Meeting CPD Requirements Technical vs Non-Technical CPD

Scott Britton Director, Policy & Partnerships

The Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland’s (BPEQ) continuing registration requirements (CRR) policy outlines requirements that, if satisfied, demonstrate the individual has maintained their competency in the area/s of engineering for which they seek to maintain their professional registration. The policy also defines allowances for claimable hours across both technical and nontechnical continuing professional development (CPD) activities while introducing new elements associated with ethics and risk management.

The CRR policy has been established to provide clarity on CRR requirements in accordance with the Professional Engineers Act 2002 (Qld). The current version of the policy, adopted in late 2020, introduced a few subtle changes that have further enhanced the minimum requirement for technical CPD, as an overall proportion of CPD hours, while also defining a maximum number of hours that can be claimed as nontechnical CPD. In addition, requirements for minimum hours of CPD covering nontechnical ethics and nontechnical risk management have been introduced. As a result of these changes, to meet the requirements for registration an individual must: 1. complete a minimum of 150 hours of CPD over a threeyear period leading up to the renewal or restoration of their registration in the area/s of engineering for which the applicant is, or was, registered; 2. undertake a minimum 75% (112.5 hours) of the 150 hours as technical CPD; 3. undertake a maximum of 25% (37.5 hours) of the 150 hours as non-technical CPD (e.g., project management, law, communication); 4. undertake as a minimum, 1 hour of non-technical CPD covering ethics; and 5. undertake as a minimum, 1 hour of non-technical CPD covering risk management. Where an assessment entity, such as IPWEAQ, has been selected, an individual must comply with the CRR of the assessment entity’s approved CPD scheme. Where an assessment entity is not selected, BPEQ undertakes annual audits to ensure that an engineer meets its CRR requirements. By electing to participate in IPWEAQ’s CPD Scheme, an RPEQ will benefit by having IPWEAQ automatically and regularly audit their progress towards achieving the required CPD hours to maintain eligibility for registration where the new Track my CPD portal (www.trackmycpd.com.au) is utilised to record CPD activities. IPWEAQ will recommend relevant programs ensuring full compliance with the CRR policy each year.

IPWEAQ’s CPD offering covers a range of technical and nontechnical courses that provide opportunities to complete CPD hours required to maintain professional registration. New courses covering the nontechnical ethics and nontechnical risk management CPD requirements will be added to the professional development opportunities in the near future.

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trackmycpd.com.au

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