INNOVATION May-June 2013

May/June 2013

Volume 17 Number 3

v iewpoint

I have interacted with many professionals across the full spectrum of engineering and science disciplines, including the more tradi- tional branches of engineering as well as newer areas such as software engineering and mechatronics. This has given me an appreciation of the breadth of our two professions and the diversity of engineering and geoscience cultures. In this context, our council has expressed the view that the association should strive to become more relevant across the full range of sectors. But, what are the implications of this? APEGBC’s regulatory roles arise in a variety of ways: as relating to applications for membership, enforcement procedures relating to non-members undertaking engineering or geoscience practice, dis- ciplinary procedures relating to inappropriate professional activities by our members, practice reviews of the work of some members, and so on. And, beyond regulation, APEGBC seeks to foster high standards of professional practice, for example, by making avail- able an Organizational Quality Management Program and through the development of practice guidelines. And finally, the association also serves our members through advocacy for the professions, and through a range of member benefits and engagement opportunities. But, here is the dilemma. On the one hand, some sectors of practice—those that are more obviously associated with public safety—require APEGBC to play a rigorous regulatory role. On the other hand, in some other sectors membership is often not seen as a requirement and APEGBC may be viewed as having, in effect, little or no regulatory role to play. Usually these are sectors that relate to the development and/or manufacturing of devices and products that often have their own regulatory requirements. These very profound differences raise important questions. Should there be an attempt to reduce the ambiguity as to when enforcement procedures applied to non-members are or are not appropriate? And, recognizing the need to attract members from diverse sectors— as distinct from catering to those seeking membership primarily because of employment requirements in more traditional sectors— is there a need for the association to shift its emphasis of some of its membership engagement and regulatory activities? Certainly the association should continually strive to enhance its service-oriented, user-friendly interactions with members. And, clearly it cannot and should not take on the roles of the technical societies, the product regulators, and the developers of codes and standards across the full range of sectors. But, given the need to attract a more diverse mem- bership base, to what extent should the various regulatory tools be uniformly applied? And if so, should they be modified in any way? It is noteworthy that, even at present, practice reviews appear to focus on some disciplines more than others, and specific professional development requirements are mandatory for some members (i.e., those that are also Struct.Eng.) but not others. So, for example, would a new mandatory professional development requirement across all sectors be equally beneficial, and would this have the effect of attract- ing or alienating non-members in some sectors? I do not pretend to have the answers to these kinds of questions and I amnot advocating for one approach over another. Rather, I raise these as important issues to be debated as the association evolves in seeking to become more relevant across the full range of sectors.

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

2012/2013 COUNCIL, APEGBC P resident M.D. Isaacson, P.Eng., PhD, FEC V ice P resident M.B. Bapty, P.Eng., FEC P ast P resident J.H. Holm, P.Eng., FEC

Does One Size Fit All?

Councillors A.E. Badke, P.Eng.; S.M. Carlson, P.Eng.; J.J. Clague, P.Geo., PhD; A Fernandes, CIM, FCSI; H. Hawson, P.Eng., FEC; D.M. Howes, P.Eng.; H.G. Kell,y P.Eng.; G.D. Kirkham, P.Geo.; J. Martignago; A.J. Mill, P.Eng., Struct.Eng., FEC; K.E. Savage, P.Eng., FEC; M. Waberski, BCLS; M.C. Wrinch, P.Eng., PhD, FEC; 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 A. Lim A/ D irector , M ember S ervices 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 G.A. Thiele, LLB D irector , L egislation , E thics and C ompliance R.M. F ilipiak, P .Eng. A ssociate D irector , A dmissions 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

Dr. Michael Isaacson, P.Eng., FEC President

Melinda Lau 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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