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frequently asked questions
CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT faqs
This is a list of frequently asked questions and corresponding answers. Please read this topic carefully before asking any questions.
Q. How do I know if I am "practicing" or "non-practicing"?
Practicing is not considered as being limited to stamping
professional documents; it includes all activities contained in the definitions
of "practice" under the Engineering, Geological and Geophysical
Professions (EGGP) Act, including acting as a Responsible Member for
a Permit to Practice. The Act contains broad definitions of the
practice of engineering, geology and geophysics. These definitions are applicable
to the majority of activities undertaken by APEGA members ranging from purely
technical to administrative and managerial.
In reviewing these definitions, if you believe that you are not actively practicing, you may consider declaring yourself as “non-practicing”. This is accomplished by completing and returning the Non-Practicing Declaration. As per the Regulations, this declaration must be renewed annually.
Q. What does it mean to be a “non-practicing” member?
Non-practicing members are full professional members of APEGA. You
retain all of the obligations, duties, and privileges (including the use of your
professional designation) of professional membership. However, you are
exempt from CPD submission requirements and are not entitled to practice.
Q. Can a non-practicing member serve as a Responsible Member for an APEGA permit?
No. If you are a Responsible Member on a Permit and
wish to remain so, you must be a practicing member.
Q. If I am "non-practicing", can APEGA still regulate what I do?
Yes. All members of APEGA (practicing
and non-practicing) are subject to the Code of Ethics and the Regulations.
Q. Should I declare myself “non-practicing” if I’m temporarily unemployed or working outside of engineering, geology, or geophysics?
If you are not employed in your profession (due to unemployment,
parental or sick leave, going back to school), you can Request
Special Consideration for
your circumstances and get reduced CPD requirements. Normally, members
in these situations are expected to accumulate 30 Professional Development Hours
(PDHs) annually. Also note that the CPD program requires a total of 240
PDHs in a 3-year period. If activities are lower in one year, often members
can make up PDHs in subsequent years. Refer to the CPD Program for
further details. If you believe that your break will be a longer duration,
you may wish to declare yourself “non-practicing” using the Non-Practicing
Declaration.
Q. I am practicing on a part-time basis and can’t meet the requirements of the CPD program, what should I do?
If you are not practicing full time (such as on a permanent
part-time or semi-retirement basis), you might not able to meet the requirements
of the CPD program as readily as those who are practicing full time. If
so, you can Request Special Consideration and get reduced CPD requirements.
Q. Can I be “non-practicing” and supervise an EIT/MIT? How about mentoring?
The Experience Requirements for Licensure discusses
the obligations of the supervising professional member: “In addition, all
plans, specifications, reports and documents of a professional nature prepared
by members-in-training, examination candidates or students, must be reviewed
by a professional member who assumes professional responsibility for the work.” Therefore,
if you are supervising an EIT/MIT and taking responsibility for his or her work,
effectively you are practicing. If you are acting as a mentor, then you
are not taking professional responsibility for the EIT/MIT’s work, and
do not need to be practicing.
Q. What is involved
in changing from "non-practicing" to "practicing”?
If you wish to resume practice, you must apply to the Practice
Review Board by submitting a Resumption Application. You are not
permitted to resume practicing until you receive permission to do so from the
Practice Review Board. The Practice Review Board may stipulate conditions
prior to allowing you to resume practice.
Q. I’m a Life Member, can I still practice?
As defined in the Bylaws, those who became Life
Members after 1991 must be retired from the practice of the professions. When
granting you Life Membership, the Registration Department requires that you complete
a non-practicing declaration. If you wish to resume practice, you must
apply to the Practice Review Board by submitting a Resumption Application.
Q. Who must comply with the CPD program?
All practicing professional members must comply with the
CPD program. Applicants, exam candidates, students, MIT’s, and members
who have submitted a Non-Practicing Declaration are all exempt.
Q. I’m an EIT/MIT. So, I don’t need to report CPD hours?
No. You must report hours once you are a practicing
professional member. However, it is good to get into the habit of recording
your professional development activities for your own personal records.
Q. I’m a new member and my CPD Form shows zero hours for last
year – why?
CPD only records hours that have been earned once a person
is a professional member. Any hours earned before this time are not able
to be claimed under the CPD program with APEGA.
Q. As a practicing member, what exactly do I need to submit each year?
You only need to submit the CPD Annual Report Form. However,
for your own records, you should be keeping Detailed Annual Activity Records. If
you are audited, you may be specifically asked to submit them.
Q. I would like to enter or update my CPD hours online for previous years.
This is currently not possible to do online. It can
however be done by either submitting an updated copy of the CPD
Annual Report Form, or by contacting
our office.
Q. I entered
my hours online – how do I know that they have
been received?
Currently, if you require confirmation please contact our
office either by phone or email. We would be happy to give you a confirmation
of your CPD reporting. We are in the process of developing an automatic
confirmation system.
Q. I’m working in another province/state. What should I do?
If you work in another province or state you have two choices. First,
if you wish to retain your practicing status in Alberta, you must comply with
APEGA’s CPD program. Note that Professional Practice hours obtained
in another jurisdiction may be claimed on the APEGA CPD report.
If you are not practicing in Alberta, your second option is to declare yourself
to be “non-practicing” in Alberta, thus exempting yourself from the
CPD program. If you continue to be licensed and practice in another jurisdiction,
then your application to resume active practice with APEGA is approved automatically.
