ICE launches single volunteering hub to strengthen assessor, mentor and STEM ambassador pipelines

The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) has consolidated its volunteer opportunities into a single online hub that, according to the volunteering page, is intended to help members and non-members begin a structured volunteering journey. The hub sets out the range of roles available, the routes to apply and the training and support offered, and presents volunteering as both a way to give back to the profession and a vehicle for professional development and networking.

Central to the offer are roles that help maintain professional standards: professionally qualified members are invited to act as reviewers, assessors and mentors to support candidates through the Professional Review process. The volunteering resources outline eligibility, typical time commitments and the training that assessors receive, and present these roles as essential to sustaining rigour in qualification pathways and expanding the pipeline of chartered engineers.

ICE also promotes a STEM ambassador programme that targets schools and youth groups to address emerging skills shortages. The ambassador guidance describes typical activities — school visits, careers talks, workshops and careers-fair representation — and explains the sign-up process for UK and international volunteers. The page stresses safeguarding and training requirements, noting that DBS checks and related support are coordinated through STEM Learning for those working with children.

For members interested in one-to-one development work, ICE details two mentoring strands: IPD (initial professional development) mentoring aligned to EngTech, IEng and CEng pathways, and a broader careers mentoring service. The mentoring pages describe the IPD Online system used to record progress, set out sign-up steps for mentors and mentees, and list the professional and CPD benefits available to mentors who contribute time and expertise to colleagues and early-career engineers.

The hub is practical in orientation: it links to application forms, training modules, regional office contacts and impact reports so potential volunteers can assess commitments before applying. It also directs users to membership support by telephone and email for queries, and points to local regional groups for in-person engagement — reflecting the institution’s distributed delivery model for volunteer activity across the UK and internationally.

ICE’s recent annual report and accounts highlights the strategic priorities that volunteer programmes touch on, including membership growth, professional qualification delivery and wider societal impact. According to the report, maintaining effective volunteer-assessor and mentoring networks supports those institutional aims by helping to develop qualified members and by underpinning the governance of professional standards.

For associations, confederations and sector trade bodies, the ICE hub offers several practical collaboration opportunities: promote volunteer roles as member benefits, partner on local STEM events, and incorporate volunteering into CPD frameworks and recognition programmes. Ensuring volunteers receive appropriate safeguarding and DBS support, and making time commitments clear, will reduce friction for busy professionals and increase take-up.

Executives wishing to brief their boards or member services teams can direct staff and members to the ICE volunteering hub for applications, training information and local contacts. The institution also flags awards and recognition for active ambassadors, providing an institutional mechanism to acknowledge volunteering impact while strengthening the talent pipeline for the sector.