I too have been a member of APS for many years. I did take the exam and was successful (not difficult as it's open book and remote). My renewal is due end Oct 15 at an increased cost of £154.00. To your question..... Taking a two hour limited exam to demonstrate competence and understanding of a legislation and guidance (including a couple of other aspects of construction strategy etc.) is a curious approach. If IOSH adopted a similar process, we health and safety professionals would be taking exams multiple times a year! The weakness the APS has is its CPD process. Basically, have you done the required CPD this year yes or no? This is poor and, if was more robust, maybe there would be no need to demonstrate maintenance of skills and new professional skill via an examination process. There are a couple of reasons why I may renew my membership this year, however, I too am disillusioned with the APS. Simon

Andy If you became a member of organization that give you some things other than post nominal and magazine full of articles that you already knew, it worth's , otherwise just stick to your main membership club which is necessary as market required Regarding money generation, ever club should found a way to do that.. SHV

My opinoin is, it's just money making

Andy, I also jumped ship after being a member for the last 7 or 8 years. Other than the designatory letters (at the time), I never felt they provided me with much anyway!

The APS has positioned themselves as the "must have" accreditation to have following the CDM changes (rightly or wrongly), I too got the email stating my RMAPS had changed to IMAPS (I have sat the open book online exam), I'm lucky as I have a Design qualification and could possibly do the PD role, but decided to move away from the whole CDM 2015 as I believe it was rushed through, poorly written and full of holes, never been a lover of the APS. The APS didn't campaign hard enough to the HSE about the changes. I've never had my CPD checked by the APS. We are now in CDM 2015 land-and I am sure everyone is fully compliant (tongue firmly in cheek)

Simon, I did just that four years ago where I did a career review and planning exercise and I identified a gap in my competence portfolio for the technical aspect of construction, so I went down the Chartered MCIOB route. If this had happened earlier in my career, I would have probably gone down the RICS route. I was never comfortable with the conflicting aims of the APS and IOSH on construction (especially on the Chartered Membership issue) and now that my role has become more strategic and technical within my organisation the aims and the where the APS seem to be going appeared to be more remote.

On a broader issue on the CDM Regulations 2015, cost savings were meant to be made, I can't see how, every CDM company that didn't panic and fire all their CDM-Cs seem to be sitting pretty,a company I deal with have tripled their fees and doubled their workforce, and are still seeking to employ more ex CDM-Cs. They are undertaking the PD duty and Client Advisor side, I walked away namely because I could see the Regulations were a mess, but I am being offered obscene amounts of money to become a PD. What's going on?

Simon, I am also not happy about the new CMaPS designatory letters for Certified Members, as the C on designatory letters (in my mind) indicates a Chartered level of membership.