OVERVIEW & ORIENTATION WORKSHOP FOR...

THE STIC PROGRAM Sector-specific orientation, Terminology training, Information and Counselling

FACILITATOR’S GUIDE TO THE

OVERVIEW & ORIENTATION WORKSHOP FOR

ENGINEERS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FACILITATOR’S INTRODUCTION...................................................................... 1

PARTICIPANT PROFILE.................................................................................. 1 METHODOLOGY.............................................................................................. 1 STRUCTURE.................................................................................................... 2 PREPARATION ................................................................................................ 2 BUILDING YOUR RESOURCE PACKAGES.................................................... 3 GUEST SPEAKERS ......................................................................................... 8

INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................. 9 INTRODUCTION INTERVIEWS ....................................................................... 9 EXPLANATION -- WORKSHOP PURPOSE & OVERVIEW ........................... 11 HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW? (QUIZ) .......................................................... 14

SECTION ONE: THE LABOUR MARKET ......................................................... 18 GENERAL OVERVIEW .................................................................................. 18 ENGINEERING IN CANADA .......................................................................... 23 RESEARCH SKILLS....................................................................................... 33 SKILLS IN DEMAND....................................................................................... 35 “EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS” ............................................................................ 36 SALARY EXPECTATIONS ............................................................................. 40

THE LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK................................................................... 41 LICENSING........................................................................................................ 54

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 55 TERMINOLOGY ............................................................................................. 60 SELF-ASSESSMENT ..................................................................................... 63

THE WORKPLACE............................................................................................ 68 HIRING PROCEDURES AND WORKPLACE EXPECTATIONS .................... 69 TECHNOLOGY............................................................................................... 70 SELF-EMPLOYMENT..................................................................................... 72

NETWORKING................................................................................................... 75 RELATED OCCUPATIONS ............................................................................... 77 WRAP-UP .......................................................................................................... 82

WHO DOES WHAT? ...................................................................................... 82 GOAL SETTING & EVALUATION .................................................................. 84

STIC: Overview & Orientation Workshop 1

FACILITATOR’S INTRODUCTION PARTICIPANT PROFILE This Overview and Orientation Workshop has been designed specifically for immigrants with foreign training, qualifications and experience in Mechanical, Industrial, Chemical and Electrical/Electronic Engineering. Additional information is provided on the occupations of Engineering Technician and Engineering Technologist. If you intend to accept members of other occupations into the workshop, be aware that you may have to conduct further research and adapt the curriculum to meet your needs. Participants will benefit most from this program if they also meet one or more of the following criteria:

newcomers to Canada or have lived in Canada for some time, but have not been able to gain

access to employment in their field or lack awareness of the systems, supports, and resources available, or are seeking entry into their field.

METHODOLOGY This workshop has been developed so that it:

is interactive accommodates the different learning styles demonstrates principles of adult education methodology.

Strategies used in the workshop include short lectures, individual activities, pair work and group activities. Sources of information for the content of this curriculum include:

The Department of Human Resources and Skills Development (formerly Human Resources Development Canada (Job Futures)

Ontario Government (Ontario Futures) Industry Canada Where the Jobs Are, by Colin Campbell. The STEPS to Employment Program, Citizenship and Immigration

Canada www.stepstoemployment.net Material from the Professional Engineers of Ontario Material from the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers

STIC: Overview & Orientation Workshop for Engineers 2

STRUCTURE The Overview and Orientation Workshop is intended to be delivered over 30-35 hours with time for discussion and breaks. The workshop has been divided into six sections, with an introduction and wrap-up. The sections do not necessarily need to be delivered in the order presented; the activities within each section, however, should be delivered in order. In other words, you may choose to deal with Licensing before the Labour Market, but the activities within the Licensing Section should be delivered in order. It is recommended that facilitators begin each day with an open discussion of the labour market for members of the profession or trade you are working with. You might ask:

Was there anything in the news yesterday or this morning related to your profession/trade?

Was there anything in the business sections of the newspapers about major employers in your field?

Where there any job ads? Has anyone heard anything about job fairs or conventions coming up related

to the field? Discussion of this nature conveys to participants the importance of staying abreast of the field, sharing information and being aware of the trends in the industries that affect their job search. PREPARATION In order to deliver the Overview & Orientation Workshop for Engineers, you need:

The Facilitator’s Guide (this document), including the lecture notes, overheads, handouts and answer keys that are included with this guide.

The Participant’s Workbook – which includes all activities. (One for each participant.)

Resource Packages (see Building Your Resource Packages, pages 3-7). At least one Guest Speaker (see Guest Speakers, page 8).


BUILDING YOUR RESOURCE PACKAGES The success of this program relies on relevant, up-to-date Resource Packages for each participant. The following detailed bibliography will help you develop these packages. Each resource package must contain:

Articles and other documents providing labour market information on engineering and related industries and occupations. This will entail visits to a library or employment resource centre as well as Internet access.

Sample job advertisements for different engineering disciplines.

A copy of the Professional Engineering Act (including Regulation 941).

Licensing information (requirements and process) from the occupational

regulatory bodies.

Articles relating to advances in technology in engineering. Details on how to gather these materials follow.


OCCUPATION-SPECIFIC RESOURCE PACKAGES: Suggested Contents 1. Labour Market Information

Engineering in General Future Focus Occupational Trends in the Greater Toronto Area

2001Published by HRDC. Engineering Dimensions – available at some libraries; published by PEO. Job Futures Canada http://www.jobfutures.ca/ Ontario Job Futures http://www.ontariojobfutures.net Conference Board of Canada http://www.conferenceboard.ca/ Statistics Canada http://www.statcan.ca/start.html Canada Prospects http://canadaprospects.com/ Labour Market Information http://lmi-imt.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/

Industrial Information

Search for recent articles from The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, National Post, Report on Business magazine, Macleans, Canadian Business and others. Also the websites of Industry Canada (http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/sc_coinf/ccc/engdoc/homepage.html) and Sector Partnerships (http://www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/hrib/hrp-prh/) are excellent sources of information

The following industrial associations may also be able to provide printed materials:

Information Technology Association of Canada: (905) 602-8345 or www.itac.ca

Canadian Advanced Technology Association: (613) 236-6550 or www.cata.ca

Electronics Manufacturing Association of Canada: (416) 236-7410 Canadian Plastics Industry Association (905) 678-7748 x 241 or

www.cpia.ca Association of Consulting Engineers Canada (613) 236-0569

http://www.acec.ca/en/home.html Aerospace Industries of Canada: (613) 232-4297 or http://www.aiac.ca/


OCCUPATION-SPECIFIC RESOURCE PACKAGES: Suggested Contents

Discipline-specific Information

Job Futures Canada http://www.jobfutures.ca/ Ontario Job Futures http://www.ontariojobfutures.net

Salary Survey Table The PEO publishes salary surveys annually. An excerpt from the 2003 version is included in the Participant’s Workbook. You may wish to update or expand the information. PEO salary survey information is available on-line at www.peo.on.ca, click “Publications”, then “Salary Survey”.

Job Advertisements

The Globe and Mail www.globeandmail.com Engineering Central www.engcen.ca/ HRSD job bank www.jobbank.gc.ca/ Public Service Commission of Canada, Jobs open to the public

http://jobs.gc.ca/menu/alljobs_e.htm Canada WorkInfoNet www.workinfonet.com Workopolis www.workopolis.com Monster Board www.monster.ca Yahoo Hot Jobs www.hotjobs.ca Job Bus www.jobbus.com/ All star jobs www.allstarjobs.ca/jobs/ Job Search www.jobsearch.ca/ Employment News www.employmentnews.com/ Canada Job http://www.canadajob.com/ Canadian Employment Search Network www.canjobs.com/ Career Builder www.careerbuilder.com/ CareerMag www.careermag.com/ Canadian Technical Employment Network www.cten.ca/ New Canadian Program www.newcanadians.org/ Net Jobs http://www.netjobs.com/ Career Bookmarks Toronto Public Library

http://careerbookmarks.tpl.toronto.on.ca/


OCCUPATION-SPECIFIC RESOURCE PACKAGES: Suggested Contents Use the Internet to look up major manufacturers, consulting firms, etc. Directories

Business Directory and Company Profiles http://www.bellzinc.ca/ Canadian Trade Index http://www.ctidirectory.com/ List of Professional Associations http://www.cicic.ca/ Community Information Centre of Toronto http://www.211toronto.ca/ The Blue Book of Canadian Business http://www.cbr.ca/ Canadian Ontario Business Centre www.cbsc.org/ontario Canadian National Business Directory www.canbd.com The Toronto Board of Trade www.bot.com Fraser’s CanadianTrade Directory www.frasers.com Thomas Register www.thomasregister.com Scott’s Directories http://www.scottsinfo.com/

E-Mentoring for foreign trained professionals http://www.canadainfonet.org/about%20us/default.asp?s=1 2. Acts and Regulations

Order the Professional Engineering Act from Publications Ontario (416) 326-5300 or 1-800-668-9938. You can also obtain it through the Internet at www.gov.on.ca, click “Publications”, then “Acts & Regulations or directly from PEO’s website www.peo.on.ca click “About PEO” then Professional Engineering Act

3. Licensing Package Request from Professional Engineers Ontario, (416) 224-1100, or 1-800-339-3716 the following:

“General Information for applicants who do not have a bachelor’s degree in engineering from an accredited Canadian university”

“Guide to Required Experience for Licensing as a Professional Engineer in Ontario”

You can also download this information from www.peo.ca, click Licensing & Registration then Prospective Immigrants

Order from the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists, (416) 621-9621 “Application package” or download this information from www.oacett.org “Fact Sheet on Registration for New Canadians”


OCCUPATION-SPECIFIC RESOURCE PACKAGES: Suggested Contents 4. Technology

Articles from Engineering Dimensions – available at some libraries; published by PEO.

