OSPE - The Voice - Fall 2012 - (Page 22)

AdVOCACy IN ACTION CONTINuING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: MANDATORY OR NOT? Canadian Framework for Licensure promotes formal approach to lifelong learning for engineers By Lee Weissling As reported in the Fall 2011 edition of The Voice, Canada’s 12 engineering regulatory bodies have undertaken to develop a Canadian Framework for Licensure that seeks to standardize elements of licensure nationally, resulting in enhanced mobility through uniform qualifications recognition, admissions, and discipline and enforcement procedures. One element under consideration is the role of Continuing Professional Development (CPD). As of June 2012, all regulators nationwide, including Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO), have concurred with adding a requirement to participate in measurable CPD, with consequences for non-compliance. In Ontario, Reg. 941/90 of the Professional Engineers Act stipulates that: It is the duty of a practitioner... to act at all times with... iv. knowledge of developments in the area of professional engineering relevant to any services that are undertaken, and v. competence in the performance of any professional engineering services that are undertaken. Engineers Canada, in its Guideline on Continuing Professional Development and Continuing Competencies for Professional Engineers (2004) further states, “if professional engineers are to maximize their potential for lifetime employability and to fulfill the social contract as members of the self-regulated engineering profession, it is essential to maintain high levels of competence by continually improving knowledge and skills.” The Framework defines competencies as “integrated clusters of knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to perform a task... at a prescribed proficiency level to meet a defined requirement.” Currently, Ontario is the only Canadian jurisdiction without clear criteria outlining exactly how a professional engineer maintains these competencies. At this time, PEO does not have a CPD requirement. Instead the regulator has approved but not yet implemented a mandatory annual declaration of competence combined with voluntary reporting. While Ontario engineers are legally and ethically obligated to maintain competency in order to hold a P.Eng. licence, PEO’s concurrence with the CPD element of the Canadian Framework indicates that Ontario’s regulator supports main2 2 TheVoice Fall 2012 taining competencies in a more formal manner. Whether CPD will be deemed mandatory for Ontario licensees in the near term remains to be seen. Without stringent and specific CPD guidelines and requirements, there is some danger that Ontario engineers and engineering companies may be hindered in gaining the public confidence they deserve. They may also find themselves at a competitive disadvantage when bidding on projects nationally and internationally. Right now all Canadian regulators have either mandatory CPD or stringent reporting requirements, with only Ontario taking a strictly voluntary approach. In the November/December 2011 issue of Engineering Dimensions, PEO stated that reservations on compulsory CPD are based on “the fact that not all licence holders actually practise engineering in their careers, making a requirement for all to demonstrate their professional development activities counterproductive.” Other Canadian regulators, such as the Alberta Professional Engineers and Geoscientists Association (APEGA), have addressed this concern by offering exemptions for licence holders who do not practise engineering. Mandatory CPD has been a requirement for licensure in Alberta since 1997. Many other regulatory bodies nationwide have modelled their CPD requirements on APEGA’s approach. The full implementation of the CPD element of the Canadian Framework will likely encourage PEO to address the issue of formulating clear criteria in this area. For its part, OSPE concurs with the Engineers Canada statement in the Canadian Framework for Licensure CPD Guiding Principles and Research: “It is… increasingly important that the engineering regulators not only work to protect the public, but also ensure that they are seen to be protecting the public.” OSPE believes that all professional engineers can benefit from lifelong learning within a professional context. In its response to PEO’s call for input on the Canadian Framework for Licensure, OSPE voiced clear support for the implementation of professional development requirements that are mandatory, measurable, audited and subject to consequences for non-compliance. OSPE will continue to take part in PEO consultations on CPD guidelines that will benefit Ontario engineers and conform to national standards. Lee Weissling is OSPE’s Advocacy Development Officer. He can be reached at lweissling@ospe.on.ca.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of OSPE - The Voice - Fall 2012

OSPE - The Voice - Fall 2012
Contents
Viewpoint
Newsbytes
A Great Day on the Green
Don’t Miss the 65th OPEA Gala
Engaging Tomorrow’s Engineers
Renaissance Plan
The Business End of Engineering
Profile: Pierre Lassonde, P.Eng.
Continuing Professional Development: Mandatory or Not?
PAN Expands Outreach to Ottawa
BIG Engineering
You’ve just had an auto accident. Now what?
Ask the Expert: Facing a Complaint
Keep Yourself Covered
What’s 2 + 2? Depends Who’s Answering!
Custom-built Learning for Engineers
Coming Up

OSPE - The Voice - Fall 2012