· Web viewOur judges will then short-list the best-of-the-best case studies and may seek further information. Finalist organisations will then be asked to present their case-study

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CPD Employer of the Year Entry Form Page 1


Organisation’s Official Name:Project Title:

IS YOUR ORGANISATION WORTHY OF NATIONAL RECOGNITION?

For more than a decade now, the Engineers Ireland ‘CPD Employer of the Year Awards’ have served as the national barometer for ongoing advances in how engineering-led organisations in Ireland learn, adapt, innovate and succeed.

When the Engineers Ireland CPD Employer programme was first launched in 1999, nobody could have guessed just how far the scheme would come. Today, in more than 125 organisations, right across every sector of the economy in Ireland, the CPD framework provides an invaluable tool for top teams to turn strategic plans into worthwhile actions.

The latest revision of the CPD framework provides an holistic architecture for organisations, of all sizes, to first invest in good, basic Continuing Professional Development systems and processes, in order to build organisation-wide CPD practices that are truly transformational.

The aim of the awards in 2015 is to continue to recognise those organisations that have made the journey to establishing and benefitting from transformational CPD systems and processes, in line with steps-changes in their operating environments.

Given the outstanding level of winners in years past, we want to keep the bar high so that exemplary case studies can be recognised. Winners will be selected on the basis that their understanding and application of CPD is exceptional, and, that they have, as a result, realised exceptional business accomplishments and/or service-level transformations.

To enter, we are asking each Employer to take their own unique situation as the context. Every CPD Accredited Employer has an equal opportunity to highlight why their CPD systems and their bottom-line outcomes are worthy of recognition from Ireland’s national professional body for engineers and engineering.

Entries must be in by Friday, May 29th 2015. Our judges will then short-list the best-of-the-best case studies and may seek further information. Finalist organisations will then be asked to present their case-study at the CPD Employer of the Year Excellence Awards final event on Wednesday, October 7th. The winner will be announced at our annual black-tie Engineering Excellence gala event on Friday, November 6th 2015, a suitably prestigious occasion for such a major award.

I do hope your organisation will enter this year. Putting in an entry is a sign of positivity and pride. And we know our CPD Accredited Employers have certainly a lot to be proud of.

CÁRIOSA KELLYCPD Director, Engineers Ireland



Organisation Details

Official Contact Person:

Contact’s Job Title:Contact’s Telephone Number:Contact’s email:

Name of Official Entry Sponsor:Sponsor’s Job Title: (e.g. your MD/CEO etc)

Organisation’s website:

Private Sector: Public Sector: Other (please state):

Total number of staff employed in Ireland:Numbers of staff employed elsewhere:Total number of engineers employed in Ireland:Numbers of engineers employed elsewhere:Total number of technicians employed in Ireland:Numbers of technicians employed elsewhere:

Official Contact Person’s signature: Date:Official Sponsor’s signature: Date:



Quick Summary

1. For the judging panel, please synopsise your Entry (200 words or less).This synopsis should outline;

A brief explanation of the particular challenge faced The actual achievement(s) or transformation made What strategic CPD enablers were used and why

2. For Press Release purposes please synopsise your Entry (75 words or less).Note: Irish media is interested in news that is relevant to Irish operations. The press release should be newsworthy and inform media about how CPD initiatives have enabled your business in achieving success such as new market entry, jobs growth or retention, securing domestic/international contracts, improved services provision etc.



Section A

The Story of your Accomplishment

A1. THE CONTEXT

From the perspective of an engineering-centric organisation, please describe the context (economic, technological, environmental etc.) your organisation was operating in and the key challenges which your organisation faced as a result (within the last 3-4 years).

A2. THE PLAN

Describe the Strategic Plan which your organisation formed in order to tackle these issues (A1), indicating 3 to 5 high-level strategic ‘thrusts’ and associated KPIs/targets/metrics which were agreed by your organisation.

A3. THE RESULTS

Describe how this strategic plan (A2) was then successfully executed, detailing the specific accomplishment or achievement which was brought about as a result.

IMPORTANT NOTE: For private sector organisations, measures should include financial business benefits and could also include new customers, new markets, new product/process innovations, successful collaborations, overcoming obstacles etc. Winning entries will be distinguished by evidence linked to sustaining or creating jobs.

For public sector/not-for-profit organisations, measures should include financial results where applicable to the efficient use of limited resources/costs savings and could also include the realisation of new services, restructuring solutions, social impact etc. Winning entries will be distinguished by evidence linked to enabling society and/or private-sector businesses to function better.



Section B

Your use of Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

B1. Strategic CPD AdvancementThe ‘Primary’, ‘Advanced’ and ‘Transformational’ bands which make up the Engineers Ireland national CPD Accredited Employer standard, present grounded and applicable options for improvement, allied to the specific business plans and strategic ‘thrusts’ you documented in Section A2.

Describe how your organisation used CPD as a strategic enabler by transitioning to a transformational level (Level C) in one or more of the seven criteria set out in the CPD Accredited Employer standard.

