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Mandatory Continuing Professional Development ( Cpd ) For Professional Engineers

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Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for professional engineers in Ontario has been an issue subject to controversy over the years. The controversy surrounding the issue is due in part to the complications of introducing such a program, and the fact that “Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) is the only professional engineering association in Canada that does not have a CPD program [1].” The debate regarding CPD for professional engineers in Ontario is pertinent because the resolution has been ongoing since September of 2013, and is up for approval in the upcoming February 2016 PEO council meeting [2]. Therefore, it is important that the CPD debate is resolved and a consensus is reached. Mandatory CPD is a concept to which professionals are required and encouraged to maintain and enhance their knowledge throughout their careers to provide a standard of competence to those practicing [3]. The goal of CPD is to be “proactive in regulating the profession...rather than (reactively)…punishing license holders for practice failures [1].” Introducing a CPD program will ensure public safety, “contribute to a reduction in risk for the public and individual practitioner”, and “push the profession to higher levels of skills and knowledge” [1]. As a result, the professional engineers of Ontario should engage in mandatory CPD to ensure the continued competency of those practicing and the safety of the public. The proactive nature of a CPD program may prevent failures

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