National guideline on assessing engineering work experience

Transcription

1 National guideline on assessing engineering work experience National guideline

2 Notice In Canada, engineering is regulated under provincial and territorial law by the engineering regulators. Engineers Canada has no authority to regulate the practice of engineering. This document was developed in collaboration with the provincial and territorial regulators for their use. For more information about the regulation of the practice of engineering in a Canadian jurisdiction, and for specific rules and regulations that apply to you, please contact the engineering regulator in the province or territory where you intend to practice. About this Guideline This National guideline provides guidance to regulators and was prepared by the Qualifications Board (QB), in consultation with them. Readers are encouraged to consult their regulator s related acts, regulations and by-laws in conjunction with this Guideline. About Engineers Canada Engineers Canada is the national organization of the provincial and territorial associations that regulate the practice of engineering in Canada and license the country's 290,000 members of the engineering profession. About the Qualifications Board The QB is a committee of the Engineers Canada Board and is a volunteer-based organization that provides national leadership and recommendations to regulators on the practice of engineering in Canada by;» developing new national guidelines on admission, training, practice and new areas of practice in Canada as well as maintaining the existing national guidelines and model guides;» developing and maintaining syllabi for the assessment of international engineering graduates;» organizing national events where professionals in similar areas of work can share information on similar issues as well best practices; and» conducting research, monitoring and providing advice on key issues and trends for Engineers Canada and the Regulators. 1 Purpose and objectives The purpose of this guideline is to articulate the mechanisms the regulators may use in assessing engineering work experience of an applicant [1] for registration. The specific objectives of this guideline are:» To guide the regulators that regulate engineering in assessing engineering work experience.» To provide the applicants for registration an understanding of how their engineering work experience will be assessed. 2 Introduction Provincial/territorial legislation requires individuals who practice engineering in each jurisdiction to be registered by the appropriate engineering regulator. To be registered, applicants must:» Be academically qualified» Have obtained sufficient acceptable engineering work experience in their areas of qualification» Have an understanding of local practices and conditions» Be competent in the language of their jurisdiction of practice» Be of good character» Demonstrate an understanding of professional practice, legal and ethics issues through the passing of the professional practice examination (PPE). Once the academic qualifications have been obtained, the remaining requirements (with the possible exception of language competency) are met during a period of time in which the applicant should be an Engineer-in-Training; (see the National guideline for engineer-in-training program). It is during this time period that the Engineer-in-Training develops the skills, competencies and maturity that are required for independent practice as a professional engineer. It is also during this period that the applicant for registration gains most of the engineering work experience to satisfy the experience requirement for 2

3 registration as illustrated in Figure 1. While gaining experience as an Engineer-in-Training is not a requirement, it is recommended. In some jurisdictions, the Canadian experience must be obtained while registered as an Engineer-in-Training. This guideline will provide direction on how engineering work experience should be reported, assessed and credited. A minimum of four years of acceptable engineering work experience, including at least one year in a Canadian environment (see section 4.5.2), is required. The Canadian environment requirement is to ensure that the applicant has the knowledge required to practice as a professional engineer in Canada. The National guideline on admission to the practice of engineering in Canada (currently under review) defines acceptable engineering work experience as:» comprising the practice of professional engineering» being normally consistent with the field of academic qualification» being current» including the application of theory» including exposure to the broad areas of practical experience, management, communication, and the social implications of engineering» demonstrating progression and growth» being normally obtained following academic qualification (with exceptional pre-graduation experience limited to one year)» being normally obtained under the guidance and supervision of a professional engineer» being normally recorded and/or reported to the respective regulator All engineering work experience will be evaluated against these criteria. No experience will be automatically credited or discounted. Figure 1 Work Experience in Relation to the Registration Process 3 Assessment process General information about assessment of work experience The assessment process for engineering work experience should have as its outcome a reliable and consistent weighing of the suitability, both in quality and in duration of an individual s work experience as it pertains to qualification for registration as a professional engineer. Assessment processes can vary from one constituent member to another, depending on the structure and policies of councils, committees and staff. Although this guideline generally addresses work experience, many regulators include in their experience evaluation, other types of experience which they feel are valid and contributory to the ultimate qualification of an engineer for registration. These 3

