Joint OSPE – PEO Chapter
Professional Development Presentation
OSPE PD/CS Committee May 2014
This presenta,on can be downloaded at:
h4p://www.ospe.on.ca/?page=adv_peochap
Outline of Presentation
² Data Sources
² Free at Last !
² Life’s Surprises
² What is Your “Half-Life” ?
² What is Your “Replacement Value” ?
² What University Cannot Teach You
² Life Long Learning is Critical for Career and Life Success
² A Typical Case Study – an I&C Engineer
² Canadian CPD Programs for Licensed Engineers
² So What Can an Individual Do ?
Data Sources for Additional Reading on the Labour Market
² Statistics Canada Census for 1995, 2000 & 2005, Household Survey 2012
² Citizen and Immigration Canada – Immigration data
² Engineers Canada - Labour market and employer surveys
² Prism Economics and Analysis Studies
² Council of Ontario Universities – Employment Outcomes of Graduates
² The Conference Board of Canada, Sep 4, 2013, Skills Mismatches and the Economic
Impact in Ontario.
² OSPE Employer Surveys
Free at Last !
² Soon you will be graduating ! ² No more exams
² No more all night study sessions
² No more deadlines for project papers
² Now you can get a good job, and make lots of money ² And, live happily ever after !
Life’s Surprises
² Supply of engineers into the labour market is currently running 2x demand. ² Excess supply has been accumulating for over 2 decades.
² Liberalized global trade has created a very competitive labour market –
about 60% of young people now go to college or university.
² Corporations have abandoned their historical training/mentoring roles. ² Corporations ideally want employees who are job-ready (academic skills,
sector experience and soft skills are all available before you start work). The good news is that engineering is the most sought after degree by
What University Cannot Teach You
² University provided you with excellent academic training and some
exposure to practical experience in your labs and during summer/co-op/ intern jobs.
² However, 4 years of university does not provide enough time to impart: ² Sector specific technical knowledge and skills (codes, standards,
practices, terminology, etc.)
² Business specific knowledge and skills (company policies,
practices and procedures, etc.)
² Soft skills (organizing, planning, interpersonal & team skills) ² Supervisory and management skills
What is Your “Half-Life” ?
² A useful concept if you want to ensure you stay on top of your
competition is your “half-life”.
² 50% of your useful knowledge and skills either disappear or become
obsolete in a specific period of time.
² 2 years in the computer and communication hardware sector ² 5 years for most other sectors
² If you don’t use it you lose it.
² You have a shelf life in the eyes of most employers/clients. ² Life long learning keeps you fresh and up to date !
What is Your “Replacement Value” ?
² Another useful concept if you want to survive in a competitive
environment is your “replacement value”.
² Employers/clients retain and reward engineers who contribute to the
company’s or client’s success.
² Your financial rewards track your value. You can be replaced by
someone with better perceived value.
² Life long learning increases your replacement value and consequently
Life Long Learning is Critical for Career and Life Success
²
Life long learning involves a wide variety of activities.
²
Yes, it means periodically going back and taking university
and maybe even community college courses.
²
It means attending seminars, symposiums, workshops and
conferences delivered by industry leaders.
²
It means getting involved in associations and other groups
that support your chosen sector or career.
²
It also means maintaining a reasonable life balance among
A Typical Case Study – I&C Engineer
² Mechanical engineering graduate in 1970 wanted to specialize as an
Instrumentation and Control (I&C) engineer in the electric power industry.
² Post university knowledge and skills that needed to be acquired:
² Commercial instrumenta,on equipment and applica,on constraints.
² Commercial control equipment and applica,on constraints.
² I&C analysis and simula,on methods.
² I&C Installa,on prac,ces.
² I&C industrial codes and standards.
A Typical Case Study – I&C Engineer
² As career developed technology changed² 1970’s: pneuma,c & hardwired electronic controls systems, EMI/RFI protec,on
² 1980’s: mini-‐computers and micro-‐computers, CRT based displays, SoVware QA
² 1990’s: distributed computer systems, smart instrumenta,on, networks
² 2000’s: internet based devices and communica,on and network security
² Needed to keep up with new I&C technology
A Typical Case Study – I&C Engineer
² There were also major shifts in the energy marketplace.
² 1960-‐1980 mainly hydraulic, coal/oil and nuclear energy
² 1980-‐2000 mainly nuclear and gas fired energy (in Ontario)
² 2000-‐2020 mainly gas fired and renewable energy and nuclear refurbishment
² Needed to keep up with new energy production technology ² Needed to keep up with evolving environmental requirements
A Typical Case Study – I&C Engineer
² As engineer matured more senior positions become available.
² 1970’s: design engineer, senior engineer, design engineer specialist
² 1980’s: work group or project leader, unit supervisor
² 1990’s: sec,on head/department manager overseeing several groups
² 2000’s: director, VP, senior management team
Canadian CPD Programs for Licensed Engineers
² Planning to become a licensed engineer?² Licensed engineers in most provinces must maintain a minimum level of
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in order to retain their right to practice engineering (use their engineering stamp).
² Professional development courses, seminars, workshops, etc. are supplied
by many educational institutions and other organizations including OSPE.
² Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) is currently studying what type of
CPD program should be introduced in Ontario.
² OSPE has recommended several changes compared to other provinces
to better match the needs of engineers and companies here in Ontario.
² OSPE’s CPD report is at:
h4p://www.ospe.on.ca/resource/resmgr/doc_advocacy/ 2013-‐06-‐20_ospe_cpd_study_fi.pdf
Canadian CPD Programs for Licensed Engineers
Note: (1) The Northwest Territories and Nunavut share one regulator, NAPEG. (2) PDHs = Professional Development Hours
Canadian CPD Programs for Licensed Engineers
Notes: (1) With the excepHon of Quebec and Manitoba there are maximum PDH credits in any year for acHviHes in each acHvity category.
(2) The Northwest Territories and Nunavut share one regulator, NAPEG. (3) For insHtuHons that issue ConHnuing EducaHon Units (CEUs) for formal training acHviHes, the typical conversion is 10 PDHs for each CEU.
Canadian CPD Programs for Licensed Engineers
Canadian CPD Programs for Licensed Engineers
Note: (1) The Northwest Territories and Nunavut share one regulator, NAPEG.
(2) Some regulators allow unused PDH credits to be carried forward for 1 yr. (NB, PE) or 2 years (AB, BC, SK, NL).
So What Can an Individual Do ?
² Stay up to date with an effective life long learning program and keep
resetting your “half-life”.
² Contribute to your company/client’s success and increase your real and
perceived “replacement value”.
² Ensure your life long learning program is balanced.
² Enjoy the rewards that go to those that have an effective life long
Questions ?
Notes:
This presentaHon can be downloaded at:
hWp://www.ospe.on.ca/?page=adv_peochap
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