Engineering Profession Act, 2000 (Act No. 46 of 2000)Board NoticesRules: Continuing Professional Development and Renewal of Registration, 20162. Principles underlying CPD |
| (1) | The Council is responsible for regulating the practice of engineering in South Africa. This is in terms of the Engineering Professions Act No. 46 of 2000 ("the Act). Section 13(k) of the Act empowers the Council to determine, in consultation with voluntary associations (as defined in the Act) and registered persons, requirements for continuing professional development and training. The Council is enjoined by the Government in terms of the Act to serve and protect the safety and health of the public by establishing and maintaining minimum standards of practice, knowledge and skills of registered engineering persons in the country as well as to establish and maintain standards of professional ethics among them. |
| (2) | Registered persons are required by their Code of Conduct to practice strictly within their area of competence and to maintain and enhance this competence. They therefore have the responsibility to keep abreast of the developments and knowledge in their areas of expertise in order to maintain their competence. In addition to maintaining their own competence, they should strive to contribute to the advancement of the body of knowledge with which they practice, and to the profession in general. |
| (3) | The competencies needed to function effectively as a professional engineer (in all engineering categories): whether in business, education (universities), professional practice (consulting), the public sector (including public and municipal entities) or any other environment, continue to evolve, change and expand at a rapid rate. Professional engineers face increased expectations to display professional knowledge and skills in this ever-changing environment. Accordingly, maintaining and continuously developing professional competence are critical to meet expectations. |
| (4) | Whilst the foundation and basis of professional registration with The Council is the technical competency of the registered persons, it is equally important for registered persons to develop and maintain their non- technical competencies (general skills), such as ethical behaviour, leadership and management skills, etc. as these are also regarded as relevant CPD activities. |
| (5) | Registered persons are expected to ensure that, in their conformance to The Council's CPD requirements, the CPD activities undertaken by them must be relevant and must contribute to the development and maintenance of specific professional competence required by the registered persons' current and possible future roles. |
| (6) | CPD compliance in the Council is tied to the renewal of registration. Section 22(1) of the Act imposes a duty on a registered person to apply for the renewal of his/her registration with the Council "at least three months prior to the prescribed expiry date of his/her registration". Subsection (2) of this section confers the power on the Council to determine conditions for renewal of registration. |
| (7) | The discretion provided for in the Act for the Council to "determine, after consultation with the voluntary associations and registered persons, conditions relating to and the nature and extent of continuing education and training" triggered the Council decision to use of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) as a mechanism to determine renewal of registration. The Council's objective is to maintain a culture of CPD for the South African engineering profession. |
| (8) | The international agreements concluded between the Council and other international engineering bodies i.e. Engineers Mobility Forum & Engineering Technologists Mobility Forum have as a requirement for the recognition of the Council's assessment process and continued registration of individuals, the maintenance of competence through a system of continuing professional development. South African registered professionals would therefore need to undertake CPD activities in order to maintain their international registration. |
| (9) | Whilst the Council is to monitor and enforce compliance by registered persons with the CPD requirements, it is also intent on ensuring that CPD activities are, objectively viewed and assessed, accessible and affordable to registered persons. In addition, it is the Council's duty to ensure that the content of the engineering activities that the members use for purposes of compliance the Council's CPD requirements, is of a sufficiently high standard. In this regard, and in line with best practice, the Council is to play an active (as opposed to arms- length) and leading role in the area of CPD administration going forward |