21st April 2009, 11:07 AM
Quote:quote:Originally posted by Oxbeast
RICS have a number of defined 'pathways' to chartered status, and something like 40 different specialisms which chartered status can be awarded to, similar to the more diverse roles that oldgirl mentions above. Requiring someone to be MIfA is not really valid, because if that is all you ask, you still don't know if the person has the skills and experience to do the job. You might be specifying building recording or complex excavation and the person got their MIfA for illustration or publication management or something. Perhaps the advert should have been worded somethign like 'the contractor should have a demonstrable record of suitable skills and experience, of which membership of the IfA can form a part', or something a bit better worded than that.
I agree that this would be a better wording if the MIfA bit was in order to demonstrate that the task would be undertaken effectively and appropriately.
Just to open another can of worms, however, it may be that corporate membership of the IfA was specified because the Code of Conduct specifically states that you should not undertake work for which you do not have the appropriate expertise. therefore if you're a corporate member and you do, a complaint can be made and a disciplinary charge brought. If you are a member you have voluntarily signed up to the codes of conduct and the standards and guidance. If you aren't you may well still abide by them (our genial host has always said that, for example) but you have to specifically state that in order for anyone else to know.
And finally (I promise) - if anyone taking on a contractor/sub-contractor of any sort is ISO 9000 registered, they have to demonstrate that they have made an effort to ensure that the organisation they are using is committed to an equally high level of quality assurance. Having officially signed up to something with codes and standards makes it easier to demonstrate that.
(BTW, please don't take this to mean that I am saying that the original brief is correctly worded, I'm not a lawyer. My understanding has always been that, mostly for the reasons given above, you could say that membership 'or similar experience' was required.)