Getting Licensed as a Professional Engineer, Geologist, or Geophysicist with APEGGA

1. Getting Licensed as a Professional Engineer, Geologist, or Geophysicist with APEGGA PARK POWELL, P.Eng. APEGGA Assistant Director of Registration The Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta

2. AGENDA • Overview of the Canadian engineering and geoscience licensing system • Introduction to APEGGA • Registration with APEGGA – process, procedure, forms • Questions and answers • Focus – helping you understand how to become licensed with APEGGA

3. Engineering Licensure in Canada

4. Licensure in Canada For Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists

5. The Canadian System • In Canada engineering and geoscience are regulated professions • No one can practice engineering or geoscience without being licensed – “RIGHT TO PRACTICE” • No one can call themselves and engineer or geoscientist without being licensed – “RIGHT TO TITLE” • The licensing system was developed to ensure that only qualified and capable individuals are allowed to practice in the professions.

6. The Canadian System • In Canada the engineering and geoscience professions are regulated provincially. • There is a regulatory body in each province and territory. • There is separate and unique legislation in each province/territory. • The professions are self regulated and self governing. • There is no federal regulatory body.

7. The Canadian System • In Alberta APEGGA has been given the authority and responsibility to regulate the professions of engineering, geology and geophysics. • APEGGA is the only body in Alberta or Canada that has the authority to issue a license to practice engineering, geology or geophysics. PROTECTION OF THE PUBLIC IS PARAMOUNT

8. The Canadian System • Being licensed in any one province does not give you the right to practice in any other province. • You must be licensed in each province that you practice in. • You can be licensed in all provinces/territories if necessary. • Most common is licensure in 2 or 3 provinces where work is being performed.

9. The Canadian System • In order to obtain a license in Alberta you will need to apply to APEGGA. • In order to obtain a license in another province you will need to apply to the association representing that province/territory. • Caution: Each province has slightly different requirements.

10. Engineers Canada • Engineers Canada – formerly CCPE – Canadian Council of Professional Engineers. • Engineers Canada is not a regulatory body and has no jurisdiction and no authority. • Engineers Canada was created by the 12 provincial regulatory associations to act as a resource and assist in standardizing requirements across Canada.

11. Engineers Canada • Initial/Informal Assessment (IA) • An academic assessment for immigration purposes • A positive IA assessment meant that the person was suitable for immigration. It does not mean that the person was fully qualified for licensure in any Canadian jurisdiction. • It has no bearing on APEGGA’s evaluation of qualifications for licensure.

12. Engineers Canada • EIEAP – Replaced the IA program. • Not an assessment of academic qualifications for licensure in Canada. • Assessment for immigration purposes to help people to make informed choices when applying for entrance to Canada.

13. Geoscientists Canada • Geoscientists Canada (formerly Canadian Council of Professional Geoscientists) is not a regulatory body and has no jurisdiction and no authority. • Geoscientists Canada was created by the 12 provincial regulatory associations to act as a resource and assist in standardizing requirements across Canada.

14. Academic Assessments • APEGGAs Board of Examiners is the only body under the EGGP Act that has the authority to evaluate qualifications for licensure. • Evaluations done by other bodies have no bearing on whether a person meets the qualifications for licensure with APEGGA. • CCPE IA or EIEAP • IQAS • WES

15. Summary – the Canadian System Regulated Profession Provincial Jurisdiction Must be licensed in each province APEGGA in Alberta

16. APEGGA

17. APEGGA – Who and What are We? • Created in 1920 by the Alberta Government • Created to regulate the practice of engineering, geology and geophysics in Alberta. • Governed by the Engineering, Geological and Geophysical Act of Alberta (EGGP). • Primary role is to ensure the protection of the public by ensuring that professional members are qualified, capable and practice competently and ethically.

18. APEGGA – Who and What are We? • Currently over 59,000 members. • Over 6000 applications for licensure were received in 2010. • Of those applications approximately one-third (2000) were from foreign trained graduates in all three professions. • APEGGA has offices in Calgary and Edmonton with approximately 70 staff overall.

