The Canadian Council of
Professional Engineers
Providing leadership which advances the quality of life
through the creative, responsible and progressive
application of engineering principles in a global context
Today’s Presentation
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The engineering profession in Canada
Accreditation and Software Engineering
National Guidelines for Licencing
One province’s experiences
Presenters
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Digvir Jayas, P.Eng.
 Chair, Canadian Engineering Qualifications Committee and
Associate Vice-President (Research) at the University of Manitoba
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Gillian Pichler, P.Eng.
 Director, Registration at the Association of Professional Engineers
and Geoscientists of British Columbia (APEGBC)
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Pieter Botman, P.Eng.
 Volunteer with APEGBC and independent consultant
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Deborah Wolfe, P.Eng.
 Director, Education, Outreach and Research at the Canadian
Council of Professional Engineers
Engineering in Canada
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There are 160,000 registered professional
engineers in Canada
Canada’s system for the formation of an
engineer is world renowned
Canada is the 3rd largest exporter of
engineering services in the world
A Self-governing Profession
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Section 92 (13) of the Constitution Act, 1867, places
professions under provincial and territorial jurisdiction.
Delegation to professions - self-governance
Licencing, discipline and enforcement
Associations/ordre formed to protect the public and govern
the profession
Legislative framework established
No industrial exemption: all those practising engineerng
must be registered
The Practice of Engineering
(CCPE Definition)
The practice of Professional engineering means any
act of planning, designing, composing, evaluating,
advising, reporting, directing or supervising, or
managing any of the forgoing,
 that requires the application of engineering principles, and
 that concerns the safeguarding of life, health, property,
economic interests, the public welfare or the environment.
Canadian Council of Professional
Engineers
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federation of 12 provincial and territorial
associations, representing more than 160,000
professional engineers
represents the profession at the national and
international levels
accredits university engineering educational
programs
prepares national criteria and guidelines
CCPE, continued . . .
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under the Federal Trade-marks Act, the CCPE is
the owner of the official marks “engineer,”
“professional engineer” and “engineering”
the CCPE has the right and duty to protect the
public from the misuse of the words “engineer”
and “engineering”
CCPE Structure
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Board of Directors
Standing Committees
Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board
Canadian Engineering Qualifications Board
Canadian Engineering Resources Board
Canadian Engineering International Board
Canadian Engineering
Accreditation Board
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1965 - CEAB established. In 2002, 220 programs
in 35 engineering schools accredited (including
three software engineering programs).
Objective: To ensure Canadian engineering
education programs meet or exceed standards
acceptable for professional registration/licensure
in the Canadian provinces and territories.
Purpose of Accreditation: to identify those
engineering programs that meet the criteria for
accreditation.
General Considerations
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applies to bachelor degree programs
program must include engineering in the title
all options and electives are examined
CEAB curriculum content must be met by all
students (minimum path)
faculty teaching courses which are primarily
engineering science and engineering design are
expected to be professional engineers in Canada
Benefits of Accreditation
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creditability for program
graduates meet academic requirements for
professional registration
international recognition of engineering credentials
uniform quality of engineering programs
fosters self examination and continuous improvement
improvement or elimination of engineering programs
which do not meet standards
Criteria For Accreditation
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Quantitative and Qualitative evaluation
Accredited engineering programs must contain not
only mathematics, sciences and engineering
content requirements, but they must also develop
communication skills and an understanding of the
environmental, cultural, economic and social
impacts of engineering on society and the concept
of sustainable development
Accreditation of Software
Engineering Programs
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CEAB criteria are non-discipline specific
CEAB developed a sample software engineering
program that met criteria
Held a workshop for all team chairs and software
engineering program visitors in year of first visits
(Fall 2000)
Each software engineering program included two
visitors; one from industry and one from academia
Consistency report following decisions
Undergraduate Degrees Offered:
University of Ottawa Example
Undergraduate Studies Program Titles
 Chemical Engineering
Environmental Engineering Option
Engineering Management And Entrepreneurship
Option
Combined Program In Chemical
Engineering/computing Technology
Combined Biochemistry / Chemical Engineering
Program In Biotechnology
Civil Engineering
Environmental / Water Resources Option
Structural And Geotechnical Engineering Option
Engineering Management And Entrepreneurship
Option
Combined Program In Civil Engineering And
Computing Technology
Undergraduate Degrees Offered:
Example
Undergraduate Studies Program Titles
Mechanical Engineering
Combined Program In Mechanical Engineering /
Computing Technology
Engineering Management And Entrepreneurship Option
School Of Information Technology And Engineering SiteComputer Engineering
Computer Science
Electrical Engineering
Software Engineering
University of Ottawa Software
Engineering Curriculum (Accredited)
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The program prepares students for work on all types of
software from real-time to business systems, with special
emphasis on telecommunications software. The program also
emphasizes communication and presentation skills, working in
teams, management techniques and entrepreneurship.
