COREN professional interview (COREN P.I.)

Reading Time: 4 minutes

A. Introduction

The use of the title ‘Engr’ before the name of an Engineer is one of the most coveted achievement of a young graduate engineer. The prefix is just a title but registration to the council for the regulation of engineering in Nigeria (COREN) which confers the title gives one the licence to practice engineering in Nigeria.

Before 2017, probably, registration to the body was only through prior registration to Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE). However, the registration to COREN, presently, can be done directly and it is done all year round. To become a member of NSE, one has to undergo oral professional interview and CBT exam. You can find some practice questions for NSE CBT exams for civil engineers HERE. If one is successful on these two, and have been issued NSE number, registration to COREN does not require further interview but if one chose to register with COREN directly, one has to pass COREN professional interview (COREN P.I.) before the issuance of number, certificate and stamp seal.

B. Conditions and requirements for direct registration to COREN

To register with COREN, one must meet the following conditions and provide the following requirements.

1. Conditions

• Academic qualification from approved/accredited institution in Nigeria
• Minimum of four (4) years of post-graduate experience under the supervision of senior registered engineer

2. Requirements

• Three Proposers who are registered engineers and up to date in payment of their annual practicing fee (Proposer forms are downloadable from COREN website: www.coren.gov.ng).
• Work experience forms properly filled (work experience forms are downloadable from COREN website: www.coren.gov.ng)
• Original scanned copies of relevant credentials. The relevant credentials include:
  1. Academic transcripts
  2. O’level certificate (WAEC or NECO or NABTEB)
  3. Curriculum Vitae (CV) including biodata like birth, state, LGA etc
  4. NYSC discharge or exemption certificate
  5. Passport photograph
  6. Technical Report

Note: normal processing timeline is 6 months for Nigerian applicants and 3 months for Expatriates.

C. Likely COREN P.I. interview questions

Knowledge of likely questions one would expect in the interview is paramount to enable one prepare ahead of time. If one is knowledgeable in his field of engineering and understands his practice, there is nothing to fear about the interview. However, to dowse the tension that usually follow prior to the interview, I present here some likely questions one may expect in the field of civil engineering during the interview.

1. What is would be your contribution to COREN?

2. What Engineering bodies do you belong to?

3. If you have a stubborn consultant that is not forthcoming, how would you handle him. (Tip: for a stubborn consultant, find out why he is not forthcoming by holding a meeting between the client, the consultant and yourself, try to resolve the issues. Suggest solutions on how you would want to meet up lost time as a result of the delay from the consultant)

4. Differentiate between civil/structural engineer and a builder.

5. How would you successfully take over a project that has issues between the client and the former engineer?

6. Differentiate between NSE and COREN

7. Enumerate and briefly highlight the following:

• Ten most significant properties of construction materials
• The different classes of wastes
• The different resources necessary for carrying out a maintenance work

8. Identify and differentiate the gap between academic training of an engineer in the university and industrial practice in Nigeria

9. Define the different mix designs commonly used in building structures and indicate where they are appropriately applied

10. Professional ethics attracts a lot of attention by COREN

• Explain your understanding of professional ethics.
• Two models of professionalism are often mentioned, briefly discuss the models and state the model the engineer should be more concerned with.

11. What is the role of civil engineers in the present state of building collapse in Nigeria?

12. Foundation elements are those structural elements that transmit loads from the structure safely to the subsoil below them. Sketch and write short notes on any four (4) types of these elements as used in buildings

13. Damp Proof Course (DPC) is common feature in construction of buildings. Use a sentence each to explain any four reasons why it is usually provided.

14. As an engineer, don’t you think that jack of all trades will affect the project stages?

15. List four benefits of estimation. What is the full meaning of BEME? Sketch 3-bedroom bungalow and provide the BEME of the sub-structure of the building.

16. Discuss the characteristics of project teams that runs civil engineering contracts

17. Discuss briefly about the following hydraulic structures: dams, spillways and penstocks.

18. Figure 1 shows a typical floor plan of a 4-storey office building

Questions

(i) Identify the main beams and secondary beams

(ii) Sketch the bending moment diagram of the sub-frame assuming the beams are carrying uniformly distributed loads. Only the shape is required, no calculations needed

(iii) Sketch the reinforcement details of the joint of the main beam and a column showing lap lengths and using Top and Btm to designate top and bottom bars. Assume reasonable bar sizes

D. Description of how to evaluate COREN Professional Interview

Typical example of COREN P.I. Evaluation sheet A for Engineer’s/Technologist’s Cadre is shown below:

1.  Candidate’s name…………………………………………………

2. Candidate ID No………………………………………………….

3. Qualification (s)…………………………………………………..

4. Cadre………………………………………………………………….

Apart from the data section above, other sections of the sheet are for scoring. It is made up of 6 sections

Section (i): Qualifications

Section (ii): Affiliation to approved professional bodies

• Graduate Engineer
• Graduate/Membership of professional bodies

Section (iii): Professional Experience

Minimum of four (4) years relevant work experience

Quality of work experience report

(i) Introduction (practice and understanding of Engineering)

(ii) Summary of work experience

(iii) Detail of work experience

• Feasibility study
• Design and preparation of detail drawings (ability to interpret/calculate/analyse the basic equipment/process parameters)

Section (iv)

• Preparation of BEME and tender documents
• Preparation of proposal to solicit funds
• Applications of Health, Safety and Environmental standards to the Area of Practice

(iv) Conclusion

(v) Endorsement

(vi) Appendices (relevant design calculations and drawings)

Written Examination

Section (v)     

• Engineer in Society
• Area of Specialization

Oral Interview

• Clarity of expression
• Performance of Technical Questions
• Has the Candidate Adequate Exposure in his chosen Field in the following areas [in section (vi)]

Section (vi) 

• Health, Safety and Environment
• Ethics and Relationship with Society
• Standards, Codes, Specifications, Manuals, Handbooks
• Current Affairs

Candidate must score a minimum of 50% in all sections while the pass mark for registration is 60%.

Thanks for reading!