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Introduction

 

On March 1, 2013 the Engineers Canada Board decided to pursue the recommendations of the Competency-Based Assessment of Engineering Work Experience project’s Final Report to:

1. Adopt the proposed competencies as the definition of the work experience requirement for licensure as a professional engineer.
2. Endorse the proposed competency-based assessment process as the baseline for national harmonization of the work experience requirement.
3. Support the progressive implementation of the proposed solution by Engineers Canada to:

• Coordinate the design, development and deployment of an online system.
• Create a national steering committee to provide oversight for the development of the online tool and implementation by associations
• Assist each association through the adoption phase

Work on this project will continue under the Canadian Framework for Licensure initiative. This will include the development of an online tool to create an efficient, operational assessment system that can be used by the constituent associations.

 

Project Background

 

The Competency-Based project developed and piloted assessment tools and processes to assess engineering work experience, satisfying the need for an equitable licensure process for both Canadian and internationally educated graduates. The assessment system:

• ensures that only qualified individuals are permitted to practice professional engineering;
• provides a defensible, clear and transparent assessment method;
• establishes specific criteria for applicants that also allow assessors to make more objective decisions on whether an applicant has met the requirements for engineering work experience; and
• clarifies what information must be submitted by the applicant to meet the engineering work experience requirement.

 

Project Deliverables

  

The Competency-Based project developed:

• the core engineering competencies;
• examples of how to demonstrate achievement of the competencies;
• a process for the assessment of the competencies;
• guidelines and training materials for applicants, assessors, staff and validators (the engineering supervisors);
• a report on the outcomes of the pilot implementations; and
• a manual for future implementations of the competency-based assessment system.

 

Competency-Based Assessment Method

 

The competency-based assessment method is called the Report of Engineering Competencies. The principle behind the Report of Engineering Competencies is that the applicant’s past performance is indicative of their future performance. The process includes the following steps:

1. The applicant provides examples of how they have demonstrated the competencies in their engineering work experience;
2. The applicant’s engineering work supervisor validates the examples, confirming they are true statements that represent the applicant’s typical standard of work; and
3. Trained assessors (constituent association volunteers or staff) evaluate the examples and determine whether or not they meet the level required for licensure.

 

For an overall view of the assessment system, click here.

 

Competency-Based Assessment Outcomes

 

The use of a competency-based assessment system will result in:

• greater clarity and transparency for applicants, assessors, employers and the general public;
• a change from a task-based work review to an evidence-based competency assessment system;
• objective assessments of all applicants, which ensures that the high professional standards are met; and 
• better support for employee development through targeted opportunities to meet engineering work experience requirements.

  

After participating in pilot projects held at APEGS and PEO in 2012, volunteer assessors told us:

 

“We have a much higher degree of confidence in these assessments.”

“We believe this is the right standard.”

 

The applicants who participated in the pilot project said:

 

“We have a clearer understanding of what is expected of us to become professional engineers.”

“This system has allowed me realize not just my strengths, but more importantly my weaknesses as an engineer.”

 

 

For more information on this work, contact the Project Team

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*The terms ENGINEER, PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER, P.ENG., CONSULTING ENGINEER, ENGINEERING, INGÉNIEUR, GÉNIE, ING.,
INGÉNIEUR CONSEIL and INGÉNIERIE are official marks held by the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers.

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