Competence and Professional Development

COMPETENCE AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Professional Expertise:

Nowadays science and technology progress at an unexpected speed. In our age, a subject learned at school or in any course becomes outdated more quickly. Schools are now teaching how to access knowledge, not just knowledge. The information that you think you can reach from internet can lead you to very wrong or very old information if you do not have the necessary background.

Considering the developments from medieval to renaissance and today, a scientist would be a specialist in medicine, biology and physics. There are dozens of examples of this in history. As science and technology develop, specialization differentiates and different professions are exist. At the point where we stand today, the phenomenon of distribution to different specialties in medicine has emerged in almost all professions. To give an example from our own industry, mining engineering education was first devoted to training in mining and mineral processing. Another step in this regard was that one of our universities separated Mineral Processing from Mining Engineering to Mineral Processing Engineering. We have seen this in the field of geology and hydrogeology as well. Later, even in other professions, it was seen that different specialties were formed. For example, for mining engineers, not only the Mining operator or the Mineral Processer, but also the expertise under these became sought. Employment of those who worked in the coal mining for many years in metal or marble enterprises became difficult. It became even more different for geology. While economic geology, which we call mining geology, and other geology branches were separated from each other more sharply, then new areas of expertise such as exploration, database management and resource estimation emerged based on mining concept.

In other words, completing undergraduate education or even having a master's degree does not mean that the Professional Development is completed, because professional development requires continuity.

Competence:

Requirements of being a professional member of YERMAM member are 7 years of actual experience in the field of professional expertise, her/his performance in professional development and the reference of two Professional Members. This shows that the Professional Development of the member has reached a sufficient level and can now be a candidate for UMREK Competence. However, continuity of professional development is expected from the professional member. If the UMREK Qualified Person does not collect a certain score by professional development every year, the Qualified Personality is suspended and canceled in its repetition. Regular payment of the membership fees is another important condition.

It will be beneficial to show the Professional development before being UMREK Qualified Person for the member and the professional member. This can be achieved by transferring the changes in her/his resume and professional development to the YERMAM database.

Professional Development:

Of course, undergraduate and postgraduate education is the main requirement of Professional Development. Graduation project presentation, graduate and doctorate dissertations/presentations, current internships during university education, graduation projects, research and reports for courses, get involved in R&D projects, participating in seminars, conferences, congresses, presentations for master and doctorate defenses, contributing to the professional activities of professional organizations with student member status will be among the activities carried out for Professional Development.

Stages such as doctorate, associate professorship and professorship are the academic side of Professional Development. At this stage, lectures, conducted projects, publications, organising of congresses and symposiums, mentoring activities for students, being a PhD and senior academic consultant are the first things that come to mind. It is possible to add dozens of items to this.

The necessity for contunity of Professional Development after formal education is accepted by everyone. As your needs arise in the field you want to work in, many different courses such as computer and diction courses come to the fore. In fact, even the driver's license course can be considered as an indicator for Professional Development. Because today it is very difficult to employ a professional who does not have a license and does not drive actively. Nowadays, there is no area left where the computer, especially Office programmes, geographical information systems applications and many different programsa re not used. Improvement of computer skills is another necessity.

Professional development is not limited with the education received, the master's degree, attening the paid and/or free of charge seminars/courses. A published review, article, booklet, and a prepared brochure will also be an activity demonstrating professional development. This does not necessarily have to be a journal registered in "Scientific indexes" with a higher continuous professional development score. For example, even a magazine addressing the earth sciences and mining industry or an article to be published in a popular magazine related to the subject will be part of professional development.

The practice of mentoring is also professional development, which is widespread in international, especially developed countries, is one of the important and useful activities. The professional member of YERMAM or UMREK Qualified Person guiding the student or young friend who loves her/his profession, guiding their professional development, should be considered as one of the activities that deserve the highest scores in Professional Development.

In business life, when it comes to professional development, it should not come to mind to attend a training or a seminar. Attending a business meeting, reading a professional magazine or book, or joining committee meeting will be examples of professional development activities. There are graphs explaining "professional development" activities in international norms.

The role of social life and hobbies in professional development, even the hobbies of earth science professionals related to their profession or expertise can be a part of professional development. For example, hobbies such as taking photographs, painting, trekking in mining fields, collecting semi-precious stones, or collecting crystal and mineral flakes, objects, old photographs, collecting, reading, researching documents related to mining and holding an exhibition with all these stuffs, also visiting such an exhibitioncan be considered as part of the professional development of a professional. Films and other performing arts, literary books, and monographs on mining will also be part of this activity. Visiting MTA and Zonguldak Mining Museums, visiting fairs and exhibitions should not only be considered as leisure entertainment, but also the time spent here should be considered as a part of continuous professional development.

Resume and Other Documents of Professional Developments

For YERMAM Professional Membership, what is expected from the applicant is not an ordinary job application or a resume (CV) and documents prepared for YERMAM membership. There should be a comprehensive narrative containing information and documents that will show and prove the competence that the member will have in the UMREK Qualified Person to be nominated. The curriculum vitae should clearly show that the candidate is open to professional development and that she/he is continuously developing professionally. The information to be provided in the detailed CV can be:

Affiliated Institutions:

  • Society,
  • Union,
  • Non-Governmental Organization (NGO),
  • Platform,
  • Commission,
  • Committee
  • Student club,

Activities Participated (as Student, Listener, Speaker, Organizer):

  • Education (University and academic),
  • Seminar,
  • Course (foreign language, computer, diction, personal development, driver's license etc.),
  • Symposium,
  • Conference,
  • Congress,
  • General Assembly,
  • Open Session,
  • Professional Meeting,
  • Workshop,
  • Forum,
  • Committee meeting.

Documents to be attached can be:

  • Diploma,
  • Graduation document,
  • Transcript,
  • Certificate (issued by Ministry or an approved institution)
  • Prize
  • Driving license,
  • Certificate of participation,
  • Membership Certificate or Membership Admission Letter,
  • Meeting Attendance List (attendance report),
  • Proceedings/Meeting Records (Shows attendance at the meeting),
  • Letter of Appreciation,
  • A news or evaluation letter published in the press or media about herself/himself and/or her/his project,
  • Ticket,
  • Invitation letter,
  • Prepared for her/his expertise
    • Book,
    • Report,
    • Statement of opinion,
    • Project (with reserving the privacy policy of the project and / or its owner),
    • Feasibility,
    • Mineral Exploration Results, Resource or Reserve Reports,
    • Paper,
    • Article,
    • Meeting note or minutes.