Assessors & Question Setters
- Contract type: Voluntary role
- Salary: Dependent on role
PIABC are currently seeking IOM3 members who would be interested in becoming assessors and question setters for three apprenticeship standards.
Despite the growth in artificial intelligence and its ability to promote high value work, emerging technologies are still not being leveraged to their full potential in materials, mineral, and mining occupations.
Some industries within IOM3 have reported difficulties in attracting new mining engineering, mineral processing, and metallurgical skills, who in essence are our future members. These shortages don’t exist in foundational extractive industries alone.
Skills
Strategic Advisor
Cynthia is a Sustainability Manager at Hide Biotech, an innovative startup developing sustainable alternatives to traditional leather. Cynthia holds an Engineering Doctorate (EngD) and MSc in Sustainable materials and manufacturing – jointly awarded by Cranfield, Exeter, and Warwick university. Her research focused on implementing a circular business model to convert industrial by-products into value for other industries such as construction, textiles, packaging, and composite materials. She also spent the first half of her professional career as a sustainability consultant at Accenture UKI sustainability services. Cynthia worked with businesses to support the transition to a Net-Zero future, her core competency was focused on Life Cycle Assessments (LCA), which involves the development of tools to help model environmental impacts associated with products and services.
Cynthia first became involved with IOM3 as a member of the Student & Early Career Committee in 2018 and is now currently a strategic advisor to IOM3, supporting the technical committee on skills and professional development. Cynthia is very interested in implementing sustainability knowledge in STEM courses. She has contributed to several panels and public outreach, like skills and capacity building for the circular economy, volunteering with the United Nations University on implementing sustainability assessment methods in post-graduate courses of developing countries, and mentorship to young black school students to show representation and importance of sustainability in STEM subjects.
Cynthia oversees the Ceramics Group, the Polymers Group, and the Sustainable Development Group.
Despite the growth in artificial intelligence and its ability to promote high value work, emerging technologies are still not being leveraged to their full potential in materials, mineral, and mining occupations.
Unfortunately, ageing industries also in turn suffer from digital skills gaps. Some of the skills challenges are due to the lack of alignment between education and industry practical skills. Society also often underestimates non-academic upskilling routes such as apprenticeships. We often forget to draw enough empathy between materials, minerals and mining subjects and their current societal challenges that matter most to younger people.
IOM3 already plays a major role in influencing policy on skills, through its various programmes on schools’ outreach, training academy, continuous professional development, and mentorship programme. With its diverse communities and structure, it is very well positioned to ensure education pathways are in sync with what industries need in terms of competencies and future skills. The experience of the Technical Communities can be leveraged in more ways to mitigate some of the skills challenges.
An introduction to the principles of materials selection for engineering applications
VirtualA one-day course designed to develop skills and techniques in the way you communicate as a manager and a leader.
GranthamAn in-depth exploration of all things packaging for those wishing to deepen their practice
Virtual & independent studyIOM3 has a range of Awards, Medal and Prizes to recognise personal achievement, for published work and for contributions to the Institute, knowledge, outreach and profession.
Nominations for the 2024 IOM3 Awards & Prizes closed on 29 February and the winners will be announced in June. Visit our Awards pages to see details of the awards and competitions on offer and details of previous winners.
PIABC are currently seeking IOM3 members who would be interested in becoming assessors and question setters for three apprenticeship standards.
Are you looking for information or advice on materials? Our Information Services team can help you find relevant articles and literature from our extensive library collections and provide signposting to sources of advice.