The qualities required by a Professional Engineer can best be developed and attained by graduates who have thoroughly integrated their theoretical knowledge with the practical skills required to apply that knowledge.

Training is an essential element in the development of a professional engineer, it is a period of acquiring knowledge, skills and attitudes of a practical nature which can be learned only in an industrial or commercial environment, and are complementary to those acquired during a degree course or equivalent.

The overall aim is to foster the development in areas required by a professional engineer covering:

It is expected that in later life he/ she will be better able to undertake engineering projects as a Professional Engineer with due regard to technical, economic, financial, environmental, social and other relevant factors.

Graduate training emphases on “Learning-by-Experience”as a natural progression in graduates education. The 'real' (company) work helps ensure that the training experiences are relevant and that the graduates quickly become an active part of the 'production' process, while maintaining a balance between commercial (company) interests and the relevant Training Content.

The learning gained through practical experiences needs to be reinforced by other methods of learning such as by self-study; attending seminars and lectures.
Much of this form of learning will be of a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) nature and should, in general, be of a self-motivated kind.