INNOVATION September-October 2012

l et ter s

Does Mandatory CPD Make a Difference? In the latest issue (July/August 2012) we are informed of the efforts to make the CPD program mandatory but still no presentation of data supporting why this program should be made mandatory. Since the inception of the association it has been sufficient for the individual members to determine how and when to remain current, and I fail to understand why this approach needs to be changed. Before I am ready to support such a bylaw I think we need to answer some questions first. How do we quantify improvements to engineering practice? Public safety is paramount of course; can it be shown to have improved in those jurisdictions that already require mandatory CPD? What fraction of negative practice reviews can be attributed to lack of CPD? What is the cost (to the member and indirectly to the public) of making CPD mandatory ?

I have asked these questions of various members of and candidates for the APEGBC council and have received little more than claims of “self evident,” “public perception,” “marketing requirements” and similar justifications, but I feel that as engineers we can do better than that. At present in Canada, four of 12 engineering associations continue to use the voluntary CPD model (including the largest, PEO) while the remainder have transitioned to mandatory CPD in recent years. Choose some appropriate metrics and review the data, does mandatory CPD make a significant difference? Is it worth the costs? If it is a real benefit then the ratification vote will be a breeze...if not then let’s spend our efforts more usefully elsewhere. Niall Parker PEng Pender Island, BC v

Klohn Crippen Berger (KCB) is a multi-disciplinary consulting firm providing engineering and environmental services in the hydropower, transportation, ports, infrastructure, geotechnical, geosciences, mining, oil sands, oil & gas, environmental and water resources sectors. We offer our full range of services from our offices in Canada, Australia, the UK and Peru. Klohn Crippen Berger is pleased to announce the following Associates appointments.

Graham Parkinson, P.Geo. A Senior Geoscientist, Graham has more than 28 years experience on a wide variety of assignments in the mine development, engineering and environmental sectors and is currently managing highly complex projects for clients in Northern British Columbia. Thava Thavaraj, Ph.D., P.Eng. Thava is a Senior Geotechnical Engineer in our Vancouver-based Power and Transportation group where he provides geotechnical and seismic design analysis leadership for projects including bridges, dams, dykes and large earth structures and piled foundations.

Dave Dowdell, Ph.D., P.Eng., P.E., PMP. Dave is a Senior Structural Engineer in our Vancouver-based Power and Transportation group. Dave provides technical design and analysis leadership for major hydro, bridge and construction engineering projects like the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge. Rick Friedel, P.Eng., P.E. Since joining KCB in 2003, Rick has completed long-term assignments in our Mining Environmental Group (MEG) offices in Canada, South America and Australia. Rick returned to BC in 2011 to start up the Vancouver MEG Oil Sands group. Rick Ghag, Senior Structural Designer. Rick is a key member of our Vancouver-based Power and Transportation group where he has led bridge-structural design projects as well as multi-disciplinary projects for KCB resource sector clients.

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