INNOVATION July-August 2014

July/August 2014

Volume 18 Number 4

v iewpoint

What does member engagement mean to you? Do you feel you are participating in the association’s efforts to engage you as a member? As the association grows in membership, and currently with over 29,000 members, APEGBC continues to streamline how we maintain our links and points of contact with our members. Why is this subject a theme of interest? Allow me to provide an historical perspective. The two most significant changes that have transformed the association over the past few decades have been a palpable step away from a purely regulatory body to a member support agency. This includes policies and programs for registration, practice guidelines and reviews and OQM, for example. The second change is the awareness of our obligation to acknowledge the values and concerns of the larger community in which we practise. Both of these changes require the participation of a more actively engaged membership. APEGBC currently makes many efforts to reach out and connect with members, including through face-to-face interactions, e-communication and mail-outs. Some of these modes of communication are statutory (required by our Act ), but a growing volume of other types of contact are changing the way our members and the association relate to each other. Interpersonal involvements include branch and association activities, such as dinner talks and volunteer opportunities with committees, task forces and divisions. This is an important aspect of practice development as it provides an opportunity for a member to meet new colleagues, expand their working network and acquire a working knowledge of the resources available to assist them with their practices. APEGBC’s interpersonal events of course encompass the Annual General Meeting, but there are other forums as well. The first is the New Member Induction Ceremony. This event is held three times a year in Vancouver and welcomes new professional members and limited licensees. It is well-attended, and family and friends are invited to share in the member’s certificate presentation. Another networking opportunity APEGBC hosts is the EIT and GIT event. This evening was held for the second time about eight weeks ago in Vancouver with just over 100 attendees. It was a unique opportunity to talk with EITs and GITs about assuming full responsibility for their work as they gained experience and confidence in their progression toward registration. Our online presence and communications provide our members with information and links that are new to many of us. The website revamp that we saw this year allows us to find information and resources more easily, and the Twitter feed provides a mechanism for connecting with professional members throughout the province and keeps us abreast of hot topics. We encourage you to use these opportunities to engage with your colleagues on topics of interest and to share your opinions with the association. Every month I am pleased to say that somebody is sufficiently motivated to either voice their concern or share some encouragement with me. As we continue to look to engage our members, we will be calling on you, and we encourage you to participate and contribute.

Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC Suite 200 - 4010 Regent Street, Burnaby, BC Canada V5C 6N2 Tel: 604.430.8035 Fax: 604.430.8085 E-mail: apeginfo@apeg.bc.ca Internet: www.apeg.bc.ca Toll free: 1.888.430.8035 2013/2014 COUNCIL, APEGBC P resident M.B. Bapty, P.Eng., FEC V ice P resident John Clague, P.Geo., FGC P ast P resident M.D. Isaacson, P.Eng., PhD, FEC, FGC (Hon.) Councillors A.E. Badke, P.Eng.; S.M. Carlson, P.Eng. A. Fernandes, CIM, FCSI; D. Harvey, P.Eng., Struct.Eng., FEC

An Engaged Membership Makes Collaboration Front of Mind

H. Hawson, P.Eng., FEC; D.M. Howes, P.Eng., FEC H.G. Kelly, P.Eng.; G.D. Kirkham, P.Geo., FGC K. Laloge, CA; A. Mill, P.Eng., Struct.Eng., FEC K.E. Savage, P.Eng., FEC; K. Tarnai-Lokhorst, P.Eng. M. Waberski, BCLS; S. Wynn, PhD

ASSOCIATION STAFF A.J. English, P.Eng. C hief E xecutive O fficer and R egistrar T.M.Y. C hong, P.Eng. C hief R egulatory O fficer and D eputy R egistrar J.Y. Sinclair C hief O perating O fficer M. L. Archibald , D irector , C ommunications and S takeholder E ngagement J. Cho, CGA D irector , F inance and A dministration D. Gamble D irector , I nformation S ervices M. Lau, A cting D irector , C ommunications and S takeholder E ngagement P.R. Mitchell, P.Eng. D irector , P rofessional P ractice , S tandards and D evelopment D. Olychick D irector , M ember S ervices G.M. Pichler, P.Eng. D irector , R egistration E. Swartz, LLB A cting D irector , L egislation , E thics and C ompliance V. Lai, CGA A ssociate D irector , F inance and A dministration J.J.G. Larocque, P.Eng., LLB A ssociate D irector , P rofessional P ractice

M.B. Bapty, P.Eng., FEC President

Michelle Grady, M anaging E ditor

EDITORIAL BOARD S. Chiu, P.Eng.; R. Gupta, P.Eng., P h D; C.L. Hall, P.Geo.; S.K. Hayes, P.Eng.; K.S. Hirji, P.Eng.; M.A. Klippenstein, P.Eng.; I. Kokan, P.Eng.; M.E. Leslie, P.Eng.; B. Thomson, P.Geo., FEC (Hon)

president@ apeg.bc.ca

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