do you think the public know what ciphe is?

[dom jolly]

I know this has probably been covered loads of times before but do you think the general public are aware of CIPHE and know what it is?

 

[nysk2008]

was a member but not anymore. sure its been a sound investment for other members though

 

[AWheating]

what is it? i honestly dont know and have not heard of it.

 

[nysk2008]

Chartered Institute of Heating & Plumbing Engineers, not sure alot of customers would have heard of them though or really cared if you was a member

 

[AWheating]

it sounds familuar but dont know anything about them, im guessing if many trades men dont really know who or what they are about then what chance do customers have?

 

[dom jolly]

it sounds familuar but dont know anything about them, im guessing if many trades men dont really know who or what they are about then what chance do customers have?

I thought you were winding me up but now realise your not!!!!!

 

[CES]

Home - CIPHE

Im a member and got my EngTech registration through them. I find it quite handy sometimes although they could do with getting their name out a bit more.

 

[SimonG]

To be honest, and I know this is on a public forum, half the time joe public isn't even aware of what we do. So I find highly unlikely that a good proportion would have any idea about ciphe, other than maybe that you might use it to clean the bathroom!

Decent enough question and I hope you get an answer you are looking for....but if I'm brutally honest I couldn't give a monkey's if the public know or not! I was invited to join for just over £60 after I passed my oftec, don't see the point in spending £60 odd quid for a sticker for the van.

 

[WaterTight]

Well, it doesn't really matter if they've heard of it. Seeing a row of stickers on a van which obviously denote official bodies to which you are a member IS understood as what it is and would, normally I imagine, add an air of trustworthiness to you. Worth £60? Meh, who knows. It's kind of one of those unquantifiable things, like having a sign-written van in the first place. Who knows how much more of a prescence it gives you or how much more someone is likely to accept a quote after peeking at your van before you walk in the front door. It certainly won't hurt.

 

[quality]

It depends on what you do and who you do it for. I have never had a sign written van or have never advertised but I have been doing what I do for a long time.
To the op I doubt the public know about it

 

[mike_s]

there are loads of plumbers/gas engineers institutes, associations, federations etc and they all make out if you're reputable you should join but all the public know of are gas safe and corgi.

I'm not saying they arn't worth it but it certainly wouldn't be worth it to join them all.
I'm gas saferegistered and plan to join corgi competent persons schemes for my notifiable plumbing and electrical work so I can self-certify all of my work.
Seeing as corgi is well known it will also add more credibility to customers than others schemes.

 

[CES]

There are a lot of so called trade associations who claim to be something they arent. This isn't a trade association, like APHC or SNIPEF. I'm not a member of CIPHE because I wanted a sticker for my van. I went for it because I intend to be a Chartered Engineer in the future so i can go into consultancy when the knees give way and I cant squeeze under floors.

 

[AWheating]

so other then being able to use a emblem or whatever, what are the benifits of being a member?

i could just save money and make my own badge, the AW federation of heating engineers.... ill only charge half the price

 

[woodsy]

The trouble with being a member of all these organisations is that the public like to see the fancy stickers / letters on your van / stationary until you put up your prices to pay for them all.

 

[CES]

The benefit of being a member of CIPHE is that you can gain a professional engineer status through professional development. There are currently three grades, Engineering Technician (EngTech), Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and Chartered Engineer(CEng). It may not mean anything for someone who just want to remain on the tools but for others there is a path to develop your career. Lets face who want to be on the tools past 60? Up a ladder in the rain? No thanks..

 

[AWheating]

so these are reconised qualifications in the plumbing/engineering trades? better than going to college and uni to gain a degree? what job can you not do without these qualifications?

i will take a look at there website.

 

[gaspastemania]

Cant say i have heard of it and to be honest does it get you an extra 20 grands worth of work each year?? If not why bother !!! Better off getting chas imo

 

[Phil]

I joined three years ago and forgot I was a member until I saw this thread, last time I asked I wasn't allowed to use their logo on my van/letterheads as I was only an affiliate member.

 

[CES]

Engineering grades are not trade specific, they exist in all engineering disciplines. These grades are not qualifications, you gain these by registering with the Engineering Council. Its dependant on what your qualifications are, e.g. I've an HND in Engineering and years of experience within the heating trade. I'm eligible for EngTech which means I'm registered on the Engineering Council as a professional engineer, not just calling myself one. As far as earning potential, that really depends on your outlook on life doesn't it? I'm not looking for £20 grands worth of work a year because of it because I could probably get that without being registered if I upped my advertising, but I'm looking for when I might want to get into the consultancy side. Its not for everyone but I'm just saying that its not just another "scheme" to get money off us.

 

[mike_s]

People saying they will help them gain design roles and engineering jobs in the future when they don't want to be on the tools... how exactly and specifically what might be these potetial roles?

 

[Guest123]

Not up here in Scotland, we have a different organisation. Pity then that B&Q, Screwfix and their website jobsorted.com advertising reputable tradesmen don't recognise ours.
I carry my grade card with JIB and CIS and this always reassures customers that I'm qualified and have been so since 1982.