19. APEGGA – Who and What are We? • Registration – evaluates qualifications for licensure. • Discipline – monitors members to ensure they are practicing skillfully, ethically and professionally. • Investigation – works in coordination with discipline to investigate complaints against members. • Compliance – policing non-licensed individuals or businesses that are practicing the professions or using a professional designation.

20. Registration

21. Five criteria for Licensure • Academics • Require original transcripts • Experience • Require Work Experience Records • References for all work to be counted • Character • From references and self declaration • English Language • TOEFL or Handwritten letter • Professional Practice • NPPE

22. Professional Licensure Professional Engineer, Geologist or Geophysicist • Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident • Must meet the FIVE CRITERIA Foreign Licensee • Not a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident • Must meet the FIVE CRITERIA

23. Professional Licensure Member In Training • Engineer in Training – EIT • Geologist in Training – Geol.IT • Geophysicist in Training – Geoph.IT Must satisfy only TWO CRITERIA • Academics • Good Character • Note: Experience is not reviewed or considered.

24. Professional Licensure Professional Licensee. • Minimum academics required are two years of post secondary education acceptable to the Board of Examiners. • Six years of experience related to the profession. • Assigned a specific Defined Scope of Practice. • License to practice independently within that scope of practice. • Has the same duties, obligations and responsibilities as a professional member.

25. Professional Licensure Provisional Licensee. Granted to foreign trained individuals who meet all of the requirements for membership except the one year Canadian experience. A designation that can show potential employers that APEGGA has qualified your credentials and only the one year of Canadian experience is required before full licensure.

26. Board of Examiners Executive Board of Examiners Determines whether applicants meet the requirements for registration • 20 Academic Examiners • 20 Experience Examiners • 3 Public Members • Meets 11 times per year • (once per month except July) Full Board of Examiners Deals with policy issues and appeals • Includes the executive Board plus 3 public members and 3 Members at Large.

27. Registration Processing. • All documents received • File sent to Academic examiner - recommendation • File sent to experience examiner – recommendation • File to Board of Examiners • Times vary based on • the number of applications • Time to receive documents – translations, references • Complications with an application

28. ACADEMICS

29. Academic Requirements(Engineering)-How Does APEGGA Evaluate These? • CEAB- CanadianEngineeringAccreditation Board (Canadian engineering programs) • MRA (Mutual Recognition Agreements) with US, UK, Ireland, Australia, NZ, HK, South Africa France Japan and Singapore • FDL (Foreign Degree List) – undergraduate degrees in engineering • Non-FDL - undergraduate degrees in engineering not found in one of the three categories above • Non-Engineering Degrees – eg. NAIT/SAIT technology diploma, Math degree, Physics degree

30. Academic Requirements-Starting Point Evaluations for Engineering only CEAB -0 exams -0 exams MRA • Probably 0 exams • Probably 0 exams -FE Exam FDL -FE Exam Non-FDL -FE Exam -FE Exam Non-degree • Up to 24 exams • (course-by-course) • Up to 24 exams • (course-by-course)

31. FE Confirmatory Exam-Why is it Assigned? • Confirm the quality and understanding of your undergraduate engineering degree • The assumption is you have an undergraduate degree in engineering. If you don’t have this you will be assigned exams (up to 24) on a course-by-course basis • Covers broad range of material already taken in your degree • Must write exam, can not take university course equivalent instead

32. Fundamentals of Engineering Exam • Administered by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). • 8 hours long, problem solving type of exam. • 4 hour morning session - general - all disciplines. • 4 hour afternoon session – choice of specific discipline or general engineering. • 70% required for a pass. • 2 exam sessions per year • April/May and October/November • Information at www.ncees.org

33. Geoscience Confirmatory Exams • Since there is no accreditation anywhere in the world for geology or geophysics education a three exam confirmatory assessment is given to foreign trained graduates. • A course by course gap assessment is done for those graduates from institutions in North America. • Geoscientists Canada maintain a national educational knowledge base of required courses that satisfies the educational requirements for licensure in Canada.