4 may include: Non-technical training or orientation, formal technical training, technical training in relevant non-engineering fields, activity in technical, technologist, or technical support roles, and others. For applicants whose work experience has been largely outside of Canada, the assessment process can differ from the process generally applied to applicants who have gained most of their experience in Canada. While the required elements of experience are identical, the assessment methodology can be affected by factors exacerbated by distance and language, or by full professional level mobility agreements, as a result it is reasonable that there may be different evaluation processes for these two cases. Where the assessment process begins early in the applicant s career, (as it can for applicants who work in Canada, or have become engineers-in-training shortly after graduating from university) there is a wider range of tools available for assessment. Periodic (e.g. annual or mid-term) reporting of experience, with feedback to the applicant, can be beneficial both for the engineer-in-training /applicant and for the assessment team. Officers responsible for assessment For most regulators, the work of assessment is, of necessity carried out by a professional engineer(s), who act as assessment officers on behalf of the regulators. These officers can be made up of both staff and/or volunteer members of the regulator. Training of assessment officers is essential in order to achieve fairness and consistency of evaluation. Although the officers are responsible for performing the assessment and making recommendations, the final decision on registration is made by the respective board of examiners/registration committee or council. Introduction and preparation of the applicant for assessment The probability of an expedited assessment with constructive feedback will be improved if an applicant provides all of the requested information and supporting documentation in the requested format and in a timely fashion. Use of an application kit which contains both clear statements of the submission requirements and clear definitions of what is acceptable and necessary experience help the applicant to prepare and submit the experience documentation. The outbound kit to applicants should clearly communicate the appropriate timing of when submissions should be made during the phases of the application process. In addition, there should be information for applicants available on the regulators website. Each jurisdiction should have staff dedicated to answering applicants questions regarding experience recording and reporting. Time and effort can be saved, both for the applicant and for the assessment officers if the requirements for experience reporting can be given well in advance of the first required reporting deadline. Information provided personally by staff should also be able to be easily found in the written documentation that explains the application requirements and process. Tools of the assessment process A combination of tools can assist in an expedited, but thorough and consistent assessment of experience. Tools for assessment may include:» Experience Diaries (discussed in detail in Section 5)» Supervisor Review - This would include meeting or corresponding with the applicant s supervisor plus a solicited or unsolicited submission from the supervisor. This tool is particularly useful if the applicant has not listed the supervisor as a reference.» Regular (monthly or quarterly) reports - These would be in addition to an experience diary, or might cover subjects or periods of time which the experience diary does not cover. Experience suggests that regular reports will likely not be made unless they are mandatory.» Work Experience Reporting Forms (hard copy and electronic, for submission by applicant and/or references) - The creation and use of experience reporting forms assures more consistency, and can make reporting easier for applicants.» The Registration Application Form» Mid-term Interview - Some regulators currently offer mid-term reviews, often conducted by professional engineers not directly connected with the applicant. If these are optional, the applicant can choose whether to have one or not. For engineers-intraining who have concerns about the experience they are gaining, a mid-term review can provide reassurance that they are on the right path, or can recommend changes to their training, which will lead to greater chance of a successful application.» Work Site Visit - The opportunity to have assessment officers see the applicant s work place, speak with the applicant in that 4

