After days and weeks of lockdown I’m sure that you, like me, have been manic trying to tackle the different challenges of operating in a much more virtual environment.

You may have also found yourself with a bit of extra time on your hands. There’s tempting fodder out there – TikTok dances, Friday night drinks on Houseparty, bingeworthy streaming (top tip: Tiger King on Netflix is compelling, compulsive and cringeworthy all at the same time). Or perhaps you’re using the extra hours at home you’ve saved by ditching the commute to become your best self: online workout or yoga classes, virtual museums, theatres streaming past shows for free, all those edifying foreign language films you missed first time round… 

Whether you’ve gone full-on hedonist or grown culture vulture feathers with your newfound spare time, this seems like a great moment for us to think about what we want from our life and career, and take some steps to help us on our way to where we want to be when the pandemic subsides, and something like normality resumes.  

Is it time to get Chartered? Why?  

COMMUNITY

People, rightly and understandably, want to feel proud of their profession and aligned to their professional community. The CIOB is the most influential professional body for construction management and leadership, with around 46,000 members across the globe. You’ll be part of a global community that cares about the building profession just as much as you do. 

WHAT DO I NEED?

You need a Bachelor’s degree, or a Level 6 NVQ or above in a built environment subject, plus three years of relevant management experience, or five if your degree is not in the built environment. Don’t have the qualification, but do have years of relevant experience in the industry? The Chartered Membership Programme can support you in this, combining elements of study through a structured study programme. Got the qualification, but not the experience? Don’t let that stop you. Our Professional Development Programme skills you up on key issues like project planning and managing health and safety in the workplace and takes you on your journey to gaining MCIOB. If you’d like to pursue Fellowship, this is comparable to a British Master’s Degree, you be amongst the most experienced and knowledgable professional in the construction industry. 

WHAT WILL I GET OUT OF MEMBERSHIP?

As a Chartered Construction Manager or Chartered Builder, membership of the CIOB will show your dedication to the industry, as well as meaning that your capabilities and experience will be clearly recognised by others. Additionally, as a member, you get to access 500 events every year and free resources from the CIOB Academy, as well as the right to vote for Trustees - or even apply to become one. 

Even if you’re not ready to dive into membership just yet, perhaps you can spend your newfound free time researching further into just what membership of the CIOB can do for you. In between rediscovering a long-lost love for colouring-in books and a new-found obsession with Joe Wicks tutorials…