OSPE - The Voice - Summer 2013 - (Page 19)

MAINTAINING AND ENhANCING OuR ENGINEERING CAPABILITY OSPE develops new report on Continuing Professional Development Ontario is currently the only Canadian jurisdiction that does not have a defined Continuing Professional Development (CPD) regime for its licensed professional engineers. In fact, eight of the provinces have mandatory CPD programs. OSPE has long supported the implementation of CPD requirements in Ontario that are mandatory, measurable, audited and subject to consequences for non-compliance. All Ontario engineers are legally and ethically obligated to maintain competency in order to continue to hold their P.Eng. licence. At the same time, OSPE remains concerned that, without a formal program in place, Ontario’s licensed engineers will not maintain the same level of credibility in the eyes of industry and the public compared with engineers in other provinces and territories that do have established programs. While establishing a CPD program for Ontario engineers is the responsibility of Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO), OSPE is working to ensure that effective programs are in place that consider the needs of the public and also support the interests of the engineering profession in Ontario. At this time, PEO has approved but has not yet implemented a mandatory annual declaration of competence, combined with voluntary reporting. In December 2012, OSPE’s Board of Directors formed a Continuing Education Working Group to study and recommend best CPD practices for professional engineers in Ontario. In May, the Working Group completed a draft report recommending a mandatory program based on the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) CPD program and compliant with guidance from Engineers Canada’s (EC’s) Canadian Framework for Licensure – Continuing Professional Development [R4]. The report also proposes the creation of a new PEO CPD Review Board that would administer the CPD Program, including an inspection program using random sampling methods. While APEGA’s CPD program serves as the model for many jurisdictions, the Working Group advises that some modifications be implemented to make the Ontario CPD program more flexible to better meet the needs of the individual licensees and their employers. OSPE also emphasizes the importance of developing a less onerous reporting process for both licensees and the regulator. To that end, the Working Group recommends that PEO make available to its members sample templates, spreadsheets and guidelines that allow individual licensees to self-assess their CPD needs, prepare a CPD Plan and track the status of the plan so that reporting, when requested by PEO, is both simple and timely. PEO’s current online tool for registering Professional Development Hours (PDHs), should be enhanced to allow data to be directly downloaded from the spreadsheet used by licence holders. As a member-driven organization, OSPE values the input of engineers on issues of importance to the profession. The Working Group made the draft CPD Report available to members and put out a call for comments on OSPE’s recommendations. The final report, including input from OSPE members, will be submitted by OSPE to Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) for consideration in developing a CPD program for Ontario. While a formal CPD program is yet to be introduced in Ontario, OSPE encourages all engineers to pursue lifelong learning and skills development. For details on OSPE’s broad range of professional development options, visit www.ospe.on.ca/pd. Join the conversation! If you have thoughts on a CPD Program for Ontario’s engineers, take part in the discussion via OSPE’s LinkedIn Group, or send an email to advocacy@ospe.on.ca. TheVoice Summer 2013 1 9 http://www.ospe.on.ca/pd

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of OSPE - The Voice - Summer 2013

OSPE - The Voice - Summer 2013
Contents
Viewpoint
Newsbytes
Anne Sado, P.Eng.
National Engineering Month Ontario 2013
Engaging Tomorrow’s Engineers
Student Ambassador Profile
Innovation
The OSPE Research and Innovation Guide
The Advocacy Agenda
Maintaining and Expanding Our Engineering Capability
Engineers as Leaders
Why Throw It Away?
Connecting with Queen’s Park
Can We Engineer Better Drivers?
Insuring Your Work
Closing the Gap
Bridging the Gap
Learn, Develop, Grow Your Career
Grow Your Engineering Team

OSPE - The Voice - Summer 2013