5 environment, and possibly speak to supervisors and peers at the same time, can help to confirm information submitted in the application.» Certification of workplace training programs - A program of evaluating, even informally, and certifying workplace training programs, can lead to streamlining of experience evaluation for applicants who gain their experience with such organizations. Establishing and maintaining a formal certification process represents a significant commitment of resources.» Work Project or Report Submission - A detailed submission by an applicant of one selected work project, or of a technical report for which the applicant is the primary author, will potentially allow the reviewers to understand more clearly both the level of responsibility which the applicant has gained, and the degree of technical difficulty involved in their work.» Reference questionnaire forms and references comments (discussed in detail in Section 7)» Final Interview (standard or optional) (discussed in detail in Section 6) Expected outcomes of assessment Ideally every applicant will have gained sufficient applicable experience, and will have documented it correctly before submitting an application for experience to be assessed. The number of first-time applicants who, as a result of inadequate experience are not granted registration on their first attempt and who submit additional documentation and are then registered, is an indicator of the success of the preparation and assessment process. This statistic should be tracked as it will suggest when improvements to the process are required. It will also provide an early warning when there have been changes in either the process itself or in the typical applicant profile. A second statistic which will provide indication of the effectiveness of the experience assessment and registration processes is the number of applicants who are unsuccessful with their first submission, and who never resubmit, or do not resubmit within a reasonable length of time. Feedback to the applicant Some regulators advise applicants that there will be no feedback on the experience submitted, nor even acknowledgement of receipt, unless the application is unsuccessful. This policy conserves staff resources and feedback regarding the evaluation probably has limited benefit for successful applicants. With some regulators this policy only applies to registration, not periodic reviews or mid-term interviews. It is recommended that applicants be advised of the approximate length of time it will take before they will be told whether their application is successful. Applicants are naturally anxious to know the progress of their application, as the outcome often has an impact on career and earnings. If a regulator becomes aware that a particular application will take significantly longer than originally anticipated to process, advice to the applicant is professional courtesy, and one which contributes to the applicant s opinion of the regulator. In the case of an experience assessment proceeding successfully, it is at the discretion of the regulator whether there is unsolicited feedback to the applicant. While frequent repetitive requests for status of the assessment is discouraged, reasonable contact by the applicant should be encouraged. An assessment of experience may result in acceptance of the experience as meeting the requirements for registration, the award of partial or no credit towards meeting the experience requirement for registration, or deferral of the review, pending receipt of further information. If the review is deferred or the application fails, clear feedback should be provided explaining where the application is deficient. This may be either documentation which the applicant has omitted, or an adjudicated deficiency in the experience gained. The feedback should inform the applicant why the experience was found to be inadequate and what steps he or she must take and over what time period, in order to be successful on re-application. Typically the following types of information are useful in terms of quality and quantity of experience:» Was the experience the right type, at the right level, properly supervised and documented, does it show the expected progression in complexity and level of individual responsibility?» Were there critical or essential components missing?» Has duration of experience been sufficient?» What further experience, action or documentation, specifically is required? In some situations, where a mentor is involved, additional feedback through the mentor to the applicant is helpful (for the definition of a mentor refer to the National guideline for engineer-in-training program). 5

6 Timeliness of feedback Providing proper and timely feedback to the applicant both inspires confidence that the assessment process is fair and professional, and contributes to the likelihood of success on the second try. Feedback on missing information or documentation should be given to the applicant within four weeks of submission. Advising the applicant of the acceptability of experience credentials should occur within eight weeks of submission of complete and final documentation. 4 Experience Components of acceptable work experience Work experience is an essential element in determining whether or not an individual is acceptable for professional registration (see section 3 of the Guideline on Admission to the Practice of Engineering in Canada). The responsibility for providing the proper environment, opportunities, range and progression of activities necessary to meet the work experience requirements rests with the employers of applicants, and the individuals who provide supervision during the internship period. Acceptable engineering work experience must include the application of theory and should provide exposure to, or experience in the following broad areas: practical experience, management, communication, and the social implications of engineering. Assessment of the acceptability of the work experience is based on the extent to which the applicant's experience includes these areas, each of which is outlined in the following sections. Application of theory The skilful application of theory is the hallmark of quality engineering work, and an applicant's experience shall include meaningful participation in one or more of the following: a. Analysis (for example: scope and operating conditions, feasibility assessment, safety and environmental issues, technology assessment, and economic assessment, etc.). b. Design and synthesis (for example: functionality or product specification, component selection, integration of components and sub-systems into larger systems, reliability and maintenance factors, human and environmental aspects, and the societal implications of the product or process, etc). c. Testing methods (for example: devising testing methodology and techniques, functional specification verification, and new product or technology commissioning and assessment, etc.). d. Implementation methods (for example: technology application, engineering cost studies, optimization techniques, process flow and time studies, quality assurance implementation, cost/benefit analysis, safety and environmental issues and recommendations, and maintenance and replacement evaluation, etc.). Practical experience Practical experience allows applicants to understand the practical limitations of real systems. Practical experience should include: a. Site visits to existing engineering works, with opportunities to see equipment and systems in both operational and maintenance circumstances. b. Application of equipment as part of the larger system, including, for example, the merits of reliability, the role of computer software, and understanding the end product or engineering work in relationship to the equipment. c. Opportunities to experience and understand the limitations of practical engineering and related human systems in achieving desired goals, including limitations of production methods, manufacturing tolerances, performance minima, maintenance philosophies, etc. d. Opportunities to experience the significance of time in the engineering process, including workflow, scheduling, equipment wear-out and replacement scheduling, etc. Management of engineering Management of engineering works includes the supervision of staff, project management, general exposure to an engineering business environment, and the management of technology. Engineering management includes: a. Planning, from conception through to implementation. This includes: needs assessment, concept development, assessment of resources required, and assessment of impacts, including societal and project implementation. b. Scheduling, from establishing interactions and constraints, developing activity or task schedules, and allocation of resources, through to the assessment of delay impacts and beyond to broader aspects, such as interactions with other projects and the marketplace. c. Budgeting, including the development of preliminary and detailed budgets, identifying labour, materials and overhead, risk analysis, life-cycle analysis, and tracking. d. Supervision, including leadership, professional conduct, organization of human resources, team building, and management of technology. e. Project control, including co-ordination of work phases, tracking and monitoring costs and progress, and implementing changes to reflect actual progress and needs. 6

