Report from the Road
In January and February, APEGS staff and volunteers from the Experience Review Committee and Professional Development Committee hit the road in all corners of the province to meet with members and present proposed changes to experience reporting for Engineers-in-Training and to the Continuing Professional Development Program. Five Town Hall meetings were held, attended by over 300 members, and nine are planned for March.
Amendments to the Regulatory Bylaws were unanimously passed by Council on February 2, 2018 and now must be “confirmed, varied or revoked” by membership attending the May 5, 2018 Annual Meeting in Saskatoon. Details on the bylaw revisions will be included in the Notice of Annual Meeting being mailed to all members in early April.
Competency Based Assessment (CBA)
Highlights of proposed changes:
What constitutes acceptable engineering experience is not changing; we are simply better defining it.
A more quantitative, precise, objective, transparent, consistent measuring system:
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.
Why the changes to experience reporting are important:
The changes increase the confidence of all who participate in the process: applicants, validators, employers and assessors on the Experience Review Committee.
Applicants will know better what is expected of them:
Prior to being granted a licence, an engineering applicant must demonstrate their ability to practice engineering.
The onus is on the applicant to provide evidence that they possess, through experience, a satisfactory capability to practise engineering at a professional level.
We heard an overwhelmingly positive response:
Attendees acknowledged that experience reporting requirements are better explained.
Attendees appreciated the research and background materials provided in support of the changes.
At the Town Halls we have received great questions for clarification and they have been posted to the APEGS website as shown below.
Continuing Professional Development Program
Highlights of proposed changes:
Requirement to report continuing professional development with an annual review for compliance.
Requirement for annual ethics training.
Simplification of credit reporting and banking of excess credits.
Opportunity to apply for a variation in program requirements.
Why required reporting is important:
The Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act and The Engineering and Geoscience Regulatory Bylawsrequire that members remain competent to safeguard public interest.
In administering the Act and Bylaws, APEGS has an obligation to ensure the professional competence of members.
Requiring members to report their professional development and reviewing reporting for compliance demonstrates accountability by APEGS as a regulator as well as accountability of members to remain competent.
With increased public scrutiny of self-regulating professions, requiring members to report helps to increase public trust in APEGS and its members.
We heard an overwhelmingly positive response:
Attendees acknowledged that required reporting is needed to protect the integrity of the professions.
Attendees appreciated the research and background materials provided in support of the changes.
Attendees appreciated the flexibility of the program to meet their personal needs.