Students in the program work on industrially relevant
software projects. They are taught how to use metrics to
assess the quality of software and their own personal
productivity.
The program was reviewed and will be mentored on a
continuing basis by executives of leading software companies
- members of the Industrial Advisory Board of SITE
University of Ottawa
SE Program
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First Year
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Principles of Chemistry
Technical Report Writing
Engineering Mechanics
Fundamentals of Engineering Computation
Calculus I
Fundamentals of Software Design
Introduction to Electrical and Computer Engineering
Calculus II
Introduction to Linear Algebra
Fundamentals of Physics for Engineers
Physics Laboratory for Engineers
University of Ottawa
SE Program
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Second Year
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Data Structures
Engineering Economics
Computer Architecture I
Logic for Computing
Software Design II
Three credits of electives 1
Introduction to Business Management
File Management
Elements of Discrete Mathematics
Probability Statistics for Engineers
Software Design III
Three credits of electives 1
University of Ottawa
SE Program
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Third Year
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Computer Architecture II
Design and Analysis of Algorithms I
Database Management Systems
Introduction to Telecommunications Systems and Services
Software Development for Large-Scale Systems
Three credits of electives 1
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Operating System Principles
Professional Software Engineering Practice 2
Advanced Object Oriented Analysis and Design
Analysis and Design of User Interfaces
Telecommunications Software Engineering
Three credits of electives 1
University of Ottawa
SE Program
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Fourth Year
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Security in Computing
Software Project Management
Software Engineering Project (first part) 3
Nine credits of electives 1
Real-Time Systems Design
Higher Layer Network Protocols
Software Quality Engineering
Software Engineering Project (second part) 3
Six credits of electives 1
National Guidelines for Licencing
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Candidate Types:
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CEAB grads
CEAB recognized grads (MRA and SE)
Non-CEAB recognized grads
Related-discipline grads
Canadian Engineering
Qualifications Board
Mandate:
 to provide guidelines for admission standards for the
practice of engineering
 to provide a syllabus for examinations for candidates
other than CEAB graduates to ensure that they meet the
educational requirements for licensure
 to encourage the adoption of common standards for
professional engineering registration in Canada
 to act in a co-ordinating role on matters of professional
practice
CEQB
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National guidelines on professional engineering
qualifications
National guidelines on standards of practice,
continuing competence and ethical conduct
Common Professional Practice Exam
Examination syllabus and list of international
engineering institutions
Environmental practice and issues
Mobility agreement
Requirements for licensure
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Academic
Experience
Professional Practice Exam
Language
References
Academic Assessment
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CEAB accredited or recognized program
Confirmatory Program
Examination Program
Experience Evaluation
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application of theory
practical experience
management of engineering
communication skills
social implications of engineering
Professional Practice Examination
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3 hour examination
Professionalism
Engineering Law
Language
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French in Quebec, French or English in
New Brunswick, English in all other
jurisdictions
References
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technical competence in the application of
engineering principles and theory
ability to exercise professional judgment
ability to communicate effectively in the
language of the jurisdiction
ability to work on a team
character
Role of Associations
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setting standards (academic, experience,
references) for admission to the profession and
issuing licences to those who qualify
enforcement activities for those practising
engineering who are not licensed or those
claiming to be engineers who are not licensed
investigation of complaints against Members
Role of Associations, continued...
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discipline activities against members who perform
incompetently, breach the Code of ethics, code of
conduct;
preparation of guidelines relating to various
practice issues for the benefit of the public or the
membership;
continuing competency programs
History of Licencing in B.C.
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1998 – Chairman of leading aerospace
company challenged APEGBC to recognize
software engineering as ‘true engineering’
Forum held with representatives from
industry, academia, IEEE, CCPE, to
explore issues and propose the way forward
History of Licencing in B.C.
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Issues Identified
Majority of practitioners are not professional
engineers because:
• Have engineering degrees, but do not feel that
practice is ‘professional engineering’
• Have computer science or other degrees but have
moved into engineering
Profession had failed to recognize software
engineering as ‘true engineering’
History of Licencing in B.C.
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Issues Identified
Large sector of practitioners in ‘applied
computer science’: software and hardware
engineering
Designs affect public interest and safety
Many P.Eng. Practitioners registered through
computer and electrical practice software
engineering; however …
History of Licencing in B.C.
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Issues Identified
 Failure of profession to recognize software engineering
resulted in formation left to employers, learned
societies, individuals
 Marketplace does not recognize value of registering
practitioners, qualified or not
 Evolution resulted in lack or professional engineers as
mentors, traditionally required for registration
 Marketplace has strong support system of professional
development and certification
History of Licencing in B.C.
