Chartered Status COMPETENT PRACTICE engineersaustralia.org.au/chartered
Contents Why Become a Chartered Engineering Professional?...1 Attaining and Maintaining Chartered Status...2 What s in it for Employers?...3 How does Chartered Status support Professional Development?...3 The echartered System...4 The echartered Process...4 echartered Pathway Options...5 Outcomes through echartered...5 echartered Online System Flow...4 The Australian Engineering Competency Standards Stage 2 Professional Engineer...6 Contact For further information about becoming Chartered please visit www.engineersaustralia.org.au/chartered, call the Member Services Team on 1300 653 113 or email memberservices@engineersaustralia.org.au. For further information about the Professional Development Program please visit www.engineersaustralia.org.au/pdp, or email the PDP Team at pdpadmin@engineersaustralia.org.au. Disclaimer: The information and processes in this brochure are subject to change. This version issued: January 2014.
Chartered is key for a strong and vibrant future of the engineering profession: a profession full of innovative, dynamic and competent Engineers who are committed to lifelong learning and ethical practice; Engineers who are actively engaged in leadership both within their organisations and the broader profession. Stephen Durkin, Engineers Australia CEO Why Become a Chartered Engineering Professional? As a Chartered Professional Engineer, Engineering Technologist or Engineering Associate, you are differentiated from the rest. You are recognised for your professionalism and have status in the engineering community. Now both your qualifications and your engineering practice have been assessed by Engineers Australia, and you have been awarded the Badge of Competency to practice without close supervision. Chartered Status shows that you have demonstrated leadership to your peers and to yourself, by demonstrating that you are a competent, well-rounded, and ethical engineering professional who is current in their knowledge. Chartered Members: Have demonstrated their competency as an engineer measured against 16 internationally recognised elements Have been recognised by their peers as an engineer who can work without close supervision Have demonstrated a visible commitment to ethical practice and lifelong learning Have a point of difference in the marketplace Understand lessons learnt from their engineering experience reflected on during their Chartered journey Commit to upholding the standards in the engineering profession Are confident in their level of knowledge, ability and competency Have satisfied a Stage 2 competency requirement to apply to become a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ) Can join the National Engineering Register for their occupational category (NPER, NETR or NEAR) Can transfer their credential overseas through Engineers Australia mutual recognition agreements Help to mitigate risk in their organisations Can improve their chances for faster career progression CHARTERED STATUS = COMPETENT PRACTICE 1
Attaining and Maintaining Chartered Status Before applying for Chartered Status, an engineer must first meet the requirements for the Grade of Member of Engineers Australia. Engineers must also acquire the engineering experience necessary to provide evidence to demonstrate against the 16 competency standards in the Australian Engineering Competency Standards Stage 2. Engineers may work towards Chartered Status in a staged and supported way through the Professional Development Program, allowing one report as a draft and then submitting their engineering competency claims in a minimum group of four for assessment. This can support professional formation or assist with workload management. It is through the member having their competencies assessed by Engineers Australia, both in the written form and at a Professional Interview, that Chartered Status is attained. Once an engineer is Chartered, they must remain current in their engineering knowledge by completing a minimum of 150 hours of Continuing Professional Development every three years, subject to a review every five years. 1. Attain Membership of Engineers Australia by one of the following pathways: 1. Completion of a recognised Australian engineering qualification 2. Completion of a recognised overseas Accord engineering qualification 3. A Stage 1 Assessment 4. A Migration Skills Assessment 2. Complete a period of professional formation: You need 3 or more years of engineering experience post-graduation to apply for Chartered Status Those on a Professional Development Program can complete their professional formation while working towards Chartered Status 3. Apply for and attain Chartered Status via one of the following pathways: 1. Professional Development Program 2. Engineering Competency Report 3. Mature Experienced Engineer 4. Mutual Recognition Agreement 4. Maintain Chartered Status through Continuing Professional Development: Undertake 150 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) over a three-year period Last three years subject to audit every five years Chartered has provided me with a sense of achievement that I have reached an important milestone in my career and recognition by my peers. It has given a great deal of confidence to my organisation, management, peers and colleagues about my level of knowledge, abilities and competency both in engineering and the work I do. Tao He MIEAust Project Engineer Kellogg Joint Venture Gorgon CPEng, 2 CHARTERED STATUS = COMPETENT PRACTICE
What s in it for Employers? Employers are increasingly looking for the best talent. Chartered Status differentiates an engineer by showing they have reached the professional standard set by Engineers Australia, that is, the benchmark for a well-rounded, competent, practicing engineer. Employers with Chartered professionals in their engineering team should expect to: Better address quality assurance, risk management and professional indemnity challenges in today s environment Establish leaders in their organisation, who can pass knowledge on to new recruits Recruit and retain the best engineering talent by promoting their commitment to upholding standards in the engineering profession Quantitatively measure engineering capability of the organisation through the Chartered credential Better meet the needs of stakeholders through a more capable workforce Enjoy a competitive edge in a rapidly changing market place How does Chartered Status support Professional Development? The journey to becoming a Chartered engineer is significant, and when achieved, is a career milestone. Engineers Australia offers Professional Development Programs (PDPs) to Partner organisations and individuals, that provide them with a structured framework for early career development or later stage career recognition. PDPs are focussed on the engineer acquiring the Chartered competencies described in the Australian Engineering Competency Standards Stage 2. Further to this, they need to demonstrate that they are current in their knowledge and practice, and abide by the Engineers Australia Code of Ethics. There are currently close to 300 PDP agreements in place with Australian engineering employers, including the key players, and thousands of engineers have participated in Professional Development Programs since they started in 2001. CHARTERED STATUS = COMPETENT PRACTICE 3
