Training focus: Getting ahead of the pack
Achieving top marks in the IEMA Associate (AIEMA) exam is down to the groundwork you put in
Preparation and planning are the keys to exam success. Both are vital to securing a high mark in the entry exam for Associate membership of IEMA – the Institute’s first level of professional membership and a qualification increasingly demanded by employers who are recruiting for environment and sustainability roles.
The first step to AIEMA status is to select the right route for you, either self-study or via an approved training course. Choosing which route to travel will largely depend on your level of knowledge and experience, as well as your preferred way of learning. IEMA recommends the self-study option for individuals with a good level of environmental awareness and knowledge and who are familiar with the criteria detailed within the AIEMA membership standard
Conversely, an approved IEMA training course is likely to be preferable for someone whose knowledge needs updating or who is new to the environment agenda. IEMA’s professional development adviser, Dipvandana Mehta (see below), can offer advice on the best route.
Mind the knowledge gap
There are no formal entry requirements for candidates seeking AIEMA status, although, as stated above, candidates must either complete IEMA’s Foundation Certificate in Environment Management, or have an equivalent level of knowledge or experience to go directly to the AIEMA online exam.
Candidates are advised to be properly prepared before sitting the exam, with IEMA expecting self-study candidates to clock up about 40 hours of independent study before attempting the exam. Although completing the approved training course will provide a candidate with a level of knowledge adequate to pass the exam, those wanting to excel by expanding their understanding of environmental issues are advised to supplement the course with extra reading and exam practice.
Harriet Wilson, a member of the safety, sustainability and resilience team at National Grid, recently achieved AIEMA status via an approved training course. Wilson describes the course materials as very good, but says she also looked at other resources to gather further information, including examining legislation available online, through portals such as legislation.gov.uk.
Mehta encourages all AIEMA applicants to map their knowledge against the Associate standard and the learning outcomes a candidate will be expected to know, understand or be able to demonstrate. These are set out in the Associate membership standard. Even as a practising environment professional you will need to ensure you are fully conversant in all 13 competencies, from the fundamentals of sustainability and business (competencies 1 and 2) to outlining major policy and legislation and their implications for organisations, products and services (competency 4).
Mehta advises all AIEMA candidates, whether they are going through the self-study or training route, to look at the membership standard. “It should be downloaded and used as the basis for all revision as it contains all the criteria on which a candidate can be examined,” she says.
The Associate membership standard provides details on each learning outcome and the relevant assessment criteria. “Reading up on each topic is good preparation, and the accompanying ‘prescribed content’ is a useful indicator of things you need to have knowledge and understanding about.” she explains.
The Associate Online Exam
Candidates have 1 hour to complete the online, multiple choice exam, so practising sample questions beforehand will help ensure you make the best use of your time. Sample papers are available in the exam guidance document from IEMA. Practice will help to familiarise you with the type of questions you will face, and how to answer them,
“Definitely practise some questions if you can” says Wilson. “I did a lot and it helps you get used to the style of the questions and what the examiners are looking for in your answer.” Wilson also advises.
“Read all the questions thoroughly. Also, plan your time in the exam – how much time you are going to spend answering each question,”advises Wilson.
The exam results are reported as pass or fail. The pass rate is 70%. You need to correctly answer a minimum 21 out of the 30 questions to pass this exam.
The candidate will receive their score immediately at the end of the exam. A candidate who has achieved a pass will have demonstrated satisfactory knowledge, understanding and application of environment and sustainability issues at Associate membership level. If candidates fail, they have 1 re-sit available to them, free of charge. Any additional exam attempts will need to be paid for.
Interview: Dipvandana Mehta
What do you do on a day-to-day basis?
A variety of things! With a wide range of members at various stages of their careers and membership levels, we have developed (and are still developing) lots of different support mechanisms to help them. Some examples include answering queries about IEMA membership, providing careers advice, checking draft application papers for Full/dual (with CEnv) membership, matching members to mentors and delivering presentations at events or companies.
What do you enjoy in your role?
I really like helping to resolve members’ queries, whether it is clarifying the membership application process, linking them to a mentor or showing them a jobsite that they may not have known about. Having been an IEMA member working in an environment consultancy before joining the Institute I completely understand how difficult it can be to keep up to date with developments and find time to maintain and upgrade your professional membership. I aim to make that process as easy as possible.