Q. I’m practicing in Alberta and elsewhere. I already reported my hours to another province, why do I need to report them again to APEGA?
The provincial regulators of engineering, geology, and geophysics
have differing Continuing Professional Development requirements. Accordingly,
you must ensure that you are complying with each jurisdiction’s requirements
separately.
Q. What happens if I don’t comply with the CPD program?
The Practice Review Board may conduct a review of your practice
if you fail to meet the requirements of the program. If you fail to comply
with a notice to produce your Detailed
Annual Activity Records, you may
be struck from the member register.
Q. How do I know what activities classify as Professional Development Hours (PDHs) or whether a course/seminar I have taken qualify under the CPD Program.
Refer to section 3 of the CPD
Program. You
may also contact by email RAinsworth@apega.ca,
if you require further clarification.
Q. Who assesses whether the activities are acceptable?
Each individual practicing member is responsible for developing
a CPD program based on his or her assessment of the required competencies or
job skills. APEGA’s Practice Review Board carries out random audits
of members to ensure compliance with the requirements. Should practicing
members be audited, they will need to provide documentation of their activities
and demonstrate that their program is appropriate. Non-practicing members
may need to demonstrate they are indeed not practicing.
Q. Are there minimum annual requirements?
Annually, you must submit either a CPD
Annual Report Form or a Non-Practicing
Declaration. If you
are practicing, the CPD program requires that you obtain a total of 240 PDHs
in 3 categories over a three year period. To accomplish this, it is recommended
that members obtain a minimum of 80 PDHs per year.
Q. Who should pay the costs of training and development? The employee? The employer? Can APEGA require the employer to pay all costs?
Many of the activities will not be an incremental cost to
either employees or employers. The CPD Program gives members the flexibility
to select various activities. The primary responsibility for a CPD Program and
maintaining competence rests with the individual professional. APEGA can only
encourage employers to support the program. The employer has a role to play in
professional development, and permit holders have an obligation to ensure that
professionals in their employ are competent.
Q. Choosing activities from at least three categories is too demanding, given the
nature of my practice. What can I do?
The program identifies six categories to allow flexibility
and to recognize the diversity of the membership. Activities in three of
the six categories are required so members obtain exposure to various forms of
lifelong learning.
Q. Why does community
service count for Professional Development Hours (PDHs)?
Based on feedback receive from the membership, Council decided
to allow community service to count for up to 10 PDHs each year in order to recognize
the dedication many of our members have shown towards making their communities
a better place to live and work. Further, community service improves one’s
visibility in the community, broadens perspectives, and may lead to enhanced
professional contacts and learning opportunities.
Q. What are other Professional
Associations’ requirements
for continuing professional development?
Several provincial
engineering and geoscience regulatory associations have moved towards mandatory
CPD programs. The following
summary, as of spring 2003, was prepared by the Canadian Council of Professional
Engineers.
Province |
Name of Program |
Status |
Voluntary /Mandatory |
Comments |
Yukon |
Professional Development Program Peer Review |
Operational as of January 1, 2003 Under consideration |
Voluntary |
Program extends to other related technical professions, APEY administers |
Alberta |
Professional Development Practice Review |
Operational Operational |
Mandatory Mandatory |
Non-practicing are exempt from PD, give up right to practice Random selection from all disciplines and high risk areas. |
British Columbia |
Professional Development Practice Review |
Operational Operational |
Voluntary Mandatory |
Launched on-line database of professional development activities in March 1999. Council reviewing voluntary/mandatory options Random selection from all disciplines, not just high risk. |
New Brunswick |
Continued Competency Assurance Program Practice Review |
Implemented in 1999. Operational |
Mandatory Mandatory |
Non-practicing are exempt from CPD & not allowed to use seal. About 70 reviews completed since program was started. |
Québec |
Professional Development Professional Inspection Program (Practice Review) |
Have a policy – not a program Since 1980 |
Voluntary Mandatory |
1,500 members inspected/year (more general review for non-practicing; emphasis on consulting engineers, particularly those who work alone). |
Manitoba |
None |
N/A |
No program |
Mandatory Declaration of Compliance effective January 2004 |
Newfoundland |
Professional Development |
Implemented 1998 |
Mandatory |
Includes mandatory annual reporting and annual random audits. All members are considered to be practicing except those in non-related fields for example: a financial analyst, restaurant owner, life insurance salesperson, etc. Current program being revised in 2003. |
Northwest Territories |
Professional Development |
Implemented in 2001 |
Voluntary |
Modeled after APEGA, run technical seminars |
Saskatchewan |
Continuing Professional Excellence (CPE) |
Voluntary CPE as of January 2003 |
Mandatory for permission to consult, otherwise voluntary |
Participation required to obtain/maintain a permission to consult license; other members are expected to report annually on their CPE programs. |
Nova Scotia |
Professional Development Practice review |
Reporting program, started in October 1998 Under consideration |
Voluntary |
Mandatory reporting by September 2003. |
Prince Edward Island |
Professional Development |
Mandatory as of January1, 1999 |
Mandatory |
Non-practicing are exempt from the program, however, they give up the right to practice. |
Ontario |
Professional Profile Program |
Implemented May 2002 |
No program |
Membership asked to verify area(s) of practice and provide any additional information deemed pertinent. Issue to be re-visited after April 2003 AGM. |