INNOVATION-July-August-2020

Communication initiatives are being planned for later in the fall to provide more detailed information to registrants ahead of the new program becoming mandatory in 2021, and will include articles, webinars, and FAQs. BACKGROUND Since 2017, the Continuing Education Program Advisory Group (formerly the CPD Committee) has been revising Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s current CPD program to create a new program that recognizes previous feedback from registrants and incorporates industry best practices from other professional development programs. During the research and development phase of the new program, the PGA was introduced. The advisory group undertook further consultation with registrants and adapted the recommended program to align with the requirements under the PGA. In April and May 2019, Engineers and Geoscientists BC surveyed registrants on the components of the new program. Over 2,900 registrants participated, providing feedback and input on several potential changes to the way professional development requirements are set out, including the number of hours required, the number and type of activity categories, qualifying continuing education activities, and reporting requirements. The information received during the Phase 2 consultation was used by the advisory group in preparing the CE Program recommendations. A detailed consultation summary is available as an appendix in the recommendations report, researching and exploring the issue of continuing education for several years, and the advisory group also reviewed feedback received from previous consultations and engagement efforts. LEARN MORE For information on the Continuing Education Program, and to read the full recommendation report, or the Consultation Summary Report, visit egbc.ca/Continuing-Education . Questions about the Continuing Education Program can be emailed to Engineers and Geoscientists BC staff at cep@egbc.ca . found at egbc.ca/Continuing-Education . Engineers and Geoscientists BC has been

Areas of Learning. Areas of learning defined in the new CE Program include technical, ethical, regulatory, and communication and leadership. The program provides flexibility to allow registrants to identify the areas of learning that are most relevant to maintaining competency in their scope of practice, and focus learning activities across those areas. All registrants must complete at least one hour of ethical and one hour of regulatory learning each year. CE Plans. Registrants must create and maintain a CE plan on an annual basis that notes the registrant’s area of practice, risks of their practice, learning goals, and activities to help meet those goals. A CE plan template will be provided but registrants can use other templates (e.g., from their employer) provided they contain the same minimum information. Documentation and Reporting . Registrants must keep a record of CE hours and activities completed. This record and the CE Plan must be updated on an annual basis and CE hours and activities must be reported annually (toward the three-year rolling period). CE documentation is subject to audit and will be evaluated during audits, practice reviews, and investigations to determine compliance. To comply with the new CE Program, all registrants with practice rights must meet requirements in the following four areas: TIMING OF IMPLEMENTATION AND REPORTING With the implementation of the PGA, the CE Program will come into effect in 2021. Registrants will be required to report their continuing education activities under the new model beginning in July 2021, with the first reporting deadline on June 30, 2022, and the first compliance check in 2025 following completion of the first three-year rolling period. Next Steps. Work is underway to develop a guide to the Continuing Education Program to support registrants in understanding and meeting the new requirements. The guide will be available in January 2021. Additional resources are also being developed to support registrants with their CE reporting and documentation, which will include a CE plan template and other online tools to support registrants in tracking their hours and activities.

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