INNOVATION March-April 2017

reg i s t ra t i o n

Notice of Registration Hearing Decision: Applicant “A” A Registration Admissions Hearing regarding suitability of Applicant ‘A’ for registration was held pursuant to the Engineers and Geoscientists Act (the “ Act ”). The Act provides that, “an applicant… must submit evidence satisfactory to the council… that the applicant is of good character and repute.” The Registrar presided over the hearing in accordance with Section 13(8) of the Act . The hearing was held in response to a complaint against Applicant ‘A’, an engineer-in-training. Applicant ‘A’ admitted that he contravened the Act and APEGBC Bylaws and Code of Ethics by using his employer’s equipment and resources for the ultimate benefit of a competitor that was also a prospective employer, by: • using his employer’s resources to complete a tender on behalf of the competitor for the purposes of steering business to that competitor • disclosing his employer’s confidential information to the competitor • attempting to download electronic file information from his employer for his own use; and To support its obligation to review the circumstances of applicants whose character or repute is in question and their suitability for registration or licensure, APEGBC Council has approved a policy and procedure for registration hearings that delegates this responsibility to the Registrar. The policy and procedure guide how the quasi-judicial hearings are conducted to ensure they take place in a consistent and fair manner. Council Approves Registration Hearings Policy and Procedure Under the Engineers and Geoscientists Act , applicants to APEGBC must prove they are of good character and good repute, both of which are requirements for registered membership or licensure. Good character and good repute are essential in protecting the public interest and the public’s trust in the technical and ethical competence of APEGBC members and licensees.

• submitting an expense claim related to an APEGBC examination when he had already accepted a new employment offer from the competitor. The Registrar’s decision is that: • Applicant ‘A’s application will be denied, and • Applicant ‘A’s application will be eligible to apply after January 18, 2018. The Registrar noted that a period of time before reapplication will afford the Applicant an opportunity to gain experience so that he can in future demonstrate good character and repute. The full text of the Registrar’s Decision can be found on our website under apeg.bc.ca/Notice-Reg-Hearing-Decision_Applicant-A. For information on APEGBC’s good character requirement for admission to membership, visit apeg.bc.ca/good-character-requirement. You can also contact us at 604.412.4856, toll-free at 1.888.430.8035, ext. 4856, or at register@apeg.bc.ca. A registration hearing may be convened if issues are raised that involve conduct or circumstances that place an applicant’s character and repute in question. When applying for membership or licence, applicants must answer questions that help APEGBC determine whether they meet the good character and good repute requirement. If an applicant answers in such a way that raises issues about his or her character, the applicant must provide the details to APEGBC. Other information—including comments of referees, decisions related to the applicant by the courts or by other regulatory bodies, the existence of a criminal record, and complaints against the applicant—is taken into account, as applicable. Information on the Policy and Procedure for Registration Hearings is available at apeg.bc.ca/good-character-requirement.

Pilot Helps Member-in-Training Mentees Navigate the Registration Process APEGBC is piloting a new approach to better assist members-in-training (MIT) with their professional membership providing better guidance to both engineers- in-training and geoscientists-in-training.

advice, which can help mentees’ identify gaps in their experience requirements, improve the focus and clarity of their applications, and streamline the preparation and application process. With more than 1,000 program participants, the APEGBC Mentoring Program facilitates relationships that allow experienced professional members to transfer their skills and knowledge to aspiring and current professional members. Visit apeg.bc.ca/news/Registration-mentoring for more information, or contact Amit Plaha, Mentoring Program Coordinator, aplaha@ apeg.bc.ca; 604.412.4885.

Under the Registration Mentor/Mentee option, APEGBC mentors who provide registration advice receive training on current professional engineer/geoscientist registration requirements. By focussing on the strengths and weaknesses in examples of key competencies required for registration, the short, online training session is designed to enhance mentors’ understanding of what APEGBC registration assessors look for in terms of experience and better guide their mentees during preparation of their registration applications. Registration mentees benefit from their mentors’ enhanced understanding and

application. A new Registration Mentor/ Mentee category within the association’s Mentoring Program allows APEGBC mentees seeking assistance with their application for professional engineer/ geoscientist membership to get advice from seasoned professionals trained on the APEGBC Competency Experience Reporting System and work experience requirements. This opportunity was developed in response to a 2014 APEGBC Task Force report that identified promising practices aimed at enhancing the MIT program and

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i n n o v a t i o n