Professional Development in
Your Career
Your professional development begins the moment you choose your profession
and enter university. The first step in becoming a professional is to
meet APEGGA's academic requirements. As a member-in-training, you are
taking the next step. This period that we officially label experience
gives you the opportunity to apply theories you have learned, testing
their validity and limitations. Your professional development does not
end here. APEGGA expects you to build on your competencies throughout
your career, by developing, implementing and documenting your own professional
development program, starting at the member-in-training level. Even though
you have already met APEGGA's academic requirements, you may be required
to take additional academic or technical skills training during this period.
You may also have opportunities to take the concepts covered in the professional
practice examination to much greater depths of understanding than are
required to pass the exam.
Although your professional development is a responsibility you share
with your supervisors, mentors and employers, you must assume the primary
role in ensuring that you are receiving the appropriate experience. Your
management of your career is becoming increasingly important. As job security
declines and short-term contract work increases, you might find that at
times in your career you are supervised by non-professionals who are unable
to fully guide you in your professional development.
This booklet outlines the mandatory elements of experience you will
need to meet APEGGA's Board of Examiners' registration requirements. As
well, it outlines the voluntary elements that will enable you to develop
beyond the minimum standards. Discuss these guidelines with employers
and potential employers to ensure that the position will help you fulfill
the requisite elements. Of course, you must do more to ensure your experience
has the requisite elements. Of equal importance to APEGGA's Board is how
well you carry out your responsibilities; this will be confirmed by the
references you nominate when you apply for professional membership.
This stage of your professional development focuses on ensuring you
have a certain amount and specific range of experiences in your profession.
The chart in Appendix 1 describes the seven areas in which professional
development may be appropriate for someone who is not yet a professional
member of APEGGA. Five of these areas deal with your experience, as defined
by the Board of Examiners. The other two areas are additional technical
skills training which may be sought by you or demanded by your employer;
and knowledge of law and ethics, which will be separately tested by the
Board of Examiners.
Once you become a professional member of APEGGA, you will be required
to define your individual scope of practice and the skills needed for
your professional specialization. You must also develop a plan for ongoing
professional development and document and report your activities annually
as part of that plan. These activities are described in detail as part
of APEGGA's manual, Continuing Professional Development: A Guideline for
Professional Members. Copies of this guideline are available from the
APEGGA offices, or from the website at www.apegga.org/publications.
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