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Issues Identified
Profession would need to make a major
commitment to develop strategies that
recognize that a community and practice had
established, with certification bodies and
infrastructure germane to its practitioners
Strategies would need strong support within
the industry and present a value proposition to
practitioners
History of Licencing in B.C.
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Task Force Established
Responsibilities:
Develop Qualification Process
Develop Profession’s Message to Industry and
the Public
Partner with Local Firms, Industry Support
Groups, and Industry to ensure full
professional commitment to registered
practitioners
History of Licencing in B.C.
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Task Force
 Developed White Paper for publication on website for
feedback from industry groups, current and potential
members
 Developed Qualifications Process including academic
and experience requirements;
 Received Council’s approval to establish Software
Engineering as a discipline and established a pilot
applications process in April 1999 (no application fee)
 Advertising on web site, press releases, industry
publications, industry meetings
 Established Computer & Software Engineering
Division as Member Interest Group
History of Licencing in B.C.
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Task Force
Consultation & Liaison/Involvement with other
Bodies
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Members in Industry
BC Technology Industries Association
IEEE Computer Society
SWEBOK
Texas State Board for Engineers
History of Licencing in B.C.
 69 applications received
 First software engineer registered September 2000
 Feedback prolific with mixed opinions
• No intention of becoming registered versus
• Finally someone is taking action to formally regulate
standards of practice
 Those seeking registration
• Didn’t feel they would have qualified (or been interested in
qualifying) before software engineering recognized;
• Other disciplines who had moved into software engineering
and wished professional recognition;
• Computer Science/Math graduates needing professional
recognition to differentiate their qualifications from others
History of Licencing in B.C.
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Evaluation of Applicants
 Recognized:
• Non-traditional, growing discipline
• Continuing evolution of knowledge, technology and theory
• Combination of academics, in-house training, professional
development and experience make up qualification ‘whole’
• Lack of P.Eng. References in some, but surprisingly few, cases
 Software Engineering Syllabus and first Experience
Guidelines used as Guidelines
 Interviews used as a tool in many cases
 Details of evaluation written up for each applicant, to
ensure consistency of evaluation
APEGBC Criteria:
Software Engineering Experience
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Include, but extend general requirements for
“satisfactory Engineering experience”
Basic software knowledge *assumed*
Requires Breadth and Depth
Should demonstrate increasing level of
responsibility, usually multiple roles
APEGBC Criteria: SW Eng’g
Experience Capability Areas
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Software requirements management
 Elicitation, capture, tracing
 Analysis, specification, validation
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Software design and construction
 Architecture: Views, patterns, components
 Design methods, modeling, notations...
 Implementation methods and tools
APEGBC Criteria: Experience
Capability Areas (cont.)
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Software quality and testing
 Defect metrics, assessment of quality,
Conformance to requirements
 Testing methods
 V&V
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Software assets management
 Configuration Management
 Change Control
 Release Management
APEGBC Criteria: Experience
Capability Areas (cont.)
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Software project management
 Different lifecycle models,
 Estimation and metrics
 Risk management
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Software process engineering
 Process metrics
 Software process improvement
 Process engineering
Criteria: Experience in optional
capability areas
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Safety-critical systems
 Transportation, nuclear industry, biomedical,
etc….
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Legal issues
 Licencing, IP, etc...
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Security: privacy, authentication, etc.
Telecommunications
Human factors, ergonomics
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Exclusions: Not Software
Engineering
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Network design or management
System administration
Just use of software
Multimedia design
Pure technology investigation
Work lacking software elements
Work lacking engineering duties or
responsibility
Evaluating SW Engineering
experience - pragmatics
4 years is needed but may be insufficient!
 Evaluate experience within applicant’s
environment (terminology, standards)
 Look for an awareness of standards
technologies, and current best practices
Above all, demonstrate application of
principles, and understanding of many
engineering trade-offs
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History of Licencing in B.C.
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Computer & Software Engineering Division
Main focus is professional development
Professional Development Streams at Annual
Conference for past two years (2000 and 2001)
Partner with other groups (INCOSE, IEEE) for
this purpose
History of Licencing in B.C.
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Current Picture:
 Of 19,000 members and members-in-training
 31 Registered as Software Engineers
 200 Registered as Computer Engineers
 Other practitioners in Electrical Engineering
 For Example, those who list their industry segment as
Software Development, list their Primary Expertise as
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103 Computer Software
11 Systems/Systems Integration
10 Telecommunications
6 project management; 5 Information systems
4 Administration/Management; 2 Microelectronics
2 Electromechanical systems
History of Licencing in B.C.
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Current Picture:
Other industry segments represented, including
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Communication & Telecommunication
Computer
Education
Electrical/Electronic
Systems Integration
Utilities