APEGA
our professional obligation to maintain our competency and integrity. I recently met a Member who no longer lives in Alberta but has maintained his APEGA membership for more than 20 years. Why would you do that? I asked him. In the country where he now resides, he said, business practices are sometimes unethical. When he is challenged for not following these practices, he simply says that he is an APEGA Member, and the behaviours are not allowed under his Code of Ethics. When individuals become Members, it’s a lifelong commitment to demonstrate our professionalism wherever we practise. Knowing this, I feel confident that our professions are making a difference around the world. On a more tangible level, I’m looking forward to seeing continued progress in the improvement of APEGA’s registration process. The addition of more software- based processes and better service to applicants is, for me, the story of the year. Some people balk at calling applicants customers, but I have no problem with the word. Applicants represent the near future of our Association. Their licensure is the beginning of an important relationship with APEGA — and with the professional standards and ethics Albertans expect and require of them. The PEG: You’ve volunteered as a role model in Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science and Technology (WISEST) since 1991. What motivates you to inspire girls to explore careers in science? What do you say or do to encourage young people — girls in particular — to enter the professions? CP It surprises some people to learn that in my high school years, I was unaware of our professions. I had never met a Professional Member and I had no idea what engineers or geoscientists do. I first got introduced to engineering through a student panel forum. Female engineering students from the University of Alberta spoke about their work and it really interested me. Fortunately, I had good marks in math and science, so I enrolled in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Alberta.
The next stage is to determine what areas we need to focus on for the coming 2017 to 2019 timeframe, allowing staff to incorporate actions into the annual business plan. We can assume some constants about the future. But a good strategic plan must be resilient enough to accommodate the unexpected. The PEG: Another area you’ve said you want to focus on is making APEGA a stronger regulator. What is your vision in this area? CP APEGA’s key functions are regulatory. To me, becoming a stronger regulator means that Members clearly understand their responsibilities as Professional Members. They need to demonstrate the competencies required for their licence, and they need to maintain these competencies throughout their career. In the coming months, Members can expect to see more emphasis on key aspects of our professions, such as professionalism, technical oversight, management oversight, and technical competency. Members have a role in regulating the professions. They are not only responsible for themselves; they should also offer peer support when challenges arise. We should do this in a respectful and professional manner, with the goal of resolving an issue before it reaches the point of requiring a complaint to APEGA. Since we are all well aware of what goes into teamwork, this shouldn’t be difficult to achieve in many, many situations. When something is serious and the public interest is at immediate risk or has already been compromised, of course: file a complaint. But also remember to teach, coach, listen, and mentor. Our current processes tend to be passive. We wait for a problem to arise and then we react. It’s time for us to move to a more active approach. The PEG: What other challenges lie ahead for APEGA and its professions? How should APEGA address them? CP Globalization of our professions will continue to grow. We can prepare for this by continuing to uphold
The opportunity to hear from other women that there are exciting and fulfilling careers in engineering — that made a difference in my own career. At university, I began to volunteer at schools to talk to children about engineering. I see taking part in programs like WISEST as a way to give back to our professions and perhaps offer other young women an opportunity to find out more about our professions. What I like to say to young women is that engineering and geoscience careers are an opportunity to leverage their math and science skills, and ultimately improve everyone's quality of life. I like to ask them: Are you interested in making a difference in the world? Do you enjoy understanding how things work? Do you love when a plan comes together? Then I encourage them to consider the engineering or geoscience professions. We value public safety, societal well- being, and the environment. Our professions are deeply trusted by the general public because we care. Those things resonate with young people, and I like making sure they hear about them.
12 | PEG SUMMER 2015
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