7 f. Risk analysis related to operating equipment and system performance, product performance evaluation, and evaluation of societal and environmental impacts. Communication skills Developing and practising communication skills are an essential experience requirement. This applies to all areas of the work environment including communication with superiors, colleagues, regulators, clients, and the public. Applicants should have regular and progressive opportunities to participate in: a. Preparation of written work, including day-to-day correspondence, record- keeping, and report writing. b. Making oral reports or presentations to colleagues, supervisors, senior management, and an exposure to, or participation in, reports to clients and regulators. c. Making public presentations. Social implications of engineering The overriding objective of the social implications of engineering requirement is to provide experiences which increase awareness of an engineer's professional responsibility to guard against conditions dangerous or threatening to life, limb, property, or the environment, and to call any such conditions to the attention of those responsible. The social implications of engineering are an important aspect of the practice of engineering. The work environment should provide opportunities for applicants to heighten their awareness of the potential consequences of engineering work. This should include: a. a recognition of the value and benefits of the engineering works to the public b. an understanding of the safeguards required to protect the public and methods of mitigating adverse impacts c. an understanding of the relationship between the engineering activity and the public d. a demonstrated interest and involvement in the broader social implications of engineering e. an appreciation of the role of regulatory bodies on the practice of engineering f. an understanding of the provincial health and safety of the workplace legislation Pre-Graduation experience credit The following paramenters apply to applicants for registration applying for work experience credit for engineering work experience obtained prior to receiving an undergraduate degree in engineering:» Normally, up to one year of credit may be granted for experience gained prior to graduation.» The applicant should be directly supervised by a P.Eng. who has responsibility for control and conduct of the work.» Experience satisfies Qualifications Board criteria for acceptable engineering work experience.» Experience has been obtained following the completion of a significant portion of the bachelor level university program of study in engineering.» The job for which experience credit is being submitted is not less than three consecutive months in duration.» For examination candidates, the pre-academic qualification experience has been obtained following the completion of a significant portion of the syllabus requirements.» For confirmatory engineering examination candidates, the pre-academic qualification experience has been obtained following the completion of at least one-half of the undergraduate program coursework.» Experience is submitted in the format required by the regulator. Credit for pre-graduation experience and graduate studies should not exceed 75% of the experience required to obtain professional registration. Graduate studies credit The following parameters apply to applicants for registration applying for work experience credit for engineering work experience obtained while completing a graduate degree in engineering:» Satisfies Qualifications Board criteria for acceptable engineering work experience.» A substantial component of application of theory should be demonstrated in earning the degree. This is likely to occur when there is a strong research component involved.» Experience credit for graduate studies is not normally accepted as fulfilling the one-year of Canadian experience requirement.» The thesis/report abstract should be submitted in addition to the required documentation for consideration by the regulator.» Experience should be submitted in the format required by the regulator. The experience record is used to assess the 7