The echartered System echartered is Engineers Australia s online application and assessment system for Chartered Status and registration. Chartered Status includes Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng), Chartered Engineering Technologist (CEngT) and Chartered Engineering Associate (CEngA). Registration includes registration on the National Professional Engineers Register (NPER), National Engineering Technologists Register (NETR), National Engineering Associates Register (NEAR), and assessment of qualification and competencies for registration as a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ). At the heart of echartered is the Australian Engineering Competency Standards Stage 2. All engineers need to demonstrate, through one of the pathways available, that they have acquired these engineering competencies. The echartered Process The echartered application and assessment process occurs in three stages: Step 1: Enrolment on your chosen pathway Step 2: Submission of your written demonstration of competency Step 3: Professional Interview face-to-face with National Assessor and peer review The assessment fees are pay as you go. This means you make payments at each stage of echartered: At Enrolment, Submission, and prior to the Professional Interview. echartered Online System Flow 1. Enrolment 2. Submission A Select a pathway based on your eligibility A PDP only Prepare 1 Draft Engineering Competency Claim for feedback B Complete Enrolment form Passport-style photograph Chartered Colleges Registration outcomes and areas of practice B Write and have Verified 16 Engineering Competency Claims between 500 and 700 words each PDP Submit in groups of 4 or more ECR Submit all 16 at once MEE Submit first 11 only at once C CV and CPD (MEE only) Sponsorship (PDP only) Make payment or submit for approval if PDP Organisation-sponsored C D E Write and have Verified an Engineering Experience Record of employment history Upload a CPD Record (MEE provided at Enrolment) Upload a CV of career history (MEE provided at Enrolment) MEE Enrolment form assessed by Engineers Australia Re-submissions may be required F Make payment or submit for approval if PDP Organisation-sponsored Competencies assessed by Engineers Australia Preparing for your Professional Interview Allow at least one hour for your interview Please bring photo identification and any original signed Statutory Declarations from your echartered Submission Two or more panel members will assess you at least one National Assessor and one technical expert in your engineering discipline(s) Always check the website for Professional Interview advice 4 CHARTERED STATUS = COMPETENT PRACTICE
echartered Pathway Options 1. The Professional Development Program (PDP) pathway Open to Graduate Members or higher of Engineers Australia who are part of an organisation-sponsored Professional Development Program, or who are seeking staged assessment as a self-sponsored participant. 2. The Engineering Competency Report (ECR) pathway Open to full Members of Engineers Australia or Stage 1 Competent non-members, with three or more years of engineering experience. 3. The Mature Experienced Engineer (MEE) pathway Open to full Members of Engineers Australia who have at least 15 years of engineering experience including five or more years in a position of full responsibility. Outcomes through echartered Members of Engineers Australia can achieve Chartered Status and registration on the National Register for their occupational category for general areas of practice. They can also acquire the Letter of Assessment to support their application to become a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ). Non-members of Engineers Australia can achieve registration on the National Register for their occupational category for general areas of practice. They can also acquire the Letter of Assessment to support their application to become a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ). 3. Professional Interview Submit for feedback from a National Assessor Submit all Claims for verification Submit Record for verification Members can export and attach from EA ecpd webpage A B C D Invitation to request a Professional Interview issued Complete Professional Interview Request Re-confirm Chartered outcomes sought Re-confirm registration outcomes and areas of practice sought Select location Make payment or submit for approval if PDP Organisation-sponsored Division will contact you and schedule your interview Professional Interview Format 1. With a view to demonstrate competency in the 16 Elements, you will make an uninterrupted 15 minute presentation describing key aspects of your career 2. The Panel will ask you questions that may be about your technical competency, written Submission, interview presentation, and any aspect of your career 3. The Panel will ask you questions about ethical behaviour and how you manage environmental sustainability through your work 4. Chartered Status and registration outcomes are determined and communicated at the conclusion of the interview 5. A supplementary exercise may be set to address competency gaps. A second interview may be requested CHARTERED STATUS = COMPETENT PRACTICE 5
The Australian Engineering Competency Standards Stage 2 Professional Engineer Personal commitment 1 Deal with ethical issues 2 Practise competently 3 Responsibility for engineering activities Obligation to the community 4 Develop safe and sustainable solutions 5 Engage with the relevant community and stakeholders 6 Identify, assess and manage risks 7 Meet legal and regulatory requirements Value in the workplace 8 Communication 9 Performance 10 Taking action 11 Judgement Technical proficiency 12 Advanced engineering knowledge 13 Local engineering knowledge 14 Problem analysis 15 Creativity and innovation 16 Evaluation You can download the Competency Standards for your occupational category online at www.engineersaustralia.org.au/echartered-portal