Articles from discipline specific trade magazines & directories such as: Canadian Chemical News (http://www.accn.ca/) – published by The

Chemical Institute of Canada: (613) 232-6252 Canadian Electronics. (http://search.electronicsincanada.com/ce/), Design

Product News (http://www.actioncom.com/dpnhomepg.htm), Advanced Manufacturing (http://www.advancedmanufacturing.com/)

Plant Engineering & Maintenance (http://www.pem-mag.com/) Published by CLB Media Inc (905) 727-0077

Guide to Canada’s Aerospace Industry. Published by Aerospace Industries of Canada: (613) 232-4297 http://www.aiac.ca/

Design Engineering Magazine, Heating Plumbing Air Conditioning Magazine, Plastics in Canada, Plant Canada’s Industry Newspaper Published by Rogers Media Publishing (http://www.bizlink.com/)

Canadian Consulting Engineer Magazine Published by Business Information Group 1-800- 268-7742 http://www.canadianconsultingengineer.com/

Environmental Science & Engineering (905) 727-4666 http://www.esemag.com/


GUEST SPEAKERS There is an opportunity within the structure of the Workshop to invite guest speakers in to address the class. The topic for the guest speaker is “workplace expectations and hiring procedures”; this may, of course, be tailored to suit the speaker’s expertise. You will have to secure your guest speaker from the local community. Some possible sources are: An Employment Agency If there is an employment agency in your community that regularly serves employers and job searchers in the profession or trade you are working with, ask them to come in to address such topics as:

needs of employers current hiring trends

temporary work -- if any resumes - what works, what

doesn't. The websites of few employment agencies specializing in engineering are:

Multec http://www.multec.ca Ian Martin http://www.ianmartin.com/ Huntech Consultants http://www.huntech.com/ MEDA Ltd http://www.medagroup.com/home/ Pride in Personnel http://www.prideinpersonnel.com/careersearch.asp ATS Reliance http://www.atsrecruitment.com/ Advanced Technology Partners http://www.atpstaff.com/

A Human Resource Professional from a Large Employer The speaker should address:

How are positions advertised? What kind of people are they looking for? What stands out in a resume? What are the working conditions, benefits, etc.?

"A Day in the Life of..." Participants generally enjoy listening to and asking questions of a practicing professional in their field. It is even more beneficial if the guest speaker is foreign-trained and can address any challenges they encountered and "secrets" to success. One other option for a guest speaker is to integrate it into a field trip. In particular, staff at Human Resources and Skills Development are often able to give very effective presentations in such topics as research tools, "The World of Work" computer program and tours of the Centre.

STIC: Overview & Orientation Workshop 9

INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION INTERVIEWS TIME: 30 min. LEARNING OUTCOME: Participants will have practiced presentation skills and have learned the names and backgrounds of others in the workshop. DESCRIPTION:

Introduce yourself to the group. In making your introduction, try to employ skills of self-marketing by emphasizing your strengths and articulating your goals clearly.

Have participants’ pair up with the person beside them.

Distribute the handout “INTRODUCTION INTERVIEW” and allow

10 minutes for pairs to interview each other.

Have each partner introduce the other. Comment on the introductions as needed.

When the introductions are complete, hand out the Participant Workbooks for the workshop.


Handout #1

Introduction Interview Ask your partner the following questions. Record their answers. Be prepared to tell the rest of the class about your partner.

What is your name?

Where are you from?

How long have you been in Canada?

What is your engineering discipline (e.g. mechanical, electrical, etc.)?

What is your educational background?

How long have you practiced engineering?

Why are you taking this workshop?


INTRODUCTION EXPLANATION -- WORKSHOP PURPOSE & OVERVIEW TIME: 15 min. LEARNING OUTCOME: Participants will understand the rationale for the workshop and its objectives. DESCRIPTION:

Explain the rationale behind the creation of the Workshop. Points you may wish to cover include:

Each year Ontario receives more than 100,000 immigrants, half of whom are highly educated and trained. Many need to become licensed or certified in order to practice their profession in Ontario.

Government has an interest in ensuring that newcomers are able to work in their profession; this prevents unemployment and fulfills Canada’s human resource needs.

Many newcomers feel they have been unable to find work in their profession because they lack Canadian experience, lack the required language skills (both sector-specific terminology and general workplace communication skills) and/or lack information on professional licensing and Canada’s job market. This workshop was created to address these needs.

Instruct participants to open their Workbooks to page 1. Review the Workshop Goals with them (using the overhead provided) and outline the structure of the workshop.

You may wish to emphasize that this workshop is not a job search workshop (although job search resources are provided).


Overhead 1

WORKSHOP GOALS In this workshop, you will… Learn about…

The labour market in general and in industries related to engineering.

The requirements for members of your profession in Ontario.

The legislation related to professional engineering in Ontario.

The requirements for gaining a license as a professional

engineer in Ontario.

The impact of technology on engineering in Ontario.

Opportunities and rules surrounding self-employment for engineers.

Opportunities for networking with other members of your

profession.

Opportunities in related occupations, specifically, Engineering Technologists and Technicians.


Overhead 1 (cont’d)

WORKSHOP GOALS, CONTINUED In this workshop, you will… Practise how to…

Market your skills.

Discuss issues in your profession and the industries that

employ engineers.

Network with peers.

Create a plan to…

Research the labour market.

Complete the licensing process for your profession.


INTRODUCTION HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW? (QUIZ) TIME: 30 min. LEARNING OUTCOME: Participants will understand:

What constitutes a regulated profession The role of regulatory bodies Which professions are regulated

DESCRIPTION:

Instruct participants to complete, on their own, the quiz on page 2 of their workbooks.

Take up answers as a whole class (use answer key provided).

Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) and the Ontario Ministry of Training,

Colleges and Universities have released a fact sheet on the engineering profession in Ontario. This fact sheet is available online, and gives detailed information on the requirements and process of professional engineering licensure in Ontario. You may wish to offer copies of the fact sheet - www.equalopportunity.on.ca/english_g/apt/engineer.html


REGULATED PROFESSIONS: HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW?

1. A profession is “regulated” when:

A) Entry into the profession is controlled by an organization. B) There is provincial legislation defining who can practise the profession. C) There are standards of practice that members of the profession must meet. D) All of the above. E) None of the above.

2. You cannot work as a member of a regulated profession without a license.

True False

(However, in engineering, you can do the work but it must be supervised by a Professional Engineer and you cannot use the title P.Eng. or any title with the word “ engineer” in it unless licensed in Ontario) 3. Professional regulatory bodies have responsibility for:

A) Setting entry and training requirements. B) Assessing qualifications and credentials. C) Disciplining members of the profession. D) All of the above. E) None of the above.

4. Professional regulatory bodies are made-up of members of the profession they control.

True False (They are called “self-regulating” professions.)

5. Which of the following occupations are not regulated professions? A) Architect B) Lawyer C) Computer programmer D) Engineering Technologist E) Chartered Accountant F) Massage Therapist

6. In most cases, people who have been educated outside of Canada are not permitted to

practise their profession in Ontario. True False (They will be expected to meet certain requirements but many foreign-trained professionals practise in Ontario.)


7. Most professional regulatory bodies require new members of the profession to have: A) A degree from a Canadian university or equivalent. B) Work experience in Canada. C) Acceptable English or French language skills. D) All of the above. E) None of the above.

(Though not all of these are required by every profession.)


SECTION ONE: THE LABOUR MARKET

In this section, participants will learn about: The labour market in Canada Major industries in which engineers are employed Labour market research techniques Salary levels for engineers Skills in demand


SECTION ONE: THE LABOUR MARKET GENERAL OVERVIEW Activity: Lecture, followed by group terminology activity and individual question/answer activity. TIME: 1 hour LEARNING OUTCOME: Participants will know:

The definition of labour market The five major forces that shape the labour market 14 terms commonly used to describe the labour market How economic and other trends will affect the industries where

engineers work. DESCRIPTION:

Use the lecture notes and overheads to guide your lecture.

When you have finished your lecture, organize the class into groups of 3-4. Instruct participants to complete the terminology exercise on page 5 of their workbooks.

Take up the answers using the answer key provided.


THE LABOUR MARKET IN CANADA 1. Have participants read the article on page 4 of their workbook. Ask

the class: When we talk about the Labour Market, what do we mean?

Responses might include: The supply and demand of labour or work The marketplace for jobs and opportunities Trade between workers and employers

2. Why is it important to understand what is happening in the Labour Market?

Responses might include: To know where the jobs are To know what skills are in demand so that you can get the

skills that employers need To know when to change careers

3. Place Overhead 2 on the overhead projector and read the quote aloud. Points to make:

This is a time of dramatic change in the Canadian labour

market. Although Canada has recovered from the recession of the early 1990s, some have called it a “jobless recovery” – meaning unemployment levels have remained high.

Unemployment is greatest amongst those with lower education levels.

Canada’s economy is also regional – which means that unemployment levels and skill shortages vary across the country. E.g.: The forest industry is strongest in British Columbia while Toronto is the centre of the financial services industry.

The key, then, is to understand where you fit in – in the context of these changes.


Lecture notes, continued… 4. Explain to participants that what makes the labour market change

are “trends”. A trend can be defined as: “a long-term change in social direction, broad in scope, and identified by many sources.

You may wish to ask participants to come up with several trends they are aware of which are affecting the Canadian economy and the labour market. Answers should include: Globalization: Canadian business is affected by competitors around the world and must adapt to global trends and innovations, including technological changes and the trend toward less job security. Demographics: The Canadian population is aging. This means large-scale retirement and growth in occupations that serve the needs of the elderly. Technology: Expanding use of computers and telecommunications will continue to render some occupations obsolete while creating opportunity in other areas.

The Shift to a Service-based Economy: Resource-based industries, such as agriculture and forestry, are declining while service-based industries such as financial or business services are among the fastest growing industries. This growth has partly been the result of more women entering the labour force, the aging of the baby boomers, and an increase in disposable income amongst older workers.

Focus on Customer Service: As customers demand more for their dollar, the emphasis across all sectors has been on increasing efficiency in order to provide the best product or service at the most reasonable price.


Overhead 2 “…Every change carries in its wake new employment opportunities. The trick during periods of change is to grasp the larger patterns emerging, while trying to find where the jobs are at any specific time. It is important to understand both the overall economic playing field and the evolving employment rules as they might apply to you and your future.”

— from Where the Jobs Are, by Colin Campbell


LABOUR MARKET TERMS:

Attrition Vacancies due to retirement or death of the workers.

Baby Boomers The generation of people born between 1945 and 1966; because of its size, this generation has a profound effect on the economy and the labour market.

Benefits Additional incentives, beyond wages, provided by an employer to its employees.

Contract Work Usually refers to work secured for a specific period of time or for the completion of a specific project. Often does not include benefits.

Downsizing An attempt to improve efficiency by reducing the size of a company’s workforce.

Demography The study of population patterns which provides information such as statistics on birth, death, and age in the community.

Globalization

The sharing of labour, production, ideas, knowledge, products and services across borders.

Industry

A specific branch of manufacture and trade. Examples: Forestry, Financial Services.

Labour Force The part of the working-age population participating in work or actively job seeking.

Outsourcing

Occurs when one company has some of its work done by another company

Self-Employment When an individual markets his or her skills for hire on an “as-needed” basis to companies, organizations.

Standard Jobs Jobs that offer full-time, full-year work with a single employer. They usually provide benefits and some career prospects.

