In reviewing these definitions,
if you believe that you are not actively practicing,
you should consider declaring yourself as non-practicing. This
is accomplished by completing and returning the Non-Practicing Declaration.
Q: What does it mean
to be a non-practicing member?
A: Non-practicing
members are full professional members of APEGGA - you
are entitled
to all rights and privileges including the use of
your
professional designation. However, you are exempt
from future CPD submission requirements and are
not entitled to practice.
Q: If I am "non-practicing",
can APEGGA still regulate what I do?
A: Yes. All
members of APEGGA (practicing and non-practicing)
are subject to the Code of Ethics
and the Regulations.
Q: Should
I declare myself non-practicing if I’m
temporarily unemployed or working outside
of engineering,
geology, or geophysics?
A: If you are not employed in your
profession (due to unemployment, parental or sick leave,
going back to school), you can Request Special Consideration for
your circumstances and get reduced CPD requirements. Normally,
members in these situations are expected to accumulate
30 PDHs annually. Also
note that the CPD program requires a total of 240 PDHs
in a 3-year period. If activities are lower in one year, often
members can make up PDHs in subsequent years. Refer
to the CPD Guideline for
further details. If
you believe that your break will be a longer duration,
you may wish to declare yourself non-practicing using
the Non-Practicing Declaration
Q: Can I be non-practicing
and supervise an EIT/MIT? How
about mentoring?
A: The Experience
Requirements for Licensure discusses
the obligations of the supervising professional
member: “In
addition, all plans, specifications, reports and
documents of a professional nature prepared by
members-in-training, examination candidates or
students, must be reviewed
by a professional member who assumes professional
responsibility for the work.” Therefore,
if you are supervising an EIT/MIT and taking responsibility
for his or her work, effectively you are practicing. If
you are acting as a mentor, then you are not taking
professional responsibility for the EIT/MIT’s work,
and do not need to be practicing.
Q: What
is involved in changing from "non-practicing" to "practicing”?
A: If
you wish to resume practice, you must apply to the Practice
Review Board by submitting a Resumption
Application. The
Practice Review Board may stipulate conditions prior
to allowing you
to resume practice.
Q: I’m
a Life Member, can I still practice?
A: No. As
defined in the bylaws, Life Member is a non-practicing
membership category. If
you wish to resume practice, you must apply to the Practice
Review Board by submitting a Resumption Application.
CPD REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
----------------------------------------------
Q: Who must comply with the CPD
program?
A: All
practicing professional members must comply with
the CPD program. Applicants,
exam candidates, students, MIT’s, non-practicing members,
and Life Members are all exempt.
Q:
I’m an EIT/MIT. So,
I don’t need to report CPD hours?
A: No. Hours are only necessary to be reported once
you are a practicing professional member. However
it is good to get into the habit of recording your
professional development activities for your own
personal records.
Q: If I am a new member or a non-practicing
member why do I have to submit my CPD Form at
all?
A: The CPD Form is an annual report
and must be submitted on an annual basis whether
the member
is reporting CPD
hours or not. Non practicing members must confirm
annually that they are non-practicing by completing
the Non-Practicing
Declaration.
Q: I’m a new member
and my CPD Form shows zero hours for last year – why?
A: CPD
only records hours that have been earned
once a person is a professional member. Any
hours earned before this time are not able to
be claimed under the CPD program with APEGGA.
Q: As a practicing
member, what exactly do I need to submit each year?
A: You only need to submit the CPD
Annual Report Form. However,
for your own records, you should be keeping Detailed
Annual Activity Records. If you
are audited, you may be specifically
asked to submit them.
Q: I would like to
enter or update my CPD hours online for previous years.
A: This is currently not possible
to do online. It
can however be done by either submitting
an updated copy of the CPD Annual Report
Form, or by contacting our office.
Q: I entered my hours
online – how do I know that they have been received?
A: Currently,
if you require confirmation please contact our office either
by phone or
email. We would be happy to give you a confirmation
of your CPD reporting. We are in the process
of developing an automatic confirmation system.
Q: I’m working in another province/state. What
should I do?
A: If
you work in another province or state
you have
two choices. First,
if you wish to retain your
practicing status in Alberta, you must comply
with APEGGA’s
CPD program. Note
that Professional Practice
hours obtained in another
jurisdiction
may be claimed
on the
APEGGA CPD report.
If you are not practicing in Alberta, your
second option is to declare yourself to be ‘non-practicing’ in
Alberta, thus exempting yourself from the CPD
program. If you continue to be licensed and
practice in another jurisdiction, then your application
to resume active practice with APEGGA is approved
automatically.
Q: I’m practicing in Alberta
and elsewhere. I already
reported my hours to
another province, why
do I need
to report them again
to APEGGA?
A: The provincial
regulators of engineering,
geology, and
geophysics have differing
Continuing Professional
Development requirements. Accordingly,
you must ensure that
you are complying with each jurisdiction’s
requirements separately.
Q:
What happens if I don’t comply with the
CPD program?
A: You may be struck from the
membership registrar.
