By Tina Maki, P.Eng., FEC, FGC(Hon.), Director of Special Projects
Prior to being granted a licence, an engineering applicant must demonstrate his or her ability to practise engineering. The onus is on applicants to provide evidence that they possess, through experience, a satisfactory capability to practise engineering at a professional level.
Introduction
Many of Canada’s engineering regulators have implemented or are moving toward competency-based assessment of engineering experience. To this end, a multi-year, pan-Canadian competency-based assessment project has been undertaken with participation from engineering regulators in several provinces. In the current phase of this project, the online competency assessment system developed by Engineers & Geoscientists BC is being adapted for use by other regulators in Canada.
APEGS Council proposes to adopt this new experience assessment system, effective January 1, 2019. It will apply to Professional Engineer applicants to APEGS (i.e. Engineers-In-Training). All requirements remain the same, including four years of experience, at least one year of experience in a Canadian or equivalent-to-Canadian environment, and the possibility to count up to one year of pre-grad experience for eligible applicants, as well as the others that are currently in place.
Note that competency-based assessment for geoscience experience is under development in a separate project and its implementation is being planned for the future.
Benefits of Competency-Based Assessment
Competencies are observable and measurable skills, knowledge, abilities, motivations or traits required for professional registration that are demonstrated through the actions and behaviours of the applicant. The competency-based assessment system permits a more quantitative assessment of applicants, using a more precise measuring system than the current APEGS experience review guidelines. It is a more explicitly described and defined measurement tool to assess readiness for licensure. What constitutes acceptable engineering experience is not changing; we are better defining it. It makes the assessment more objective, transparent and consistent and increases the confidence of all who participate in the process including applicants, validators, employers and assessors on the Experience Review Committee.
Description of the Competency-Based Assessment Framework
The competency assessment framework makes use of seven Competency Categories, which are groupings of a total of 34 competencies or skills:
• Technical competence [10 competencies]
• Communication [three competencies]
• Project and financial management [five competencies]
• Team effectiveness [two competencies]
• Professional accountability [six competencies]
• Social, economic, environmental and sustainability [five competencies]
• Personal continuing professional development (CPD) [three competencies]
The seven categories represent the areas in which Professional Engineers of all disciplines must be competent to ensure effective practice and public safety. Each Competency Category contains a list of the key competencies required in that area. The complete details are posted to the APEGS website under Members, Competency-Based Assessment.
Achievement of each category is measured through a Competency Rating Scale that outlines six different levels of competence (0-5). A successful candidate must meet each of the competencies in each category at a minimum level of 1 on the Competency Rating Scale, while achieving the required minimum category average “entry to practice” rating level of 2 or 3, depending on the category.
Online Submission
The use of an online competency assessment process enables applicants to easily report and their validators to validate their engineering experience from anywhere in the world (keeping in mind that a minimum of one year of Canadian or equivalent-to-Canadian experience is still required). Applicants, validators and assessors are provided with a personal login and once an applicant has completed his or her competency entries, the applicable validators are automatically notified when the competencies that pertain to them are ready to validate.
For a complete description of the online submission process, refer to the APEGS website under Members, Competency-Based Assessment.
Timeline and Next Steps
February 2, 2018: Council will finalize the competency-based assessment written material:
• The necessary revisions to the Bylaws to accommodate these changes
• Competency Assessment Guide for Applicants, Validators and Assessors
• Competency-Based Assessment Value Analysis
The bylaw change details will be provided to the membership with the Annual Meeting notice package. As well, the current draft of these documents is posted on the APEGS website under Members, Competency-Based Assessment.
May 5, 2018: At the Annual Meeting, APEGS membership ratifies Council’s recommendation to switch to competency-based assessment.
September 2018 (approximately): Ministerial approval of bylaw changes.
January 1, 2019: Competency-based assessment of engineering experience comes into effect.
Transition from the Current Experience Reporting System
Current Engineers-In-Training who have submitted one or more experience reports by January 1, 2019 using the current system can continue in the current system if they wish. However, they are encouraged and invited to switch to the online competency assessment system when it comes into effect.
Current Engineers-In-Training who have not submitted any experience reports by January 1, 2019 as well as newly approved Engineers-In-Training as of January 1, 2019 will use the new online competency-based assessment system.
Questions and Feedback Requested
More details on these proposed changes are posted to the APEGS website under Members, Competency-Based Assessment.
Starting in January 2018, APEGS staff will be touring the province and facilitating Town Hall meetings at a variety of locations to present and discuss these changes with the membership (as well as the proposed changes to CPD reporting). To register, please refer to the APEGS website, www.apegs.ca, for details on locations and times.
Your feedback and questions are requested. You may do so by attending one of the Town Hall meetings or by contacting Tina Maki, P.Eng., Director of Special Projects, at 306-525-9547 or toll free North America 1-800-500-9547 or tmaki@apegs.ca.
Announcing APEGS Town Hall Meetings
APEGS Council has approved proposed changes to the Continuing Professional Development Program and to the Engineer-In-Training experience reporting process to online competency-based assessment. These enhancements require changes to the Regulatory Bylaws that must be ratified by the members present at the 2018 Annual Business Meeting. Come out and learn more about the proposed changes and what they mean to you!
• Jan. 22 (evening) – Yorkton
• Jan. 24 (evening) – Moose Jaw
• Feb. 12 (evening) – Humboldt
• Feb. 13 (lunch) – Saskatoon
• Feb. 13 (evening) – Saskatoon
• Feb. 14 (lunch) – Kindersley
• Mar. 5 (evening) – Swift Current
• Mar. 6 (lunch) – Coronach
• Mar. 6 (evening) – Estevan
• Mar. 7 (lunch) – Weyburn
• Mar. 13 (lunch) – Regina
• Mar. 13 (evening) – Regina
• Mar. 19 (evening) – Prince Albert
• Mar. 20 (evening) – Lloydminster
• Mar. 21 (lunch) – North Battleford
A light meal will be provided at all meetings. To register, log on to your online profile on the APEGS website and select the Town Hall you wish to attend under the “Meetings” tab. Details on the times and locations can be found on the APEGS website.