Underemployment Occurs when an individual works in a job for which he or she is overqualified (i.e. has significantly more education or skills than the job requires).

Union An organization that represents and negotiates on behalf of a group of workers.


SECTION ONE: THE LABOUR MARKET ENGINEERING IN CANADA ACTIVITY: Small group activity TIME: 1 hour LEARNING OUTCOME: Participants will know how economic and other trends will affect the industries where engineers work. DESCRIPTION:

Organize participants into groups of 3-4.

Instruct participants to complete the exercises on pages 6-8 in their workbooks.

Take up answers as a class using the answer key provided. When

explaining Labour Market Information, it is important to explain the key factors that are taken into consideration in arriving at the employment prospect for each occupation. These are:

The rate of projected employment growth to the year 2007 for

the occupation as compared to the projected employment growth for all occupations in Ontario

Anticipated number of job openings for the occupation due to retirements

Reports by employers on difficulties in finding qualified workers to fill vacant positions.

Information about significant economic or business trends or technological developments affecting the demand for the particular occupation or the skills needed


THE LABOUR MARKET: ENGINEERING IN CANADA:

The following summaries are based on information from Job Futures (http://jobfutures.ca), Ontario Job Futures (www.ontariojobfutures.net), Industry Canada and the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers. Chemical Engineers: Work prospect to 2007 is considered to be “Average” Why: Employment growth through 2007 is expected to grow as fast as the average for

all occupations particularly in the professional services or in the chemical/chemical products manufacturing industry. The retirement rate will likely be above the average of all occupations and the number of retiring workers will contribute to job openings. The number of job seekers will likely keep pace with the number of job openings. In terms of skills, employers are seeking increasingly cross-degree scientists. An example of this multidisciplinary path would be a person with chemistry, plus a divergent post-doctoral degree such as cell biology and computer and management skills.

Main Duties:

Conduct economic and technical feasibility studies in areas related to chemical, petroleum, pulp and paper, food or other processing industries;

Conduct research into the development or improvement of chemical engineering processes, reactions and materials;

Evaluate chemical process technology and equipment and determine production specifications;

Design and test chemical processing and associated plants and equipment;

Oversee the construction, modification, operation and maintenance of pilot plants, processing units or processing plants;

Establish and conduct quality control programs, operating procedures and control strategies to ensure consistency and adherence to standards for raw materials, products and waste products or emissions;

Prepare contract documents and evaluate tenders for the process aspects of industrial construction;

Supervise technicians, technologists and other engineers;

Work in an administrative capacity, for example, in the development of guidelines and specifications for the handling of dangerous chemicals, environmental protection or standards for foods, materials and consumer goods.

Common Job Titles:

Biochemical Engineer, Chemical Engineer, Chemical Process Engineer, Petrochemical Engineer, Polymer Engineer, Refinery Engineer.



Civil Engineers: Work prospect to 2007 is considered to be “Average” Why: Employment growth, through 2007, is expected to grow as fast as the average for

all occupations particularly in the area of housing/renovations, constructions related to environmental protection, infrastructure development and civil engineering services outside Canada. The retirement rate for this profession will likely be above average and the number of retiring workers will contribute to job openings. The number of job seekers will likely keep pace with the number of job openings and many new entrants will be recent engineers and a large number of qualified immigrants.

Main Duties:

Confer with clients and other members of the engineering team and conducts research to determine project requirements;

Plan and design major civil projects such as buildings, roads, bridges, dams, water and waste management systems and structural steel fabrications;

Develop construction specifications and procedures;

Evaluate and recommend appropriate building and construction materials;

Interpret, reviews and approve survey and civil design work;

Conduct field services for civil works;

Ensure construction plans meet guidelines and specifications of building codes and other regulations;

Establish and monitor construction work schedules;

Conduct feasibility studies, economic analyses, municipal and regional traffic studies, environmental impact studies or other investigations;

Conduct technical analyses of survey and field data for development of topographic, soil, hydrological or other information and prepare reports;

Act as project or site supervisor for land survey or construction work;

Prepare contract documents and reviews and evaluate tenders for construction projects;

Supervise technicians, technologists and other engineers and review and approve designs, calculations and cost estimates.

Common Job Titles: Civil Engineer, Construction Engineer, Highway Engineer, Municipal Engineer, Public Works Engineer, Structural Engineer, Transportation Engineer



The “work prospect” rating is subject to change with time due to changes in economic conditions, technology, demographics and consumer behaviour trends. Electrical/Electronic Engineers: Work prospect to 2007 is considered to be “Good” Why: Employment growth, through 2007, is expected to grow as fast as the average for

all occupations particularly in the professional services, aerospace and electric power industries, as companies are increasingly using new manufacturing technologies. The retirement rate for the same period will likely be above average and the number of retiring workers will contribute to job openings. The number of job openings will likely keep pace with the number of job seekers. New entrants will be recent graduates and immigrants.

Main Duties:

Conduct research into the feasibility, design, operation and performance of electrical generation and distribution networks, electrical machinery and components and electronic communications, instrumentation and control systems, equipment, and components;

Prepare material cost and timing estimates, reports and design specifications for electrical and electronic systems and equipment;

Design electrical and electronic circuits, components, systems and equipment;

Supervise and inspect the installation, modification, testing and operation of electrical and electronic systems and equipment;

Develop maintenance and operating standards for electrical and electronic systems and equipment;

Investigate electrical or electronic failures;

Develop specialized applications and system software;

Prepare contract documents and evaluate tenders for construction or maintenance;

Supervise technicians, technologists, programmers, analysts and other engineers.

Common Job Titles: Avionics Engineer, Communications Engineer, Instrumentation and Control Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Electronics Test Engineer



Industrial Engineers: Work prospect to 2007 is considered to be “Average” Why: Employment growth, through 2007, is expected to grow as fast as the average of

all occupations as industrial growth and the greater use of automation in factories and in offices will continue to create new opportunities for Industrial Engineers. The retirement rate will be below average and the number of retiring workers should not contribute significantly to job openings. The supply of job seekers mostly recent graduates, is not keeping pace with the number of job openings. The increased emphasis on product quality will require engineers to have expertise in quality control to meet international quality standards.

Employers look for individuals skilled in computer based drafting, spreadsheet and database software applications as well as having communication, teamwork, planning and organizing, and problem solving skills.

Main Duties: Plan and design plant layouts and facilities;

Study new machinery and facilities and recommend or select efficient combinations;

Develop flexible or integrated manufacturing systems and procedures;

Conduct studies and implement programs to determine optimum inventory levels for production and to allow optimum utilization of resources;

Analyze costs of production;

Design, develop and conduct time studies and work simplification programs;

Determines human resource and skill requirements and develops training programs;

Develops performance standards, evaluation systems and wage and incentive programs;

Conducts studies of the reliability and performance of plant facilities, and production or administrative systems;

Establishes programs and conduct studies to enhance industrial health and safety or to identify and correct fire and other hazards;

Evaluates or assesses industrial facilities;

Supervises technicians, technologists, analysts, administrative staff and other engineers

Common Job Titles: Cost Engineer, Industrial Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, Plant Engineer, Production Engineer, Safety Engineer



Mechanical Engineers: Work prospect to 2007 is considered to be “Good” Why: Employment growth, through 2007, is expected to grow faster than the average of all occupations particularly in the manufacturing and aerospace industries and as such this field moves in tandem with the general level of economic activity of these sectors. The retirement rate will likely be above average, and the number of retiring workers should contribute to job openings. The number of job seekers will likely keep pace with the number of job openings and new entrants will be new graduates and a significant number of immigrants. Emerging technologies in information technology, biotechnology, and nanotechnology may generate new job opportunities for mechanical engineers. The growing use of electronics in machinery and process control will lead to an increased overlap between mechanical and electrical and electronics engineering. Many mechanical engineers will need skills in this area. Employers will be seeking individuals with general and specific computer skills, as well as, communication and teamwork skills. Main Duties:

Conduct research into the feasibility, design, operation and performance of mechanisms, components and systems;

Prepare material, cost and timing estimates, reports and design specifications for machinery and systems;

Design power plants, machines, components, tools, fixtures and equipment;

Supervise and inspect the installation, modification and commissioning of mechanical systems at construction sites or in industrial facilities;

Develop maintenance standards, schedules and programs and provide guidance to industrial maintenance crews;

Investigate mechanical failures or unexpected maintenance problems;

Prepare contract specifications and cost estimates and evaluate tenders for industrial construction or maintenance;

Supervise technicians, technologists and other engineers and review and approve designs, calculations and cost estimates.

Common Job Titles: Mechanical Engineer, Fluid Mechanics Engineer, Heating and Refrigeration Engineer, Automotive Engineer



Computer Engineers (Hardware/Software): Work prospect to 2007 is considered to be “Average” Why: While employment for this occupation has grown about as fast as the average for all

occupations for the past decade, the recent downturn in communications and computer systems will reduce job opportunities over the short term. In the longer term, through 2007, continued demand for information technology will create new opportunities in information systems engineering, software and database development. The retirement rate will be significantly below average and the number of retiring workers should not be a major source of job openings. The number of job seekers will likely not keep pace with the number of job openings, and many new entrants will be new graduates. Employers continue to prioritize individuals with technical skills in wireless telecommunications, popular programming languages, network administration, and relational database management systems to complement e-business. In addition, many employers also emphasize the need for written and verbal communication skills, and teamwork and problem solving skills. Computer Engineers can be classified into two distinct categories, Computer Hardware Engineers and Software Engineers.

Main Duties: Computer hardware engineers perform some or all of the following duties:

Plan, design and co-ordinate the development of computers and related equipment;

Research, develop and integrate computer and telecommunications system network architecture;

Supervise and inspect the installation, modification and testing of computers and related equipment;

Supervise drafters, technicians, technologists and other engineers.

Software engineers perform some or all of the following duties:

Analyze the requirements for the application of computer technology in real-time environments for process or machine control, instrumentation, robotics, telecommunications, environmental monitoring, remote sensing, medical and related engineering, scientific and industrial applications;

Design and develop or co-ordinate the development, testing and implementation of computer languages and computer software packages;

Supervise the work of programmers, technologists and technicians and other engineering and scientific personnel.

