Professional Renewal Task Force Recommendations
The Professional Renewal Task Force (PRTF) was established to examine APEGBC's processes with the goal of ensuring they function in the public interest and are consistent with the best practices of self-regulatory bodies. APEGBC's Practice Review and Continuing Professional Development programs were recently reviewed by the task force, and the following recommendations of the task force were supported by Council at their March 13 meeting.
Practice Review
The task force recognized that there are two fundamental influences on the practice of professional engineering and geoscience in the province of British Columbia - the practice of individual members under the Engineers and Geoscientists Act, Bylaws and Code of Ethics, and the policies and procedures of organizations that offer engineering and geoscience services and products to the public. As such, recommendations were made to Council to better support both the individual practitioner and the organization they work for.
Individual Level: Council supported the PRTF's recommendation that the practice review program continue to be enhanced to focus on its role as a professional development tool. Furthermore, to improve the risk-based approach used for conducting individual practice reviews, primary focus will be placed on the demographic profile within various fields of practice that are in the greatest need of practice support. Council also confirmed that members who undergo an individual practice review will receive CPD credits.
Organizational Level: Support to organizations that provide engineering and geoscience services and products would occur through a voluntary professional risk management and quality assurance program. By becoming involved in this program, organizations will be able to better support their member employees in meeting their requirements under the Engineers and Geoscientists Act in areas such as field review, use of seal, concept review, and direct supervision. Organizations will have the flexibility to adopt APEGBC's professional risk management and quality assurance guidelines or to develop their own policies and procedures consistent with APEGBC's guidelines. Where an organization's professional risk management and quality assurance procedures are consistent with the Engineers and Geoscientists Act and Bylaws, a certificate of recognition would be issued by APEGBC. This aspect of the practice review program will be voluntary and carried out on a cost recovery basis.
For more information, contact Peter Mitchell, Director, Professional Standards and Development, at pmitchell@apeg.bc.ca.
Continuing Professional Development
Professional development is a necessary component of a professional's practice. As well as technical updating, professional development also includes development of other skills that benefit a member's current practice, such as leadership or managerial training.
Currently, APEGBC has a voluntary program where minimum activity levels are recommended and members are given an opportunity to report whether they are meeting these minimum levels. In 2008, 40.9% of members reported they are working toward compliance with the CPD Guideline.
The Continuing Professional Development Proposition, as approved by the PRTF, reads:
Develop mechanisms that ensure members remain competent, current and safe practitioners and through which members and the Association can demonstrate to the public, members and other professions, members' commitment to professional development.
Based on this proposition, staff provided the PRTF with four potential options, and the PRTF made their recommendation to Council at the March meeting. Council passed the recommended motion to support the implementation of a Mandatory Compliance with Guideline, Mandatory Reporting program.
APEGBC's current guideline will undergo revision in order to make it more flexible and user-friendly. Council directed that staff draft a bylaw to implement a mandatory CPD program for Council approval and member ratification. This program would include a minimum activity level and required reporting. Further program details will be made available before members are asked to vote on this issue.
For more information, contact Janet Sinclair, Director, Communications & Engagement, at jsinclair@apeg.bc.ca.