One of the highlights of the CPD Accredited Employers community is the unveiling of the CPD Employer of the Year. On 9^th November, Dee Kehoe, CPD Director, announced the 2022 awardee as TOBIN Consulting Engineers to an online audience representing our CPD accredited organisations

This prestigious award recognises the use of best practice continuing professional development initiatives in achieving organisational objectives.

TOBIN was awarded the title of Engineers Ireland CPD Employer of the Year 2022 in recognition of their creative, comprehensive, and systematic approach to the development and delivery of key CPD initiatives as part of its 2020-2023 Statement of Strategy.

These initiatives, which include the establishment of the TOBIN Coaching Academy, focus explicitly on the development of technical and managerial leadership competences, and will address the challenge of succession planning and the development of the next generation of leaders who will grow and develop TOBIN.

Speaking to Dee Kehoe at the event, Ciaran McGovern, Managing Director of TOBIN Consulting Engineers said: “For us to be considered to be an exemplary CPD Accredited Employer by Engineers Ireland has meant placing the concept of being a learning organisation at the core of our strategic planning, in the development of our business.” Ciaran also acknowledged TOBIN staff “who have placed the concept of being a learning organisation at the heart of what we do every day.”

A major focus for TOBIN has been developing the next generation of managers and leaders of the organisation. Ciaran continued “Our people strategy has been designed to be at the core of the delivery of our Strategic Plan, where we have invested in technical excellence and leadership progression, in coaching, feedback, one on ones & mentoring through our TOBIN Academy.

Our leadership development programme has allowed us to continue to focus on managerial and technical leadership development within teams, using our CPD framework to identify competency training requirements in areas such as communication, decision making, leading through change, problem solving or strategic thinking. This forms the core of succession planning and the development of the next generation of leaders within our business.

We have also invested in career development through our Career Pathway and Graduate Development Programmes. These programmes define key competencies and milestones for staff during their career development with us and support a culture of effective communication as we develop professionally.

A number of senior staff have progressed to the title of “Fellow” in Engineers Ireland in recent years. This is so important as it sets out for all staff that professional development within Engineers Ireland and progression through personal leadership remains our focus right through to our senior management team”.

When asked what was the standout CPD initiative, Ciaran replied “We have created a Career Pathway Programme which forms an integral part of the career development for our professional staff. This programme formalises the career pathway of our Engineers, Scientists, Quantity Surveyors, Planners, Technicians and all the other professionals who are part of the TOBIN team.

The programme sets out career progression milestones for each grade of professional from graduate to Associate Director, providing our staff with full visibility of their potential career progression with us over the years, guiding each staff member in their own CPD along that journey. The programme also identifies appropriate professional qualifications (such as CEng, MIStructE, FIEI) or generally those that are required within each team.”

Congratulations to Ciaran, Damien Grehan, TOBIN Regional Director with responsibility for the Dublin office, the CPD committee, and all at TOBIN Consulting Engineers.

The CPD Employer of the Year Award is sponsored by Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland.

Dee Kehoe, CPD Director at Engineers Ireland, is pictured presenting the CPD Accredited  Employer of the Year Award to Ciaran McGovern, Managing Director of TOBIN Consulting Engineers (right) and Damien Grehan, TOBIN Regional Director with responsibility for the Dublin office (left) at Engineers Ireland’s headquarters in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.