Common Job Titles: Computer Engineer, Computer Software Engineer, Computer Hardware Engineer, Integrated Circuit Design Engineer, Network Systems Engineer, Software Design Engineer, and Systems Design Engineer



The following summaries are based on information from: Industry Canada, Human Resources & Skills Development, Industry Canada, Ontario Job Futures, The Canadian Construction Association, and The Aerospace Industry Association Manufacturing: growing Why: Manufacturing industries have the largest share of employment in the goods-producing sector in Ontario producing a variety of consumer and industrial products that are key to Ontario’s wealth. The sector accounts for one fourth of all economic activity in the province and about 70% of the sector’s products are exported to other provinces or countries. It is projected that between 2002 and 2007 manufacturing will contribute 19% of all new jobs created in Ontario Construction: growing Why: Following a rather flat year in 2003, the Canadian construction industry is expected to record very impressive growth in 2004 and continue this trend to 2005. The construction sector can be further subdivided into four major categories; residential construction, non-residential construction (office buildings, recreational facilities etc), engineering construction (road building, industrial plants, mines etc) and repair work. Engineering construction will have the highest growth in 2004 following moderate growth after that. The overall contribution of new jobs of this sector between 2002 and 2007 will be 4% Aerospace: growing Why: The aerospace industry in Canada has come through a tough business environment since late 2001 when terrorism and general economic slowdown undermined business activity, especially related to business travel and the sale of new aircraft. The outlook for business in 2004 and in the long term is expected to show improvement. Market risks are high for civil aircraft manufacturers, not only because of the volatility of their markets, but also because of the risk involved in defining the right product. In determining which aircraft to 'launch', manufacturers must forecast future trends in air travel and airline competition that will lead to changes in equipment requirements, identifying and targeting 'gaps' in the aircraft seating capacity/range continuum which are not adequately served by existing product offerings It is estimated that engineering accounts for 20% of all employment in this sector. Major players in the aerospace market in Canada include Bombardier, Spar Aerospace, MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates, Allied Signal Aerospace, Bell Helicopter, and Lockheed Martin



Telecommunications: growing Why: Convergence of computer and communications technologies, coupled with deregulation, has driven dramatic restructuring of this industry and led to a number of high profile mergers and acquisitions in both telecommunications equipment and services. Wireless communications and the Internet have completely changed the economics of telephone service. The industry will experience growth in the next few years as the customer demand for seamless mobility and Internet related products and services continues to grow. Opportunities for growth exist in the digital line subscriber technologies, fibre optic transmission systems, satellite technologies and the Information Highway. Key players in this industry include, Nortel, Bell Canada, and Telesat Canada. High Technology/Computing: growing Why: The Canadian software sector experienced a serious slowdown in 2001 and 2002. The worldwide economic slowdown resulted in decreased investment particularly in the United States, which represents 50% of the world’s software market and most Canadian software exports. This software sector is expected to grow in the next few years particularly in the areas of security, storage management, web performance management, mobile and wireless software. Forty-five (45%) of all IT occupations work in the Professional Scientific & Technology services, Environment: growing Why: Growing concerns about resource scarcity, damage to the ecosystem and human health risks are driving the demand for environmental technologies. These concerns have given rise to new regulatory requirements and international environmental agreements, but they have also led to direct pressure on firms to develop a sense of environmental responsibility and implement environmental management systems and integrated process technologies. The focus is shifting from pollution management towards pollution prevention as standards, and voluntary incentives become new drivers of the environmental industry. Emerging technologies include, fuel cell technologies in the transportation sector, environmental building products and “smart building” techniques, sound soil conservation practices in the agriculture sector and many other successful environmental technologies developed around Canada’s traditional resource-based sectors of mining and oil and gas.



Agriculture: Modest growth Why: Agriculture is no longer the primary industry in the economy, as it was when Canada first became a country, but it is still very important economically. The climatic differences as well as the diversity of soils in Canada have given rise to many different kinds of farming operations. There are five major agriculture production sectors in Canada - grains and oilseeds, red meats, dairy, horticulture and poultry and eggs. International competition, other uses for land are eradicating farms; however, there are opportunities in the development of new products and in agricultural research. Mining: Modest growth Why: Canada remains among the five leading mineral producing countries in the world, with large areas not yet fully explored. Very capital-intensive industry and returns to the investment are highly sensitive to the Canadian dollar. Mining will make a vary modest contribution to the job creation between 2002 and 2007 (about 0.1%), however, opportunities do exist for engineers involved in designing or engineering advanced methods of ore extraction or refining and those in the skilled trades.


SECTION ONE: THE LABOUR MARKET RESEARCH SKILLS ACTIVITY: Brainstorming, small group activity, individual activity TIME: 3 hours LEARNING OUTCOME: Participants will understand how to conduct labour market research on their own using libraries and/or the Internet. DESCRIPTION:

Explain that in order to stay on top of what is happening in their field, participants should be able to gather information on their own.

Ask the class to brainstorm sources of information that would be useful to

engineers. Record responses on an overhead projector or flip chart. Responses should include: Directories Government Magazines & Newspapers Employment Resource Centres “Information interviews” The Yellow Pages The Internet Professional association websites

Organize the class into groups of 3-4; instruct participants to read the article

“Chip maker buys B.C. software firm” on page 9-10 and complete the exercise on page 11 (Research Practice).

Take up answers as a class, using the answer key provided.

Assign readings from the Resource Package and the exercise on page 12

(Skills in Demand) to be completed individually. If time is a concern, this exercise can be assigned as “homework”.

Instruct participants to review the material on pages 13-19 (Researching

Companies) of their workbooks and to complete the worksheet on page 20. Circulate the room and comment on participants’ work plans with them.


THE LABOUR MARKET: RESEARCH PRACTICE:

1. What kind of company is HotHaus Technologies?

A small software development company. 2. Who is the head of HotHaus Technologies?

Ross Mitchell (an engineer) 3. What changes are likely to occur at HotHaus as a result of its takeover?

The company could experience growth as it becomes a major player in the race toward interactive television. The climate at the company might also change as decisions might not be made locally any longer.

5. What skills are HotHaus likely to be looking for?

Software development; design. 6. What kind of working environment do you think HotHaus offers?

Employees are shareholders and profit when the company does well; this provides incentive. Employees are expected to work overtime to meet deadlines.

7. If you were to submit your resume to the head of HotHaus, what points

might you make in your cover letter?

Highlight research, development experience; an interest in latest technologies; teamwork experience; a strong interest in the products HotHaus is developing.


SECTION ONE: THE LABOUR MARKET SKILLS IN DEMAND ACTIVITY: Individual – Isolate requirements and complete checklist. TIME: 30 min. LEARNING OUTCOME: Participants will have gained practise in reading job ads, isolating the requirements and determining whether they meet the requirements. DESCRIPTION:

Instruct participants to use the Sample Job Ads in their Resource Package to complete the exercise on page 20 “The Labour Market – Isolating Job Requirements of their workbooks.

Circulate the room. Provide support and answers as needed.


SECTION ONE: THE LABOUR MARKET “EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS” ACTIVITY: Lecture, followed by Team Skills Group Activity and Pair Interviews. TIME: 1 hour LEARNING OUTCOME: Participants will understand the three categories of general skills in demand in the Canadian labour force and will have practised working as a team. DESCRIPTION:

Place the Employability Skills Profile on the overhead (Overhead 3, Participant Workbook page 23).

Explain to participants that while specific skills are needed for specific jobs, these are the skills that are deemed to be highly valued by most Canadian employers.

Go through the Employability Skills Profile with them. Explain that there are three categories: Academic Skills, Personal Management Skills and Teamwork Skills.

Explain that teamwork skills are considered very important yet are often the most difficult to acquire and articulate.

Ask participants to think about the qualities they believe a person must possess to be an effective team member. Give them three minutes to list these qualities on page 21 of their workbooks.

Each person then ranks the items on his/her list according to the perceived importance of each quality (with 1 representing the most important quality of an effective team member).

When the participants have finished their rankings, divide them into four groups.


SECTION ONE: THE LABOUR MARKET “EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS” (CONT’D)

The members of each group share their lists and the rationales for their selections and then attempt to reach consensus on the five most important qualities of an effective team member. If consensus cannot be reached within ten minutes, the group members may vote to determine the group’s list of qualities.

A volunteer from each group reports on the group’s top five qualities. Facilitator records on flip chart.

Debrief: Can they identify anyone in their group who: took on a leadership role? said something that helped the group make a decision? expressed his/her opinion clearly and confidently? acted in a positive, constructive manner? asked someone else for his/her opinion? praised someone?

Place Overhead 4 – Characteristics of Effective Team Members – on the projector. Are the traits they chose on the list?

Organize participants into pairs for a role-playing exercise. Instruct participants to choose an interviewer and an interviewee. The interviewer should use the list of questions on page 22 of their workbooks. Explain that the person who is responding should try to use some of the characteristics of an effective team member that we have just identified in their responses – while remaining honest about their own skills. Instruct participants to reverse roles.

Debrief:

Was everyone able to describe at least one situation in which they worked effectively as a member of a team?

Did knowing the characteristics of effective team members help them to describe their role in a team situation?

Why are teamwork skills so important in engineering?


Overhead 3 *The Employability Skills 2000+ Profile was created by the Conference Board of Canada

EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS 2000+ PROFILE*: Fundamental Skills

The skills needed as a base for further development

Communicate • read and understand

Information presented in a variety of forms (e.g. words, graphs, charts, diagrams)

• write and speak so others pay attention and understand • listen and ask questions to

understand and appreciate the points of view of others • share information using a range of information and communication technologies ( e.g. voice, e-mail,

computers) • use relevant scientific, technological and mathematical knowledge and skills to explain or clarify ideas Manage Information • locate, gather and organize

information using appropriate technology and information systems

• access, analyze and apply knowledge and skills from various disciplines ( e.g. the arts, languages, science, technology, mathematics, social sciences, and the humanities)

Use Numbers • decide what needs to be measured or calculated • observe and record data using appropriate methods, tools and technology make estimates and verify calculations Think & Solve Problems • assess situations and identify

problems • seek different points of view and evaluate them based on facts

recognize the human, interpersonal, technical, scientific and mathematical dimensions of problem

• identify the root cause of a problem • be creative and innovative in exploring possible solutions

readily use science, technology and mathematics as ways to think,

• gain and share knowledge, solve problems and make decisions

• evaluate solutions to make

recommendations or decisions • implement solutions • check to see if a solution works

and act on opportunities for improvement

Personal Management Skills

The personal skills, attitudes and behaviours that drive one’s potential for growth

Demonstrate Positive Attitudes & Behaviours • feel good about yourself and be confident • deal with people, problems and

situations with honesty, integrity and personal ethics

• recognize your own and other people’s good efforts

• take care of your personal health show interest, initiative and effort

• be responsible • set goals and priorities balancing

work and personal life • plan and manage time, money

and other resources to achieve goals

• assess, weigh and manage risk be accountable for your actions and the actions of your group be socially responsible and contribute to your community