All these affiliated bodies can stick their membership up their money grabbing bahookies, they don't mean jack in the real world. A guy on a 3 week course can look the bees knees if he signs up to one but that doesn't mean he's qualified or has the experience required, just a bit of official looking paper that makes him look good.

 

[CES]

Consultancy roles, management in large firms or even design, there are a multitude of options not necessarily in the plumbing or heating trade. My experience for example is mechanically based so I could end up in a mechanical building services role, some guys are studying construction at college whilst still on the tools so they could in theory end up in site management, building facilities etc. If you want to progress your career then there are ways to learn more , its called continual professional development and its open to anyone who wants more than being just in the trade, not that I'm saying there is anything wrong in just wanting to stay what you are doing. CIPHE is just a vehicle to help me in what I want to achieve in my career, it may not be for everybody but that's my take on it.

 

[CES]

Not up here in Scotland, we have a different organisation. Pity then that B&Q, Screwfix and their website jobsorted.com advertising reputable tradesmen don't recognise ours.
I carry my grade card with JIB and CIS and this always reassures customers that I'm qualified and have been so since 1982.

All these affiliated bodies can stick their membership up their money grabbing bahookies, they don't mean jack in the real world. A guy on a 3 week course can look the bees knees if he signs up to one but that doesn't mean he's qualified or has the experience required, just a bit of official looking paper that makes him look good.

This would be SNIPEF, if you looked into CIPHE you would realise that there is no comparison. In order to join its not just a case of signing up, each prospective member has to be proposed and a full work and educational history is presented to a committee who decide what level you have the qualifications and experience for. BTW Ive got my CSCS card which lists my qualifications, Gas Safe card, unvented ticket, Heat Pump Installer, Energy Efficiency (even though its not required up here) Water Byelaws and I didn't do a 3 week course but I do have the official bit of paper that makes me look good. I'm also in the same country as you but I'm not a member of SNIPEF because I don't employ anyone and its cheaper to be MCIPHE by about £250. (I pay £126 a year to CIPHE and ECUK (for EngTech), SNIPEF want £376.41).
But I do agree with your comment about B&Q, if they are a UK company advertising UK tradesmen then they should accept UK trade body membership. Do they accept membership of APHC? which I would consider SNIPEF's english equivalent.

 

[Guest123]

Not being political by the way with my comments above about jobsorted.com, but I find all these organisationsone big clique and if I had to subscribe to them all, I'd be bankrupt.
Don't need them either, if I do a good job and get referalls that is enough for me. You can easily market and present yourself in a thoroughly professional manner without being a member of one of these bodies. Sign up for free with your local Business Gateway and they run free marketing and business courses for just about everything and help you to expand when you reach that level. I know, I did.

 

[CES]

I see what your saying about all the bodies claiming to be the "leading association" etc etc. Im pretty sick of them too, the only reason I'm in CIPHE is purely for personal reasons. Theres now a new brood of groups sprung up all claiming to be the leading association for renewable technologies.. I feel the same way towards them.

 

[GQuigley67]

Consultancy roles, management in large firms or even design, there are a multitude of options not necessarily in the plumbing or heating trade. My experience for example is mechanically based so I could end up in a mechanical building services role, some guys are studying construction at college whilst still on the tools so they could in theory end up in site management, building facilities etc. If you want to progress your career then there are ways to learn more , its called continual professional development and its open to anyone who wants more than being just in the trade, not that I'm saying there is anything wrong in just wanting to stay what you are doing. CIPHE is just a vehicle to help me in what I want to achieve in my career, it may not be for everybody but that's my take on it.

I know exactly what you mean, I'm studying HNC Construction at the moment, if I can I'm hoping to go onto doing mechanical engineering afterwards, with my experience in commercial I would hope to get into the Mechanical side of things maybe designing heating systems or something similar which will be a well paid job and gets me off the tools, where i can go to work suited and booted with a flash audi car and not a transit and stinking of jet blue and ****e.

 

[villa_tom]

Most people don't even know what gasafe is never mind CIPHE.

 

[AWheating]

Consultancy roles, management in large firms or even design, there are a multitude of options not necessarily in the plumbing or heating trade. My experience for example is mechanically based so I could end up in a mechanical building services role, some guys are studying construction at college whilst still on the tools so they could in theory end up in site management, building facilities etc. If you want to progress your career then there are ways to learn more , its called continual professional development and its open to anyone who wants more than being just in the trade, not that I'm saying there is anything wrong in just wanting to stay what you are doing. CIPHE is just a vehicle to help me in what I want to achieve in my career, it may not be for everybody but that's my take on it.

would you say its an advantage to have there name behind you when interviewing for a job? i would think less so in the plumbing trade then other engineer area's going off my own experiences.

 

[CES]

I would say if you were interviewing for an engineer role in a large firm (e.g. Crownhouse ) then it would probably stand you in good stead. If you were applying for subby work it probably wouldn't make much of a difference. I suppose it would depend on who is interviewing and their stand on professional institutes.