a more junior role, or perhaps you have just started up the second rung of what seems like a very steep climb up a multitiered ladder. A big issue for some becomes finding ways distinguish yourself. How do you stand out from the crowd of jostling professionals each looking for a spot on the next level?
The first step would be to get extra ammunition under your belt.
Obtaining a new qualification is definitely one great way of moving ahead of the pack. By successfully completing training or educational courses that would enable you to learn new skills, you are investing in your knowledge base. Being tested thereafter on your application of that knowledge could enable you to gain an added edge over others working in your sector. For instance, the professional with qualifications in business management will likely need to demonstrate they have experience in managing different aspects of a business and perhaps also in coordinating projects. They are also more likely to be promoted or offered a job if they can show they have not only the competency to do the work, but also the additional qualifications to back it up.
The infrastructure industry covers a wide spectrum of services and has many branches feeding into it. However, it may be easy to imagine that because of its broad reach, those who are not engineers, contractors, technicians or contract managers may not have a defined or easily recognisable role to play within the industry.
In 2020, FIDIC recognised this and decided to offer a new kind of certification to those who often do not have their feet firmly planted in the engineering or construction sectors, but who work either indirectly within it or have some connection to the infrastructure industry.
For the first time ever, a person who is working in a consulting firm but deals with matters relating to legal, business, human resources or even quality management can apply to be certified by FCL.
The precursor to this certification is the Young Professionals Management Training Programme or the Future Leaders programme. The latter is still being offered by FIDIC, however, it is a training programme which only provides a certificate of participation and not a FIDIC certification.
What is the difference between training and FCL certification?
FCL does not provide training, only certification. This means that FCL tests the competency of a person who is already working in the specific sector they will be certified under.
The certification offered by FCL also has a two-pronged benefit. First, based on the programme criteria, the candidate is tested on his/her knowledge and skillset. Secondly, once they pass, they are certified by an international body and can proudly attest to the validation of that knowledge and skillset.
What does this offer the certified person?
Aside from gaining a globally recognised certification, the certified professional will be joining a very select group of individuals who are able to not only use this new qualification to boost their career prospects, but who can now demonstrate that they have been tested and certified to work in their field of expertise, i.e., within the broader reaches of the infrastructure and consultancy sectors. There is also the potential to network and build stronger links with others working in these sectors.
What does this certification entail?
The Certified Consulting Practitioner certification programme is an exam which tests the knowledge of candidates who understand the business of running a professional services firm.
It also translates into an international qualification which is offered for early career, as well as established professionals, and it provides access to a validation of skillsets which is both broad and targeted.
Why now?
As there have been many changes in the infrastructure sector over the past couple of decades, it is important that this shift is reflected positively in the global workplace.
In this same vein, women are strongly encouraged to apply and get further qualifications. While it can be argued that the gender gap is narrowing, women are often not as well represented globally in the professional and academic fields of the engineering industry. Although it is undeniable that there are now more women working in the industry than there were in the 50s or even in the 80s, climbing the corporate ladder can still seem far more challenging for women than for their often more confident (or at least seemingly so) male counterparts.
Women have nevertheless persevered and they continue to make their mark and contribute to technological advancements in the industry as well as in other interconnected areas.
FIDIC for its part is committed to squarely addressing the issue of gender disparity in the engineering sector. The Diversity and Inclusion Council was established to promote inclusion and diversity in the consulting engineering industry and it has been working to develop concrete and measurable strategies to address some of these issues facing the industry.
More on this Council can be found here: D&I Council.
Who is a FIDIC Certified Consulting Practitioner?
This is a person who is already working in the engineering, business, legal and related sectors and who may also have experience in a consulting or professional services firm.
This FIDIC certification is exceptional in the sense that it applies to professionals coming from multi-disciplinary backgrounds and who are looking for an international validation of what they already know and how they effectively manage the day-to-day aspects of working in the corporate world.
Want to learn more?
Click on the link to read the programme requirement and apply. The enrolment for this first quarter of 2022 closes on 16 February 2022, with the exams taking place on 24 February 2022.
Other exam dates will be available on the programme page in the near future as there will be exams scheduled for Q2 and Q3 of this year.
