INNOVATION July-August 2014

Completing CPD Hours Is Easier than You Think APEGBC’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Guideline was designed to provide members with flexibility in order to meet their unique requirements. CPD allows members to fulfil their present or future roles more effectively, maintain a sufficiently high standard of professional competence and remain current in an ever-competitive job market. Many members who familiarize themselves with the CPD guideline learn that they are already meeting suggested CPD targets without even realizing it. Many activities qualify as professional learning opportunities, even activities that cost little to no money—whether it’s having a discussion about a technical issue with peers, reading a technical journal or mentoring a member-in-training. It’s not just about going to courses. APEGBC recognizes that CPD is made up of a range of activities and those that count as CPD will depend on a member’s individual learning needs. Members are employed in a varied range of industries, at all levels of responsibility, which means their continuing learning needs should reflect this variety as well. The following activities are examples of professional development opportunities: • In-house seminars, employer-sponsored sessions, brown bag lunch sessions; • Reading of technical journals and standards; • Online reading of free, reputable, educational materials. Examples include open courseware such as those offered by MIT; • Courses offered by universities, technical institutes, colleges, employers, suppliers or technical societies; • Structured discussion of technical or professional issues with one’s peers; • Attendance at meetings of technical, professional or managerial associations or societies; • Mentoring/tutoring as an APEGBC mentor to a member-in-training or applicant; • Presentations at a conference, meeting, course, workshop or seminar; • Development of published codes and standards and patents; • Reviewing articles for publication or publication of articles in non-reviewed journals or an internal company report. To be in compliance with APEGBC’s CPD guideline, members are required to complete an average of 80 hours per year (240 hours on a three-year rolling total). Of these hours, 50 may come from professional practice. What Does Compliance Look Like? For a mining geologist, this is what compliance might look like: Activity PD Hours Professional practice 50 Attended the Mineral Exploration Roundup Conference 15 Read articles in January 2014 Canadian Institute of Mining issue 2 Prepared/delivered presentations to peers on projects 5 Spoke at a geoscience industry night 3 Mentored an APEGBC member-in-training 10 Total PD hours (80 required to be in compliance) 85 CPD can take many forms and we want to hear how members from all disciplines and branches are achieving their hours. Are there resources that you have come across that may be useful to your fellow members? Share your story. Send an email to cpd@apeg.bc.ca sharing how you’ve accrued hours and what activities you’ve completed. Your story may be profiled in future articles and you may be selected for a CPD credit to use toward your next APEGBC seminar or workshop.

Fall Council Election— Update Your Contact Information APEGBC is governed by a council comprising members elected by their peers, as well as a handful of government appointees. The 2014/2015 APEGBC Council election will take place this fall, with five councillors to be elected, as well as one vice presidential candidate. Election to the office of president will be by acclamation as the sole candidate is uncontested. The vote will be conducted by electronic ballot and members and licensees will be sent an email in late August with access to candidate statements and instructions on voting procedures. Members and licensees who have not provided APEGBC with a valid email address will not receive direct notification, but will still be able to access electronic voting through the main page of the association’s website. To ensure that APEGBC has your current email address and to update your contact information, please visit apeg. bc.ca/update-info. Please note that you can now update and change your user password. Paper ballots will be available by written request. Should you wish to receive a paper ballot, please send your request to APEGBC, 200-4010 Regent Street, Burnaby, BC, V5C 6N2, or contact apeginfo@apeg.bc.ca.

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