Be Adaptable • work independently or a part of a

team • carry out multiple tasks or projects • be innovative and

resourceful: identify and suggest alternative ways to achieve goals and get the job done

• be open and respond constructively to change

• learn from your mistakes and accept feedback

• cope with uncertainty Learn Continuously • be willing to continuously learn and grow • assess personal strengths and areas for development

• set your won learning goals • identify and assess learning

sources and opportunities • plan for and achieve your learning goals Work Safely • be aware of personal and group

health and safety practices and procedures, and act in accordance with these

Teamwork Skills

The skills and attributes needed to contribute productively

Work with Others • understand and work within the

dynamics of a group • ensure that a team’s purpose and

objectives are clear • be flexible: respect, be open to and

supportive of the thoughts, opinions and contributions of others in a group

• recognize and respect people’s diversity, individual differences and perspectives

• accept and provide feedback in a constructive and considerate manner

• contribute to a team by sharing information and expertise lead or support when appropriate, motivating a group for high performance

• understand the role of conflict in a group to reach solutions

• manage and resolve conflict when appropriate

Participate in Projects & Tasks • plan, design or carry out a project or

task from start to finish with well-defined objectives and outcomes

• develop a plan, seek feedback, test, revise and implement

• work to agreed quality standards and specifications

• select and use appropriate tools and technology for a task or a project • adapt to changing requirements and

information • continuously monitor the success of

a project or task and identify ways to improve


Overhead 4

CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE TEAM MEMBERS Effective team members:

support, protect and defend both the team and the team leader act in a positive, constructive manner provide appropriate feedback accept ownership for team decisions participate voluntarily express opinions, for and against ask questions encourage others to express their ideas fully listen to the other team members consider and build on other members’ ideas state problems, along with alternative solutions/options make their own needs known maintain confidentiality give praise and recognition when suitable criticize ideas, not people view criticism as an opportunity to learn avoid defensiveness when fellow team members disagree with your ideas stay focused on the team objectives avoid disruptive behaviour such as side conversations and inside jokes attend meetings regularly and promptly


SECTION ONE: THE LABOUR MARKET SALARY EXPECTATIONS ACTIVITY: Individual exercise TIME: 30 min. LEARNING OUTCOME: Participants will know the salary they can expect to earn if hired in a position that reflects their experience and qualifications. DESCRIPTION:

Explain that salaries for engineers in Canada vary according to the level of responsibility the position entails. It is important to know before going into a job search process what your “worth” or “value” is in the labour market, given your experience and qualifications.

Instruct participants to use the salary scale information on pages

25-28 to complete the exercise on page 24.

Debrief: was everyone able to determine what they are worth? Did the salaries surprise people? Warn participants that because of a variety of factors – lack of Canadian experience in particular – they may find the only positions offered to them are lower than what they might expect.


SECTION TWO: THE LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK

In this section, participants will learn about: The legislative environment for engineers The Professional Engineers Act


SECTION TWO: THE LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK ACTIVITY: Lecture, followed by individual exercise TIME: 1 hour, 20 min. LEARNING OUTCOME: Participants will know what legislation affects them professionally and will have read and understood the Professional Engineers Act. DESCRIPTION:

Use the lecture notes and overheads to guide your lecture. Explain that the Engineering profession is regulated in the

Province of Ontario by Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO), a regulatory body that ensures public safety by setting standards of admission, issuing licenses to practise professional engineering, and regulating the practise of engineering in Ontario. The rules concerning the licensing of professional engineers in Ontario are contained in provincial legislation -The Professional Engineers Act, R.S.O. 1990 Chapter 28, Regulation 941. The council may pass by-laws relating to the administrative and domestic affairs of the Association such as By-Law 1.

Instruct participants to take out their copy of the Professional

Engineers Act and Regulation 941 (latest revisions can be obtained from www.peo.on.ca - click Professional Engineering Act) from their Resource Package and complete the exercise on page 32-34. Take up answers as a class using the answer key provided.


THE LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK:

Introduction

Remind participants that being a member of a regulated profession means that there are laws governing the conduct and responsibilities of members of that profession. These laws are designed to protect the public.

Explain that it is the responsibility of members of a particular profession to

know and understand the laws that relate to that profession.

Place Overhead 5 on the projector.

Explain that there are two levels of government – federal and provincial – which have some role in the professions, especially with respect to the foreign-trained.

Review the overhead, explaining the roles of various ministries, as follows:

FEDERAL MINISTRIES

Citizenship & Immigration Canada (CIC) Responsible for legislation and policy governing immigration to Canada. Some potential immigrants are awarded “points” based on their occupation. The federal government is assuming that because your occupation is in demand here in Canada, you will integrate easily into the economy. The fact that this is not always true is being debated at the federal level and may result in changes to immigration policy. Note that some participants may have undergone an “assessment” of their professional status as part of the immigration process. Explain that this assessment is not binding – that is, it does not mean that you are guaranteed a license to practise in Ontario.

Human Resources & Skills Development This is the ministry that deals with Employment Insurance and provides information and resources to jobseekers – most recently through Employment Resource Centres. Beyond that, however, HRSD has no direct role in the regulated professions.


THE LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK (cont’d): PROVINCIAL MINISTRIES Ministry of Training, Colleges & Universities: The Constitution Act gives exclusive authority to each province in Canada to make laws in relation to education. In Ontario, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities are responsible for the administration of laws relating to education and skills training.

Some of their responsibilities include: developing policy directions for adult education and labour market training

setting standards for occupational training, particularly for trades under the Trades Qualification and Apprenticeship Act

managing provincial programs to support workplace training and workplace preparation, including apprenticeship, career and employment preparation, and adult literacy and basic skills

undertaking labour market research and planning

undertaking initiatives to improve access to the professions and trades through the Access to Professions and Trades Unit.

Attorney General The Ministry of the Attorney General holds responsibility for the Professional Engineers Act but it delegates responsibility for administering these regulations to the Professional Engineers of Ontario. That means that the PEO, not the government, is responsible for:

Setting entry and training requirements Setting standards of practice Assessing qualifications and credentials Registering qualified applicants Disciplining members


THE LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK (cont’d): However, the government may review the activities of the Council, request the council to undertake activities that are necessary and advisable, and advise the council with respect to the implementation of the Act and the regulations Explain that the Professional Engineers Act is not the only piece of legislation that affects Engineers. Other laws more specific to the practice of particular disciplines include:

Bridges Act Building Codes Act Environmental Assessment Act Environmental Protection Act Industrial Standards Act Mining Act Occupational Health and Safety Act Public Utilities Act Waste Management Act


Overhead 5

THE LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK

FEDERAL LEVEL Citizenship and Human Resources and Immigration Canada Skills Development

PROVINCIAL LEVEL

Ministry of Training, Attorney General Colleges & Universities

Professional Engineers Act


THE LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK: PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS ACT --

1. Find definitions for the following:

“practice of professional engineering” any act of designing, composing, evaluating, advising, reporting, directing or supervising wherein the safeguarding of life, health, property or the public welfare is concerned and that requires the application of engineering principles, but does not include practicing as a natural scientist

“professional engineer” a person who holds a licence or a temporary licence to engage in the practice of professional engineering issued under the Act.

2. According to the Act, what is the purpose of the Association of Professional

Engineers of Ontario (PEO)? To regulate the practice of professional engineering and to govern its members, holders of certificates of authorization, holders of temporary licences, holders of provisional licences and holders of limited licences in accordance with the Act, the regulations and by-laws in order that the public interest may be served and protected.

3. To achieve this purpose, the PEO establishes, maintains and develops standards of:

Knowledge & skill Qualification and practice Professional ethics

4. Who is eligible for membership in the PEO? Every person who holds a licence subject to any term condition or limitation to which the licence is subject.



5. The Council of the Association may make regulations governing many

issues, including:

Fixing the number of members to be elected to the Council, etc. (7.1.1) Prescribing forms of applications for licences, etc. (7.1.10) Governing the use of names and designations in the practice of professional

engineering (7.1.15) Providing for the maintenance and inspection of registers of members of the

PEO (7.1.16) Providing for the setting of schedules of suggested fees for professional

engineering services and for the publication of the schedules (7.1.18) (Note: there are many more possible responses, listed in 7.1 – 7. 32)

6. Outline the roles and duties of the following committees:

Complaints:

The Complaints Committee considers and investigates complaints made by members of the public or members of the association regarding the conduct or actions of licence holders and Certificate of Authorization holders.

Discipline:

The Discipline committee considers and determines allegations of professional misconduct or incompetence against a member of PEO, or a holder of a Certificate of Authorization, a temporary licence, a limited licence or a provisional licence. In addition, the committee considers and decides upon an application for reinstatement or an application for removal of the suspension of licences and Certificates of Authorization

Fees Mediation:

The Fees Mediation Committee mediates or arbitrates fees disputes between engineers, engineering companies and their clients.



Academic Requirements Committee:

The Academic Requirements Committee assists the Registrar in assessing the

academic qualifications of licence applicants who do not hold an undergraduate degree in engineering from a program accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB)

Experience Requirements Committee:

The Experience Requirements Committee assists the Registrar, as necessary, in

determining if an applicant’s work experience is acceptable for licensing purposes. The committee also advises on whether the experientially gained knowledge of an applicant who has not graduated from an engineering program accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board provides sufficient basis to warrant waiving his/her assigned technical examination program

7. Look at Regulation 941 sections 72(1) and 72 (2). What is considered... “Negligence”

An act or an omission in the carrying out of the work of a practitioner that constitutes a failure to maintain the standards that a reasonable and prudent practitioner would maintain in the circumstances.