34. Course-by-Course Exams • Assigned to fill academic deficiencies not to confirm an undergraduate engineering degree • Can either write APEGGAexams ortake approved university course equivalents

35. APEGGA Technical Exams • 3 hours long, problem solving type of exams • technical exams in your engineering discipline • at a level taken by Canadian engineering students in their undergraduate degree • prepared by professors at the U of Calgary and U of Alberta that teach those subjects • 2 exam sessions per year • April/May and October/November

36. Waiving FE Exam Waive Exams? Masters or PhD • CEAB or MRA institution • Same or closely related • discipline • -technical in nature (containing • significant engineering design • and analysis) • -course work must be complete

37. EXPERIENCE

38. Experience: Quantity • 4 years required once academically qualified • At least one year equivalent North Americanengineeringexperience – in most cases this means one year Canadian engineering experience • Must be Referenced

39. Experience: Quality - the 5 Elements 1. Application of Technical Theory 2. Practical Experience 3. Development of Management Skills 4. Development of Communication Skills 5. Development of the Understanding of Societal Implications

40. Experience - Quality • The Board of Examiners placesmore emphasis on thefirst two elementsthan on the last 3 elements • The Board wants to see evidence of direct engineering experience • Understanding of first principles • Problem solving Refer to “Experience Requirements for Licensure- A Guideline” for more detailed information

41. Levels Of Experience • Technologist Level - technician or technologist level • capped at 12 months maximum • Professional Level - professional level - typically 36 months required - minimum 24 months required if experience credit given for post-graduate degree

42. Construction Engineering & Management This type of work must have the following attributes to be acceptable for full credit. • Has full knowledge of the project and liaises with the project owner. Responsible for planning, implementing and finalizing projects. Ensures timeliness, cost, quality and safety. Includes risk assessment, project scope and deliverables, scheduling, site inspections, procurement, resource management, managing people and environmental considerations. • Application of theory must be present. • Minimum 1 year of theory along with 3 years Construction E & M • Can be factored if there is no evidence of the application of theory in the work..

43. Supply Chain Management • Includes purchasing, contract administration, quality control and inspection • Generally little evidence of the application of theory • Factoring is to start at 0.25 and can be raised by the examiner if there is better evidence of the application of theory • Must have a minimum of two years of the application of theory in your discipline and the rest in this field factored at 25%

44. Project/Cost Controls Engineering • Includes cost estimating, cost tracking, planning, scheduling, change management and management progress reporting • Minimum of 2 years of application of theory with the remaining project/cost controls engineering experience to be factored at 0.25 • Factoring is to start at 0.25 and can be raised by the examiner if there is better evidence of the application of theory

45. Sales Engineering • A salesperson with technical knowledge. • Has technical knowledge about the product and service being sold. • Uses this knowledge to determine a client’s needs • Sees a project through from the first contact with the buyer, through to completion • Identifies technical issues and solves problems. • Can be factored if there is no evidence of the application of theory in the work

46. Waiving Exams Based on Experience Waive Exams? Experience Required • At least 10 years for FDL degrees, geology and geophysics degrees • At least 12 years for non-FDL degrees • Overseas experience will be counted if referenced • Must be solid engineering level work • Increasing technical competence and levels of responsibility • Must be referenced

47. Experience In all of the cases above the burden is on the applicant to demonstrate the application of theory in their experience.

48. One Year Equivalent NorthAmerican Engineering Experience 1 year Canadian experience Why? What? -engineering level -under supervision and control of a P.Eng. -P.Eng supervisor will be required to supply a Reference Questionnaire -Codes and standards -climate conditions -culture -ethics -business practices -work environment

49. One Year Equivalent North American Experience • Must gain this experience working under the supervision and control of a professional member. • Post graduate experience for a completed Masters or PhD does not satisfy the one year equivalent North American experience requirement. • Acceptable experience can be obtained in a university setting but it must be outside the Masters or PhD program.

50. Description of Work Experience • Must use the prescribed Work Experience Record form – no other form is acceptable • Work Experience Summary – single page • Work Experience Record Details – one page for each job or position • Require detailed chronological information on job positions, titles, job descriptions, assignments, and duties and responsibilities with emphasis on the engineering content of thework experience • Evidence of Increasing Technical Competency and Levels of Responsibility