Becoming a chartered professional has always been tricky for environmental engineers, even engineering project managers. Being an engineer means solving problems. Usually, engineers design physical solutions (bridges, circuit boards, water pipes) for society’s problems. On the other hand, for the last few years, I’ve been working on management systems, policies and strategies. In the traditional sense, I’m not an engineer, yet I think of myself as designing non-physical solutions to the same problems.

We’ve tried to make this argument to Engineers Australia, who won’t allow us to become chartered engineers without us demonstrating that we have design skills. Unfortunately, they’re sticking to the relatively traditional definition of design so I’ve found myself unable to be a chartered engineer in Australia.

I don’t object to the way Engineers Australia have chose to define the job of an ‘engineer’ because I work alongside ecologists, physicists, social policy analysts, media specialists, microbiologists, environmental scientists, geographers — and we all do similar work. Perhaps they’re right. Perhaps I’m not doing engineering work.

To progress through an engineering company, more often than not, one needs to be chartered. That’s why for the last few weeks, I’ve been doing a take-home exam to become an associate member of the Institute of Environmental Assessment and Management (after that, there are a few more steps before I can be a chartered environmental professional). Doing the exam has meant little time for cooking, blogging, seeing friends and Damjan, and regular exercise.

Sitting in front of a computer doing heavy thinking all weekend is never much fun. But if one has to do an exam, then the IEMA exam is not a bad one. I learned a bit and got to write about a pet topic or two.