ASET Technology Alberta Summer 2021 - 7

Message from the President
Kevin Whelan,
C.E.T., PMP®, CACE, CSM®
For the members finding themselves in mid-career and
wondering how they can transition to supervisory or management
roles, ASET has partnered with NAIT and SAIT to
provide specialized management for technology certificates
exclusive to ASET members. That education can give our
members the skills required to move into leadership roles.
IT IS INCREDIBLE THAT SO MUCH CHANGE can
be packed into such a short period of time. This is truly an
astonishing time for all of us.
The events since March 2020 have affected us all in many ways.
It has been a year of extremes. Of struggles and triumphs.
It has demonstrated that we don't always have to be in the
office to perform our work and perform it well. It has also
demonstrated how important those personal relationships
we build at work truly are.
It has proven that education can be effectively delivered in an
online environment. It has also highlighted how much further
we need to go to truly replicate a classroom setting.
It has shown us how quickly things can spiral out of control
in a pandemic - what can happen when we work at odds
with each other. It has also helped us see the strength and
resilience of Albertans and Canadians when we decide to
put aside our differences and work together.
And if the last 14 months have demonstrated anything to us,
it's that we as a society have a deep and thorough reliance
on technology. It's a good thing Alberta is well stocked with
so many skilled and committed technology professionals. We
are and continue to be capable of great things.
There has been a lot of negativity over the last year, so I
have decided to counter that trend and speak from the positive
perspective. Quite frankly, we have seen a lot of things
that ASET members can feel positive about.
Technicians and technologists have a great many transferable
skills. We in Alberta are at a crossroads between old
technologies and new. While one industry begins to slow,
we find ways to bring other industries in. In recent months,
there have been many film and technology companies moving
into the province. All of these require the skills that ASET
members possess. Biotech, renewable energy and hydrogen
processing industries are also in a growth phase.
In the interest of all ASET members, we have kept working
closely with the Alberta Government in continuing discussions
regarding the modernization of the Engineering and
Geoscience Professions Act (Act). We can all agree that the
Act needs to be brought into the 21st century. Engineering
as we know it is not the same as it was 100 years ago.
The role of a technologist as well is not what it was 60 years
ago. The needs of public safety are paramount. Not having
defined practice rights allows anyone to call themselves
a technologist without having gone through the rigour of
exams, competence assessments or indeed even formal
schooling. This presents a danger to the public that cannot
be left unaddressed.
The Mount Polley Mine disaster in British Columbia triggered
monumental change in that province. The result was
a recognition of the need to have practice rights for all regulated
professions, leading to the Professional Governance
Act. It took effect in February 2021. We expect that our government
will not wait for such a monumentally destructive
event before taking action. I continue to meet with the minister
of labour and immigration, as well as our CEO Barry
Cavanaugh, and I will be participating in current meetings
to determine the future of regulated professions in Alberta.
I am feeling immensely positive that these talks will result
in something that will benefit all ASET members as well as
the general public. I know I would be able to sleep better as
a result.
Many thanks to our members, the ASET staff and ASET
Council. There are so many positive things that occur in this
province, and a good deal of them are due to the hard work
and dedication of all of you.
Hopefully by the fall we can have some in-person events
again. I am very much looking forward to that. Until then,
let's all take care of each other, and we'll get through this
tough spot like we always do. We'll be better and stronger
together on the other side.
TECHNOLOGY ALBERTA | SUMMER 2021 | 7
ASET Technology Alberta Summer 2021

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