Paul Harmer and Tim Sainty of The Chartered Institute of Plumbing & Heating Engineering (CIPHE) spoke to HVP about the Institute's commitment to its members, and the changes they have made since commencing their roles in 2016 and early 2017, respectively.

Founded in 1906, the CIPHE brings strong manufacturer ties and the expertise of industry specialists and its members to help change policy for the better, encouraging safer workmanship to protect the public.

Technical Director Paul Harmer leads a variety of the CIPHE's SmartTalk and TechTalk educational videos, which explore technical, installation, maintenance and servicing queries. This is in addition to overseeing the CIPHE's creation of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) materials and resources.

Paul explained: "I have lived and breathed this industry for the last 24 years, from my humble but very rewarding beginnings as a plumbing and heating apprentice, to contracting roles where installation, maintenance and servicing was part and parcel of my every day. I then gained valuable experience working with manufacturers across Europe, Australia and Canada before going on to develop a range of plumbing and heating industry relevant products.

"My experiences over the years have equipped me to help and advise others on a wide variety of topics, including Intellectual Property Law and compliancy which is covered in a recent SmartTalk for the CIPHE. Continuing Professional Development is something I place great value on, and I was delighted to achieve Chartered Engineer status earlier in 2017 as evidence of this. Sharing knowledge and best practice through the CIPHE is something I take pride in and want to pass on to others."

Likewise, as Head of Membership Tim ensures that both new and prospective members are encouraged to get the most out of the CIPHE. He explained: "I work closely with Paul to ensure members have the right benefits and, importantly, get the support they need – be it technical or to help in their professional lives.

"I work directly with members to understand their needs and, where necessary, make change happen in order to deliver it. Sometimes change can come quickly and sometimes it will take time, and a big part of things to come will be to redevelop the CIPHE's website and online resources. Meanwhile, we continue to work behind the scenes to further the digital program we have in the pipeline, which will be of huge benefit to the CPD of our members once it is officially launched."

For more information, contact the membership team on 01708 472791.

Pictured: Tim Sainty, Head of Membership at CIPHE.