“Harassment”

Engaging in a course of vexatious comment of conduct that is known or ought reasonably to be known as unwelcome and that might reasonably be regarded as interfering in a professional engineering relationship



What is considered... (cont’d): “Professional misconduct”

Negligence; Failure to make reasonable provision for the safeguarding of life, health or property of

a person who may be affected by the work for which the practitioner is responsible; Failure to act to correct or report a situation that the practitioner believes may

endanger the safety or the welfare of the public; Failure to make responsible provision for complying with applicable statutes,

regulations, standards, codes, by-laws and rules in connection with work being undertaken by or under the responsibility of the practitioner;

Signing or sealing a final drawing, specification, plan, report or other document not actually prepared or checked by the practitioner;

Failure of practitioner to present clearly to the practitioner’s employer the consequences to be expected from a deviation proposed in work, if the professional engineering judgement of the practitioner is overruled by non-technical authority in cases where the practitioner is responsible for the technical adequacy of professional engineering work;

Breach of the Act or regulations; Undertaking work the practitioner is not competent to perform by virtue of the

practitioner’s training and experience Failure to make prompt, voluntary and complete disclosure of an interest, direct or

indirect, that might in any way be or be construed as, prejudicial to the professional judgment of the practitioner in rendering service to the public, an employer or a client, and in particular carrying out any of the following acts without making such a prior disclosure;

Accepting compensation in any form for a particular service from more than one party

Submitting a tender of acting as a contractor in respect of work upon which the practitioner may be performing as a professional engineer

Participating in the supply of material or equipment to be used by the employer or client of the practitioner

Contracting in the practitioner’s own right to perform professional engineering services for other than the practitioner’s employer

Expressing opinions or making statements concerning matters within the practice of professional engineering of public interest where the opinions or statements are inspired or paid for by other interests



What is considered... “Professional misconduct” (cont’d):

Conduct or an act relevant to the practice of professional engineering that

would reasonably be regarded by the engineering profession as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional;

Failure of a practitioner to abide by the terms, conditions or limitations of the practitioner’s licence, limited licence, temporary licence or Certificate of Authorization;

Failure to supply documents or information requested by an investigator acting under this Act

Permitting, counselling or assisting a person whom is not a practitioner to engage in the practice of professional engineering.

Harassment

8. Are any of the precepts stated in the Code of Ethics different from those governing your profession in your homeland?

Answers can vary. Code of Ethics is Section 77 of Regulation 941.

9. See Regulation 941, Sections 56 to 71, for information about designation as a Consulting Engineer.

i. What are the eligibility criteria for designation as a Consulting

Engineer? You must be a PEO member in good standing; have been continuously engaged for not less than two years in the independent practice of professional engineering in the Province of Ontario; have at least five years of acceptable experience in excess of the four- year experience requirement for licensure) and has passed the examinations prescribed by the Council ( where applicable)

ii. How long is the period of designation?

Five years.



9. See Regulation 941, Sections 56 to 71, for information about designation as

a Consulting Engineer (cont’d).

iii. Under what conditions may an applicant person be redesignated? If they are a member, currently engaged in independent practice of professional engineering in Ontario and has during the five years since the date of issue of the applicant’s most recent designation as a consulting engineer had acceptable professional engineering experience

10. In Regulation 941, Sections 47-50, look up:

The requirements for the issuance of a Certificate of Authorization The applicant for a C of A must designate a professional engineer who is employee or partner in the firm to assume professional responsibility for the services provided that are within the practice of professional engineering. In addition, the designated engineer must have at least five years of professional engineering experience following the conferral of a degree from an accredited university or the completion of an equivalent education, e.g. PEO exams.

11. What documentation is required when applying for a C of A? Names and addresses of the applicant, partners or all officers and directors and of the licence holders who will assume responsibility for and supervise the services provided by the applicant. A certificate certifying that the information in the application is correct, and in the case of an application for a general certificate of authorization, what the primary function of the applicant is or will be to provide services in the practice of professional engineering to the public. The applicant must also certify in a form that will be supplied by the Registrar that the applicant carries professional liability insurance. In the absence of insurance, they are required to disclose to each and every client that they do not hold liability insurance and obtain the client’s written acknowledgement of this disclosure. This does not mean, however, that the holder of C of A is absolved of any liability



12. How long is a C of A valid? One year, renewable 13. Is a holder of a C of A allowed to use the designation “consulting

engineer” when offering engineering services to the public?

No, the C of A allows the engineer to work for themselves but it does not allow him to use the designation “consulting engineer” and vice versa the title “consulting engineer” does not give the holder of this title the right to offer engineering services to the public, they must hold a C of A to do this. However, a holder of a C of A can apply for the consulting engineer designation. The primary purpose of the designation “consulting engineer” is to establish a minimum acceptable level of experience (currently 5 years) for a C of A wishing to use it. Receipt of the designation also means that the applicant has been subject to both the screening process and to peer review by the professional engineers.


SECTION THREE: LICENSING

In this section, participants will learn about: The terminology associated with professional licensing The requirements and process for becoming a professional engineer in

Ontario


SECTION THREE: LICENSING INTRODUCTION ACTIVITY: Lecture & Discussion TIME: 30 minutes LEARNING OUTCOME: Participants will understand the relative advantages and disadvantages to becoming a licensed engineer as well as the basic requirements. DESCRIPTION:

Explain to participants that, unlike many other regulated professions, engineers do not need to be licensed in order to work in the field in Ontario. If they are not licensed as a professional engineer, however, a professional engineer must supervise their work.

Engage participants in a discussion of the advantages and

disadvantages of attempting to gain a license. Answers may include:

Advantages Disadvantages Greater employment opportunities Higher salary expectations Prestige Allows self-employment

Costly Time-consuming


SECTION THREE: LICENSING (CONT’D)

Explain that for many foreign-trained engineers, a license is an important asset in the job search. Because many employers are wary of foreign qualifications, they look for some indication that the applicant is qualified to work in Ontario. A license gives them that guarantee.

Describe the basic requirements for an engineering license:

At least 18 years of age

Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident of Canada

Good Character - You will be required to answer questions and make a

written declaration on your application form, attesting to the absence of any past conduct that would afford grounds for the belief that you will not practice professional engineering with honesty and integrity. In addition, PEO will solicit opinions about your suitability for PEO membership from referees whose names you provide.

Assessment of Your Degree - There are two options: ➝ Your degree may be assessed as being from an accredited or recognized

institution ➝ If your degree is conferred outside Canada and/or is not from an accredited

institution or one that is recognized by PEO, you may be assigned a set of technical examinations to prove what you know. PEO may grant an exemption from technical examinations if you have an engineering degree that PEO believes to be equivalent to one from an accredited Canadian engineering degree program or you have completed postgraduate studies in a Canadian University, in the same discipline as that of your foreign undergraduate engineering degree; or you have an undergraduate engineering degree from an institution in a country that has a Mutual Recognition Agreement with the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers. These countries are: Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States (after 1989), Hong Kong (1995), and South Africa (1999). (Please note that to be recognized as equivalent, the degree must have been granted during or after the year indicated after the name of the country.)

➝ More information is available on line www.peo.on.ca click Licensing & Registration then Educational Requirements


SECTION THREE: LICENSING (CONT’D) Describe the basic requirements for an engineering license (cont’d):

Professional Practice Examination - The Professional Practice

Examination is a three-hour, closed book exam on ethics, professional practice, engineering law and liability. Note that the PPE also acts as an English proficiency test as it requires a high level of fluency.

Four years of verifiable engineering experience, including one year in Canada. The mandatory requirement for Canadian experience ensures that you are conversant with Canadian engineering codes, legislation, technical standards and regulations as they pertain to engineering practice in your field. Your engineering experience will be assessed against the following five criteria:

• application of theory;

• practical experience;

• management of engineering;

• communication skills;

• awareness of the social implications of engineering.

If your academic qualifications satisfy PEO’s licensing requirements, all of your engineering experience gained from the date your engineering degree was awarded is eligible for credit toward PEO’s four-year experience requirement. In addition, you will normally receive a one-year experience credit for the successful completion of a postgraduate degree in engineering in the same discipline as your undergraduate degree

Explain that many foreign-trained engineers have difficulty obtaining their licence because they lack Canadian Engineering experience, which is one of the requirements for licensing. Discuss some strategies that will be helpful toward overcoming this difficulty – for example:

Getting an independent assessment of your degree, for use in proving to employers that you have the qualifications:


SECTION THREE: LICENSING (CONT’D)

Mentoring;

Becoming an Engineer-in-Training (EIT) through the PEO means you have met the other criteria and are just gaining work experience under the supervision of one or more professional engineers. The EIT program is not a job search or placement program. The Engineer in Training is still responsible for finding employment and demonstrating to the PEO that the experience that is gained is in compliance with the standards set by the PEO. You can apply to become an EIT if your academic qualifications have been assessed and you have been assigned or completed technical exams. Benefits of being recorded as an EIT with the PEO include:

Access to the password-protected sections of the PEO website for questions and

answers of concern to PEO’s engineering interns Subscription to Engineer Mentor, PEO’s on-line newsletter for engineering interns,

the association’s official journal Engineering Dimensions and The Link On-line discussions with other engineering interns and with professional engineers Advice on reporting work experience and confidential work experience reviews from

the EIT manager. At your request, PEO will review your experience upon changing jobs, upon completion of any temporary work assignment and after obtaining your first six months of engineering practice in Canada

Demonstrates that the applicant is serious about being licensed as a professional engineer

Permits the applicant to participate in the CCPE and Ontario Society of Professional Engineers sponsored insurance and financial security programs and to access relevant counselling and mentoring


SECTION THREE: LICENSING (CONT’D) Getting an independent assessment of your degree, for use in proving to employers that you have the qualifications:

Apply to obtain a provisional licence. On February 28, 2003 the Ontario government proclaimed changes to the Professional Engineers Act to permit Professional Engineers of Ontario to grant provisional licences. A provisional licence may be issued to an applicant for a professional engineer (P.Eng) licence who has satisfied all of PEO’s licensing requirements except for the minimum 12 months of verifiable and acceptable engineering experience in a Canadian jurisdiction, under the supervision of a professional engineer. More specifically, to qualify for a provisional licence the applicant must:

satisfy PEO’s academic requirements for licensing pass PEO’s Professional Practice Examination demonstrate to PEO’s satisfaction at least 36 months of

acceptable and verifiable engineering experience outside Canada The provisional licence is valid for 12 months from the date of issue and the holder is entitled to practice professional engineering only under the supervision of a professional engineer. The main purpose of this licence is to address the concern that foreign-trained engineers have reported encountering difficulty in finding employment that enabled them to obtain the Canadian experience for licensing. By issuing a provisional licence, PEO is affirming that the applicant has satisfied the academic, the majority of engineering experience and ethics requirements for licensing as a professional engineer in Ontario.


SECTION THREE: LICENSING TERMINOLOGY ACTIVITY: Small Groups – Matching Game TIME: 1 hour LEARNING OUTCOME: Participants will learn 11 terms associated with the licensing process. DESCRIPTION:

Organize the class into groups of 4-5.

Instruct participants to complete the exercise on page 36 in their workbooks.

Take up answers as a class (use answer key provided).

In the same groups, instruct participants to complete the Acronym

exercise on page 37 of their workbooks.

Take up answers as a class (use answer key provided).


LICENSING TERMINOLOGY:

Accreditation A process of reviewing and evaluating academic credentials and

other forms of qualification to determine whether an applicant has met entry requirements for education or occupational purposes.

Appeal Documented evidence of competency based on completion of a recognized program of study or training.

Assessment Occupations for which the standards of practice and competence are established by provincial law.