See Appendix A for some helpful examples to stimulate your thinking in this regard.

B2. The involvement of your engineers and technicians

Detail how your engineers and technicians took a leading role in driving this strategic transition to a transformational level of CPD, in your organisation.



Section C

Outstanding Example

In conclusion, based on your own organisation’s size, sector, strategy and resources, summarise why your Case Study is worthy of national recognition.



Appendix A

CPD as a strategic enabler: Helpful Examples

Case Study 1: A start-up firm in the alternative energy sector

A strong focus on more strategic CPD was needed to transition from being purely a R&D company to a much more commercially-focussed organisation.

The start-up company adhered to the Engineers Ireland CPD framework to put in place all the basic required CPD systems and processes for accreditation i.e. satisfied all elements of Criterion 1 and satisfied Criteria 2-7 at minimum Level A i.e. all ‘Primary’ CPD elements.

Knowing the value of lessons learned to a new operation, the top management team then made the strategic decision to invest in their knowledge management capability, shifting from 6A to 6C, in the process. At the same time, a strategic overview of key research links with a number of Universities globally led to a gradual move from 7A to 7B. The company has excelled, winning a number of major international contracts, with exciting plans for further growth.



Case Study 2: A long-established engineering consultancy company

The company recognised that a new approach was required to adapt and alter the company’s business and to place an increased emphasis on international sales. A Strategic Plan was developed to scale for international growth.

CPD played a fundamental part in the implementation of the strategic plan. The organisation developed an understanding that to make the required step-change to become an international player, new job performance behaviours would have to be clearly defined and communicated to all staff.

Beginning with all basic required CPD practices (as above) the company then strategically transformed from 3A to 3C, by implementing, tracking and measuring personal development plans (PDPs) with Learning Outcomes, linked to the company’s short-term mission. The strategic shift, through CPD, led to several multimillion dollar contracts being won and today the organisation is prioritising building capacity from 6A to 6B.



Case Study 3: A hi-tech manufacturer in the biomed sector

Having achieved excellence in matters of quality, cost control and compliance, this highly successful multinational manufacturer had CPD systems and practices structured to match its high-compliance requirements in a regulated sector when it first gained CPD Accreditation. The audit report encouraged the top management team to examine the effect its all-pervasive ‘total compliance’ culture was having on learning and development. When they did so, they got a surprise. Levels of quality and compliance were very high but levels of creativity and innovation were not, leading to a dearth of new products in the pipeline.

The new CPD strategy for the organisation prioritised good practices in 2A, in order to balance high compliance levels with high levels of creativity. With ‘Creativity’ firmly embedded as a required behavioural standard, the organisation’s focus is now on transforming this capability from 2A to 2C over the coming years to ensure flexibility and adaptability among engineering staff.



Appendix BRules of Entry 2015

1. Organisations wishing to participate must complete this entry form and return it to DEE KEHOE in Engineers Ireland by email, no later than noon on Friday, May 29th, 2015. All entries will then go directly to the judging panel.

2. For all sections of this document please feel free to expand fields to write as much as you feel is necessary (unless maximum wording is stated). Feel free also to add additional information / appendices that will support your entry.

3. The CPD Employer of the Year Excellence Awards competition is open to Engineers Ireland CPD Accredited Employers only. The decision of the judges is final.

4. Last year’s Overall winner is not eligible to win the Overall Award for 2015 and 2016.

5. In the event that additional detail is required, the Judging Panel may invite entrants to take part in an interview / phone interview prior to the Final.

6. Engineers Ireland reserves the right to publish the names of award winners.

7. Shortlisted organisations will be required to present their case study entry on Wednesday 7th October in Engineers Ireland; this will form part of the judging process.

8. The winner will be announced at our annual Excellence Awards event on Friday, November 6th 2015.

NOTE on CONFIDENTIALITY: All material received as part of entry submissions is treated as strictly confidential and private. Post-competition publicity will be arranged in tandem with the winning organisations so that sensitive information and intellectual property is afforded the highest degree of protection.

TIP: We recommend you read through this form in its entirety first before beginning to complete it.

The form is structured to avoid any repetition of information.



Key Dates

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: FRIDAY 29th MAY 2015CPD EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS FINAL: WEDS, 7th OCTOBER 2015 ENGINEERS IRELAND EXCELLENCE AWARDS: FRIDAY, 6th NOVEMBER 2015

NEED ASSISTANCE?HAVE A QUESTION?

DEE KEHOE 01 6651347 [email protected] KELLY SCOTT 01 6651328 [email protected] O’DWYER 01 6651343 [email protected]

OFFICE USE ONLY:

Reference Number:

Date Received:

PLEASE RETURN BY NOON FRIDAY, MAY 29th, 2015 to:

DEE KEHOE, Associate Director CPDE-MAIL: [email protected]


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Documents

· Web viewOur judges will then short-list the best-of-the-best case studies and may seek further information. Finalist organisations will then be asked to present their case-study