This page will provide you with information on Professional Development at Engineers Nova Scotia. If you require further information, please contact Kris Dove, Director of Professional Development, 902-446-8210 or EMAIL.
Engineers Nova Scotia is currently in the process of planning for the implementation of a mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program for our members. There is not currently a mandatory program in place, but it will start to be phased in for members starting in 2010.
Over the past several years, there has been extensive work completed to assemble a CPD program that will be easy for members to be compliant with, and also be in-line with the programs that are in place at the other provincial engineering associations.
A timeline of events over the last several years is shown below:
1996 Committee formed to develop a CPD program.
1997 Committee recommended a voluntary CPD program.
1998 Members agreed at the AGM to implmenet a voluntary CPD program.
1999-2002 Voluntary CPD program is run with only 20% participation.
2002 Task Group was formed to review voluntary CPD program.
2003 Task Group recommended a mandatory CPD program.
2003 Member vote on mandatory CPD program fails to garner > 66% support.
2004-2007 Communication and education with members to clarify goals and objectives of a mandatory CPD
program.
2008 Member vote on mandatory CPD program successfully passes with over > 69% support.
2009 Mandatory CPD program Act and Bylaw changes presented at the Legislature, and approved.
2010 Mandatory CPD program Committee is formed. Implementation and communication plans put
together and mandatory CPD program details finalized. Phased rollout of 500-1000 members is
planned. Feedback will be gathered and CPD program adjusted as necessary.
2011 Remaining eligible members brought online for mandatory CPD program.
Under the mandatory CPD program, members will continue to be responsible for their own development programs in the same manner they are now. Members will be required to certify, on an annual basis, that
(1) they are in compliance with the professional development guidelines and will only practice in those areas
in which they are competent, or
(2) they are currently not practicing engineering.
The professional development guidelines are currently being reviewed by the CPD Committee, and will be provided to members before the program commences. For those members who want to keep professional development records for their own purposes, Engineers Nova Scotia will not want to see these records unless it is required for disciplinary purposes.
This “certification” model has the advantage of holding the member to the high standard expected by the public. It forces the member to reflect on the issue of professional competence, and it also forces the member to certify that s/he is practicing to the defined standard set by their professional association. However, the model also has the advantage of being unobtrusive and very simple for both the member, and the Association, to administer.
By putting the mandatory CPD program in place at Engineers Nova Scotia, we will be in-line with what is in place in other provinces. This will be very important in the future when full mobility for members working within Canada is put in place. Our goal is to have a program that is fair and that can be maintained by the members in an efficient manner. Much focus in the implementation of the mandatory CPD program will be on communication of the program and working with members to ensure that it is clear and easy to comply with.