Credential A formal document that provides the holder the exclusive right to practice certain legally-defined functions.

Equivalency Recognition that a program or course or certificate from one country or institution is the same in content as a program or course or certificate from another country or institution.

Licence The process of identifying and measuring skills and knowledge for the purpose of recognizing and giving credit for learning that has been acquired from formal and informal education, training, work or other life experience.

Prior Learning Assessment Minimum guideline for certain tasks that are recommended, but not legally required, for a profession.

Protected Title Restricts the use on occupational title to those who are registered with the appropriate occupational body.

Registration Right of an unsuccessful applicant to challenge a decision of an occupational regulatory body in the occupational licensing/certification process.

Regulated Profession Process by which an agency or association grants public recognition to a training institution, program of study or service which meets certain pre-set standards.

Standards of Practice A formal recognition that a person has attained a standard of proficiency in the skills and knowledge required to practise in a profession. Often used interchangeably with “certification” or “licensing”, particularly in the regulated health professions.


ACRONYMS –

Acronym Meaning Role/Purpose ARC

Academic Requirements Committee

Committee of the PEO that assesses academic qualifications.

C of A

Certificate of Authorization

Allows an engineer to work as a self-employed person.

CCPE

Canadian Council of Professional Engineers

National professional association.

CEQB Canadian Engineering Qualifications Board

Committee of the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers that develops national guidelines on qualifications and standards of practice

CEAB

Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board

Determines whether foreign institutions meet Canadian standards.

EIT

Engineer-in-Training A title that permits the holder to work in engineering while gaining required experience.

ERC

Experience Requirements Committee

Committee of the PEO that assesses experience of applicants for licensure.

MRA

Mutual Recognition Agreement

Agreement held between PEO and foreign accounting body that allows for smooth transfer of credentials between nations.

OACETT

Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists

Regulatory body for engineering technicians and technologists.

PEO

Professional Engineers of Ontario

Regulatory body for engineers.

P.Eng Professional Engineer Protected title used by licensed professional engineers only

PPE

Professional Practice Examination

Exam that engineers must pass in order to be licensed.


SECTION THREE: LICENSING SELF-ASSESSMENT ACTIVITY: Individual – Identifying requirements for licensing and planning next steps. TIME: 1 hour LEARNING OUTCOME: Participants will understand:

The requirements for their profession The process for becoming licensed The time and financial resources required.

Participants will have developed a plan to complete the registration process. DESCRIPTION:

Instruct participants to use the licensing materials from the PEO in their Resource Package to complete the worksheet on page 38-39 of the workbook.

As participants are working, circulate through the room answering

questions as needed.

Have participants’ hand-in their work.

Review it, make comments, and return it the next day.


PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION: SELF-ASSESSMENT –ANSWER KEY

Using the registration information for your profession, complete the following plan.

What are the requirements for a licence for engineering? Indicate which requirements you believe you meet. Have Need

Be at least 18 years of age Be a citizen or permanent resident in Canada Be of good character Meet PEO’s stipulated academic requirements for licensure.

This may include writing technical examinations Pass the Professional Practice Examination Four years experience including one year in Canada. One year

experience credit is allowed for the successful completion of postgraduate degree in engineering in the same discipline as the undergraduate degree

Pay the required licensing fee What documents will you have to submit in order to have your credentials assessed?

1. Application for licence 2. Original or notarized diploma(s), degree(s) and full transcript(s) showing

courses completed and marks 3. Detailed description of each course taken 4. Full address of the educational and professional institutions relevant to your

engineering qualifications 5. Record of Work Experience

Do you meet the experience requirements as set out by the PEO? Why or why not? What are some strategies that would be helpful towards obtaining Canadian experience? Which is best suited for your situation?

If qualified, apply to become an Engineer-In-Training (EIT) If qualified, apply for provisional licence Getting an independent assessment of your degree, for use in proving to employers that you

have the qualifications


PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION: SELF-ASSESSMENT –ANSWER KEY

The following organizations offer assessment services in Ontario

The Canadian Council of Professional Engineers The Engineering International-Education Assessment Program (EIEAP) (specializing exclusively in engineering credentials) 180 Elgin St., Suite 1100 Ottawa, ON K2P 2K3 Telephone: (613) 232-2474 Fax: (613) 230-5759

Web Site http://www.ccpe.ca/ World Education Services 45 Charles Street East, Suite 700 Toronto, ON, M4Y 1S2 Tel:416-972-0070 Toll-free: 1-866-343-0070 Fax: 416-972-9004 Web Site: www.wes.org/ca Ontario Comparative Education Service University of Toronto Admissions and Awards 315 Bloor Street West Toronto, ON, M5S 1A3 Tel: 416-978-2185 Fax: 416-978-7022 Web Site: www.utaps.utoronto.ca/ces

Academic Credentials Evaluation Service ( ACES) York University, Atkinson College Admissions Office, Room 150 4700 Keele Street Toronto, ON M3J 1P3 Tel: 416-736 5787 Fax: 416-736-5741 Web Site: www.yorku.ca/admissio/aces.asp International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS) P.O. Box 21001, Campus Postal Services Guelph, ON, N1G 4T3 Tel: 519-763-7282 Toll free: 1-800-321-6021 Fax: 519-763-6964 Web Site: http://icascanada.ca Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials 95 St. Clair Avenue West, Suite 1106 Toronto, Ontario M4V 1N6 Canada Phone: (416) 962-9725 Fax: (416) 962-2800 Web Site http://www.cicic.ca/


PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION:

SELF-ASSESSMENT –ANSWER KEY Outline the steps you will need to follow to complete the registration process. The first step has already been entered for you. List any fees you expect to pay for each step and indicate which steps, if any, you have already completed STEP FEES COMP? 1.

Contact PEO and request registration application package

• Go to step 2

N/A

2.

Submit completed application form with the required supporting documentation

• Go to step 3 or 4

$187.25

3.

If education requirements are fulfilled, exemption from technical exams, write Professional Practice Exam


$100

4.

If education requirements are not fulfilled, pass technical exams or be exempt on basis of experientially-gained knowledge


$285 + $115 /examination

5.

Work experience and ethics requirements are fulfilled; licence granted

$187.25

6.

All requirements are met except for 12 month Canadian experience, eligible to apply for provisional licence

$187.25

Estimate how much it will cost you to complete the licensing process:

• For an applicant who does not need to write any technical exams the cost of licensing will be approximately $475

• For the applicant who is required to write technical examinations the cost will

depend on how many examinations have been assigned. For example if the applicant writes 3 exams the total cost of licensing will be approximately $1000. Costs are only valid at the time of writing and they may change. Check PEO’s website for the current costs.

Estimate how long it will take you to complete the licensing process:

• This will depend on the circumstances of each applicant. The evaluation of the education requirements normally takes 2 months after receipt of all the required supporting documentation. The Professional Practice Exam is held three times each year; in the spring, the summer and the fall. Check with PEO on the exact dates of the exam sittings and the corresponding deadlines by which PEO has to receive an application for licence.


SECTION FOUR: THE WORKPLACE

In this section, participants will learn about: Workplace expectations The impact of technology on the profession Opportunities for self-employment in the profession


SECTION FOUR: THE WORKPLACE HIRING PROCEDURES AND WORKPLACE EXPECTATIONS ACTIVITY: Guest Speaker, with Q & A period. TIME: 2 hours LEARNING OUTCOME: Will depend on the guest speaker. Participants will have practised asking meaningful questions of an employer or other speaker. DESCRIPTION:

See Preparation, page 8.

The day before your guest is scheduled to speak, have participants prepare a list of questions they would like answered. Use the worksheet on page 42 of their workbook.

Instruct participants to fill in the answers to their questions during

the presentation and, if questions are not addressed during the presentation, to ask them in the question/answer session.


SECTION FOUR: WORKPLACE TECHNOLOGY ACTIVITY: Reading, followed by Q&A TIME: 30 min. LEARNING OUTCOME: Participants will isolate 2-4 ways in which technology is affecting members of their profession. DESCRIPTION:

Instruct participants to use the Technology materials in their Resource Package to complete the exercise on page 43 of their workbook. Have them hand in their work and return it the next day.

Mention some emerging technologies that may have an impact on

the engineering profession and society in general. According to Human Resources and Skills Development (HRSD) new and emerging sectors in the economy include;

Aerospace Biotechnology in: agriculture; forestry; fishing; Pharmaceuticals Call Centres Environment-related technologies Multimedia Telehealth Tele-learning


Also in the “2020 Engineering forum” held in 2001 the following areas of engineering were identified as areas of increasing activity in the next 20 years:

New Materials and Biomaterials Informatics Surface Science Nanotechnology Imaging Biotechnology Proteomics and Genetics (Protein Engineering and Genetics

Engineering) Microarrays or Gene Chips Metabolic Engineering Catalysis Advanced Microscopy Sensors

These new and emerging sectors will continue to rely on traditional occupations although the duties for many jobs may be broadened and will acquire new skills. Internet usage is increasing around the world. E-commerce for Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business to Consumer are transforming key business processes. Futurists predict that someday the three most powerful technologies –the telephone, television and computer- will merge into one “ media appliance” that will be inexpensive and available to everyone. No one knows what’s going to happen when these three technologies merge, but everyone agrees about one thing- incredible changes in how we live, work, shop and use our leisure time will take place.


SECTION FOUR: THE WORKPLACE SELF-EMPLOYMENT ACTIVITY: Lecture, followed by individual activity. TIME: 1 hour LEARNING OUTCOME: Participants will know whether self-employment is a viable option in their field, will have conducted a brief assessment of their own attributes with respect to self-employment and will have practised marketing skills in writing. DESCRIPTION:

Use the lecture notes provided to give a brief overview of self-employment, contract work and consulting engineering.

Explain that self-employment is not for everyone. It entails a great

deal of risk but the rewards can be higher pay and more flexibility in your work life.

In addition, PEO produces guidelines to aid engineers in

performing their engineering role including that as self-employed independent contractor. For a complete list of PEO professional practice guidelines go to PEO’s website www.peo.on.ca click “publications” then “professional practice guidelines”

Instruct participants to complete the exercises on page 44 and 46

of their workbook.

Choose a few participants to read their advertisement aloud and encourage the class to provide constructive criticism.


SELF-EMPLOYMENT – Explain that there are several “non-traditional” work options for engineers in Ontario. Self-Employment:

You operate as a self-promoting business – either alone or in partnership or as a corporation.

You must meet additional licensing requirements to offer engineering services directly to the public.

Self-employment involves high risk. Business expenses may be deducted from income for tax purposes.

Contract Work

Similar to a traditional employer-employee relationship but is for a defined term.