8 work experience, with the thesis abstract used as background information.» The following limits are suggested maximums when assessing graduate experience. Some regulators use the discretion of the assessment body for determining the maximum credit allowed:.» Maximum of one year experience credit for a master s degree Credit for pre-graduation experience and graduate studies toward the total experience required for the professional designation should not exceed 75% of the experience required to obtain professional qualification. Experience Evaluation for the Teaching of Engineering Subjects Generally, the teaching of engineering subjects that include significant engineering science and engineering design content is considered to be the practice of professional engineering, while the teaching of basic mathematics and science courses is not. Teaching community-college courses is not normally considered to be acceptable engineering work experience. If the teaching experience is gained while studying for a graduate degree, the teaching experience should not be used for both graduate studies credit and work experience credit. If it is being assessed it should be for credit in one category but not both. Post-Bachelors/Industrial experience Acceptable engineering work experience Upon graduation, applicants are expected to enrol in the engineer-in-training program (refer to the National guideline for engineer-in-training program) in their jurisdiction while fulfilling their work experience requirements. All engineering work experience should be evaluated against the Qualifications Board criteria for acceptable engineering work experience. Engineering experience obtained during post-graduate studies, while teaching engineering subjects, or sales, consulting, government, or any other engineering experience, should be evaluated against these criteria. Academic experience should not be either automatically granted or discounted. Acceptable engineering work experience: Canadian environment» Maximum of two years experience credit for a doctorate» Maximum total experience credit for graduate studies is for a time period up to 50% of the experience required to obtain professional qualification» Total experience credits awarded for postgraduate studies cannot exceed the time spent achieving the postgraduate degrees.» comprises the practice of professional engineering» is normally consistent with the field of academic qualification» is current» includes the application of theory» includes exposure to the broad areas of practical experience, management, communication, and the social implications of engineering» demonstrates progression and growth» is normally obtained following academic qualification» is normally obtained under the guidance and supervision of a professional engineer and,» is normally recorded and/or reported to the order. One year of an applicant s engineering work experience should be obtained in a Canadian environment under the direct supervision of a professional engineer, registered in a Canadian jurisdiction. This is to ensure that the applicant has had experience of a satisfactory depth and breadth and is familiar with the applicable Canadian engineering laws, practices, standards, customs, codes, conditions, climates, and technology. The concept of experience equivalent to Canadian experience may be used when assessing the Canadian environment component. This can be a discipline specific equivalency and is determined during the assessment process. An applicant with less than one year of satisfactory engineering experience in a Canadian Environment (or equivalent) may be deemed, at the discretion of the regulator, to have satisfied the requirement. Each case should be assessed on its own merits. The term Canadian Environment is defined as:» work experience obtained in Canada, supervised by a professional engineer, registered in a Canadian jurisdiction; 8

9 or,» work experience acquired outside Canada where applicants demonstrate a satisfactory knowledge of local Canadian engineering laws, practices, standards, customs, codes, conditions, climates, and technology. If the work experience was not supervised by a professional engineer, then it should be reviewed by a mentor satisfactory to the regulator. (For the definition of a mentor refer to the National Guideline for Engineer-in-Training Program) 5 Experience recording Experience record To help review and assess the quality of an applicant s engineering work experience, an applicant is encouraged to maintain a record of their work experience as it relates to the components of acceptable engineering work experience. This experience record would typically contain sufficient detail of the work that the applicant has performed over the reporting term, including employer s name, applicant s position held, supervisor s name, and the related details associated with the five components of acceptable engineering work experience. Acceptable formats of the experience record range from regulator preformatted reporting and summary forms to hardcover bound diaries to online web-based reporting. Reporting intervals The regulator should ensure the applicants are aware of the necessary reporting intervals. Completion of work experience reporting forms and/or experience summary forms may be necessary over and above maintaining the detailed experience records. The use of these types of forms assures more consistency in material presentation and helps the assessment officers to be more efficient. Supervisor/mentor review The applicants are encouraged to meet or correspond with their supervisor and/or mentor to solicit advice on the structure and format of their experience reporting. 6 Interviews An experience review interview may be used as a tool to assess the quality of an applicant s experience. Whether it is narrowly focused or broadly based is not an issue. Rather, the interview panel must decide if that experience demonstrates that the applicant has satisfied the work experience requirements for registration. Interviewing is an assessment tool in a self-regulated profession where innovation, ingenuity and the ability to put to practice a logical thinking process is paramount. Experience review interviews may be used in lieu of a paper review of experience logs/reports or in concert with a paper review. Experience logs and/or paper reviews may not always reflect the ability of the applicant; however, if the experience logs are of sufficient quality with reasonable dialogue and sign-off from the professional engineer supervisors and/or mentors, an experience review interview may not be required. To ensure consistency, interview guidelines and grading systems, as well as training for interviewers are recommended. Guidelines are provided to assist interview committee members but are not intended to limit their exercise of judgement. The interview committee should be made up of two to three independent, volunteer, professional members of the regulator. At least one member of the committee should have expertise in the applicant s area of practice. If a two-member committee is used, there should be a tie-breaking procedure decided upon before the interview. The interview committee should meet before each interview to review the questions and the approach the committee will take with the applicant. The questions asked during the interview should enable the members of the committee to determine whether or not the components of acceptable engineering work experience are met. Specific areas of concern should be discussed before the interview to make sure the appropriate questions are asked to investigate those concerns. The interview format should allow each of the members of the committee equal time to ask questions and the applicant appropriate time to provide an answer. There should never be any discussion, however well intentioned, that bears on gender, age, race, or national origin, before, during or after the interview. 7 References The information supplied by the references is used to assess the applicant s character and to verify their engineering work experience. Some regulators also ask references to comment on the applicant s ability to communicate in the language of the 9