Offers employers flexibility. Some benefits (eligibility for employment insurance, Canada Pension Plan)

are usually offered. Salaries are usually higher than for traditional jobs. Taxes are usually deducted. Some contract employees use an Employment Agency to market them to

corporate clients. This allows you the comfort of knowing you will have another assignment when the current one ends. The Agency is often paid by the corporation (employer).

Consulting Engineering

According to the Association of Consulting Engineers of Canada there are approximately 48,000 consulting engineers and Canada is the 4th largest exporter of engineering services in the world with revenues of $ 6.5 billion. Most firms are privately owned enterprises and employing fewer than 25 people. The industry also includes large integrated firms engaged primarily in the practice of providing services related to the development and construction of capital projects (often public projects).


THE WORKPLACE: SELF-EMPLOYMENT-ANSWER KEY

Using what you have learned about non-traditional work relationships – self-employment, contract work and consulting engineering, answer the following questions.

1. What are the requirements for self-employed engineers?

• Engineers that are self-employed as Independent Contractors, or they work for others but they offer engineering services on a part-time, moonlighting or volunteer basis must hold a Certificate of Authorization (C of A) under the Professional Engineers Act. The PEO Certificate of Authorization allows individual engineers and companies to offer or provide services directly to the public.

• Contract employees do not require a Certificate of Authorization, unless the contract indicates an independent contract relationship or the employer purchases the engineer’s time through an agency.

2. How does one obtain a Certificate of Authorization?

• The applicant for a C of A must designate a professional engineer who is an employee or partner in the firm to assume professional responsibility for the services provided. The designated engineer must have at least five years of professional engineering experience following the conferral of a degree from an accredited university or the completion of an equivalent education, e.g. PEO exams.

• Generally, C of A holders are required to carry professional liability insurance as laid out in the regulations under the Professional Engineers Act. In the absence of insurance, they are required to disclose to each and every client that they do not hold liability insurance, and obtain the client's written acknowledgement of this disclosure.

3. What are the advantages of self-employment?

• Business expenses are be deducted from income for tax purposes 4. The disadvantages?

• Involves risks • Uncertainty in finding another assignment when the current one ends.

5. What are the advantages of contract work?

• Salaries are usually higher than for traditional jobs • Business expenses may or many not be deducted from income for tax purposes

6. The disadvantages?

• Involves risks • Uncertainty in finding another assignment when the current one ends. Some

contract employees use an Employment Agency to market them to corporate clients. The agency is often paid by the corporation (employer)


SECTION FIVE: NETWORKING

In this section, participants will learn about: Opportunities for networking in engineering The skills associated with networking


SECTION FIVE: NETWORKING ACTIVITY: Lecture, brainstorming, group activity. TIME: 1 hour LEARNING OUTCOMES: Participants will have identified 10-12

networking opportunities and will have practised networking skills. DESCRIPTION:

Review the material on page 49 of their workbooks. Ask participants to jot down some networking opportunities they are aware of. Record these on the overhead or flip chart.


Instruct participants to complete the role-playing exercise on page

50.

Have each group report back to the class on how the “networker” handled the situation.


SECTION SIX: RELATED OCCUPATIONS

In this section, you will learn about: The occupations of Engineering Technologist and Technician.


SECTION SIX: RELATED OCCUPATIONS The summaries below are based on information from the Ontario Association of Certified Technologists and Technicians ACTIVITY: Lecture, discussion & self-assessment TIME: 30 min. LEARNING OUTCOME: Participants will know what the requirements are for engineering technicians and technologists. DESCRIPTION:

Review the material on page 53 of the workbook. Explain that professions in the field of engineering/applied science

technology are not regulated in Canada. Certification is voluntary and not required in order to work as a technician or technologist. However, certification for engineering/applied science technicians and technologists is offered in each province by provincial associations, and may be required by some employers.

Explain that there three levels of certification for technicians and technologists • Certified Engineering Technologist (C.E.T) • Certified Technician (C.Tech) • Applied Science Technologist (A.Sc.T) ➝ Has anyone applied for these types of positions? ➝ What has their experience been? ➝ How do people feel about possibly being underemployed? ➝ How do people feel about changing their resume to de-emphasize the

professional training & experience? Instruct participants to use the OACETT licensing material in the Resource packages to complete the exercise on pages 53-55.These can also be obtained at http://www.oacett.org. Click Fact Sheet on Registration for New Canadians


RELATED OCCUPATIONS: REGISTRATION- ANSWER KEY

Using the registration information from OACETT, complete the following plan. Based on the information provided, I believe I would be most suited to becoming an:

Engineering Technician ( C.Tech) Engineering Technologist (C.E.T) Applied Science Technologist (A.Sc.T)

Outline the requirements for the occupation you have chosen and indicate those that you believe you already possess and those that you would need to gain.

For C.E.T Certification Complete an application Have a diploma from a recognized program in engineering technology at a

post-secondary educational institute or have passed advanced courses in technology or have earned certificates recognized by (The Institute of Engineering Technology of Ontario) IETO, OACETT’s registration board

Write and pass OACETT’s Professional Practice Exam Write a Technology Report. The Technology Report assesses a candidate’s

ability to effectively examine and describe in detail engineering or applied science problem. Candidates will be able to select a topic appropriate to their experience and employment setting and which is related to their discipline of registration_

Be of good character, as verified by your references Have a minimum of two full years of experience in their engineering/applied

science technology discipline. Applicants must also demonstrate a knowledge of the working language, and Canadian or Ontario Standards, Codes and Practices of the discipline in which registration is being sought. OACETT will review candidates' resumes, job descriptions, and references to ensure that they can apply the principles of engineering or applied science technology to the tasks required on-the-job

For Certified Technician (C.Tech) / Applied Science Technologist (A.Sc.T)

Complete an application Have a diploma from a recognized program in engineering technology at a post-

secondary educational institute or have passed advanced courses in technology or have earned certificates recognized by (The Institute of Engineering Technology of Ontario) IETO, OACETT’s registration board

Write and pass OACETT’s Professional Practice Exam Be of good character, as verified by your references Have a minimum of two full years of experience in their engineering/applied

science technology discipline. Applicants must also demonstrate a knowledge of the working language, and Canadian or Ontario Standards, Codes and Practices of the discipline in which registration is being sought.



What documents will you have to submit in order to have your credentials assessed?

A photocopy of your birth certificate, passport or Canadian landed immigrant certificate.

Official transcripts of your post-secondary education showing the subjects you studied and the marks you obtained If you cannot arrange for your institute or college to provide an official transcript of subjects and marks, send a photocopy that has been notarized as a true copy. If the documents are not in English, you must also provide a notarized English translation prepared by a service that is certified by the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO)

A resume and a detailed job description of your current position, stating your duties and responsibilities and the length of time you worked at the job. Each page must be verified and signed by your supervisor. References from three current or past supervisors that can attest to your job skills

A non-refundable application fee of $125 (Canadian). This fee is subject to change. In addition to your post-secondary training, you may submit copies of any industry-

related courses or other courses related to engineering or applied science. Memberships in or courses taken through related associations should also be

documented Outline the steps you will need to follow to complete the registration process. List any fees you expect to pay for each step and indicate which steps, if any, you have already completed. STEPS FEES COMP? 1. Contact OACETT and request registration application package.

Go to step 2

2. Complete and submit an application with all the supporting documentation

Go to step 3 or 4

$135

3. If academic qualifications do not meet OACETT’s, study certain subjects and/or pass technical exams as designated by OACETT

Go to step 4 or 5

$395

4. If academic qualifications meet OACETT’s standards write Professional Practice Exam(eligible to register as an Associate Member)

Go to Step 5 or 6

$150 member. $250 non-member.

5. If work experience requirements are not met, eligible to register as an Associate Member while gaining the required experience.

Go to step 6

6. If work experience requirements are met, submit Technical Report (for C.E.Ts only)

Go to step 7

7. If ethics and other requirements, as set by OACETT, are met obtain registration



Estimate how much it will cost to complete the certification process:

Assuming that all requirements are met, the minimum cost of completing the certification process will be $285 (Based on 2003 fees, Check OACETT’s site for current fees) Extra costs will incur if the applicant is required to write technical exams, requests a study manual for the Professional Practice Exam and/or admission counselling.

Estimate how long it will take to complete the certification process:


WRAP-UP WHO DOES WHAT? ACTIVITY: Small Groups – Matching Game TIME: 40 min. LEARNING OUTCOME: Participants will understand the roles and responsibilities of 8 different stakeholders in the regulated professions. DESCRIPTION:


Instruct participants to complete the exercise on page 56 in their Workbooks.

Take up answers as a class (answer key provided).


WRAP-UP:

WHO DOES WHAT – Attorney General of Ontario Sets national policies for immigration.

Professional Engineers of Ontario Provides non-binding assessments of

academic credentials.

Professional Association Sets standards for skills, knowledge and behaviour for their members.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada Provides labour market information on all occupations.

Human Resources Development Canada

Provides upgrading and training opportunities.

Universities & Community Colleges Administers the laws that set out the requirements for professional engineers.

Community-based Agencies Provides opportunities for English language and other training, as well as employment support.

Comparative Education Service Provides networking and professional development opportunities.


WRAP-UP GOAL SETTING & EVALUATION ACTIVITY: Individual -- writing a goal statement TIME: 30 min. LEARNING OUTCOME: Participants will have created a short and long-term goal statement. DESCRIPTION:

Explain to participants that later in the STIC program they will be creating a specific and measurable “goal statement” for themselves. At this point, participants are asked to complete a goal statement simply relating to the material they have just learned. For example, do they intend to pursue licensing? As a professional engineer? As a technician or technologist? Are they going to look for work in a particular field?

Instruct participants to complete the exercise on page 57 in their

workbooks.

Have participants read their goals and objective out loud.

Hand out the evaluation form for the workshop and have members hand them in facedown.

WORKSHOP EVALUATION Overview and Orientation

Facilitator: Session # & Year: Your feedback is very important. Please be as honest and as specific as you can.

1. As a result of this workshop, do you feel you have:

Yes No a) Increased your knowledge of the labour

market in your field?

b) Increased your understanding of the laws that apply to your profession?

c) Increased your knowledge of the licensing and registration processes in Ontario?

d) A better understanding of your own status in the licensing process?

2. Were the materials/exercises you were given:

Easy to understand? Yes No Useful? Yes No Detailed enough? Yes No

3. How can we improve the materials/exercises?

4. Please complete the following sentences:

The most useful part of this workshop for me was … because …

The least useful part of this workshop for me was … because …

Thank You!

OVERVIEW & ORIENTATION WORKSHOP FOR...

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