10 province or territory of the application. The individual regulators should indicate to the applicants for registration the required number of references and the acceptable format of the information being provided (e.g. questionnaire and/or pre-formatted form). All referees should have first-hand knowledge of the applicant and the applicant s work should be professional engineers in good standing and at least one should have been a direct supervisor. The list of references should include individuals whose knowledge of the applicant covers the entire term of engineering work experience being assessed. 8 Professional development & volunteer service Professional development For a person who seeks to be registered as a professional engineer, professional development should be endemic throughout that person s academic and immediate post-graduation experience. The purpose of this section is to provide guidance on professional development for the seamless integration of the new graduate into a professional career. An accredited degree or its equivalent is the formal academic preparation that is the foundation for the professional s career. The Purpose and Criteria for Accreditation states The engineering profession expects of its members competence in engineering, as well as an understanding of the effect of engineering on society. Thus accredited engineering programs must contain not only adequate mathematics, science, and engineering, but must also develop communication skills and an understanding of the environmental, cultural, economic and social impacts of engineering on society and of the concept of sustainable development. (Source Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board Accreditation Criteria and Procedures) The engineering profession in Canada has adopted a more formal National guideline on continuing professional development and continuing competence for professional engineers. This document outlines the career-long obligations of a professional engineer in these areas, and uses the same components of acceptable experience (see section 4.1) to judge the validity of any proposed continuing education or professional development activity. It follows that the period after formal engineering education logically builds on the beginnings of skills development in both the technical and non-technical abilities of the engineering graduate. Thus professional development must be built into the career of a graduate as an inherent part of what will continue to be expected throughout the working career of a professional. A significant part of the new graduate s professional development includes the particular technical skills required to effectively apply the theories and concepts acquired in formal education. Employers have formal and informal specific training to maximize their engineering employee s contribution to the enterprise. The ability to analyze and present project proposals will be enhanced by providing specific training in effective economic analysis and communication. Effective management of people and projects may also require specific skill development. Where formal post-graduate training takes place in an academic institution resulting in an advanced degree, appropriate credit is dealt with elsewhere in this guideline. Volunteering Appropriate awareness of cultural and social impacts of engineering can be significantly enhanced by the engineering graduate s involvement in the community as a volunteer. Volunteering will also contribute to the engineer s ability to communicate and provide leadership in society. Volunteering may include the mentoring of less experienced individuals. A significant portion of the professional engineer s continuing professional development can be acquired from the appropriate scientific and technical societies that are relevant to the engineer s area of practice. While the journals and technical sessions for these organizations are a significant source of continuing professional development, the societies also present ongoing volunteer opportunities for skill development in organizing events, making presentations and contributing to the ongoing health and development of that society. Appendix A Sample reporting documents APEGS Engineer-in-training report on experience document (PDF 120KB) Endnotes [1] Applicant is defined as an individual who is working towards being registered (can be a candidate or an engineer-intraining). 10