NSPE EBOK Competency Model
Where Does It Fit?
What Does It Take to Be an
Engineer
Paul Schmidt, P.E., F.NSPE
Chair NSPE Licensure and Qualifications for
Practice Committee 2013/2015
NSPE Annual Meeting
July 16, 2015
Seattle, WA
Competency Models
What Does it Take to Be An Engineer?
All Engineering Disciplines
 NSPE Engineering Body of Knowledge
 US DOL Engineering Competency Model
Finalized this week; NSPE Contributed to
Development
Discipline Specific
 ASCE Civil Engineering Body of
Knowledge
 AAEES Environmental Engineering
Body of Knowledge
 IEEE Software Engineering Body of
Knowledge


The Knowledge, Skills and
Attitudes required for the
practice of engineering in
responsible charge of
engineering activities as a
Professional Engineer
Applicable to Professional
Engineers of all disciplines and
in all employment sectors


Identifies the Knowledge,
Skills and Abilities needed
for workers to perform
successfully in the field of
engineering.
Includes industry specific
competencies
US Department of Labor
Engineering Competency Model
Pyramid Structure - Common for all
DOL Models
 Pyramid NOT Hierarchical Skills
 Pyramid represents increasing
specialization and specificity
 Blocks represent competency areas
(i.e. groups of knowledge, skills,
and abilities
US Department of Labor
Engineering Competency Model
Foundational Competencies
 Tier 1 - Personal Effectiveness
Competencies - soft skills
 Tier 2 - Academic Competencies learned in school setting
 Tier 3 - Workplace Competencies motives, traits, management styles
Industry-Specific Competencies
 Tier 4 - Industry-Wide competencies
 Tier 5 - Industry-Sector Competencies
- none in current model
Support NSPE’s
mission, vision, and
values
Respond to NAE
“take charge”
challenge to the
engineering
profession
Build on disciplinespecific BOK efforts
Why develop
an EBOK?
Need for a
pan-engineering
BOK
•
Preparation of the
Engineering Body of
NSPE Licensure and Qualifications for
Knowledge
Practice Committee
–
–
–
–
–
27 Members
8 Disciplines Represented
Licensure Oriented
Predominantly Engineering Practitioners
Two Year Intensive Process
• Review and Detailed Input from Partner
Society Teams of Engineers:
–
–
–
–
–
IEEE
AIChE
ASCE
ASABE
Japan Society of Professional Engineers
Guiding Principles - NAE
 Technological innovation
accelerating.
 Technology deployment globally
interconnected.
 Technology in our everyday
lives - more significant than
ever.
 Individuals increasingly
diverse and multidisciplinary.
Above Frompolitical,
National Academy of Engineering
 Social, cultural,
and economic forces will shape
Additional Guiding
Principles - NSPE
 Broad body of knowledge
increasingly required
 Higher value-added, leading-edge
services and products from the
U.S. needed
 Communication, management,
leadership, ethical practice
skills increasingly critical
 Engineering in a sustainable,
global context
Key Attributes of the
Professional
Engineer
• Analytical,
practical;
•
•
•
•
Thorough, detail-oriented;
Creative, innovative;
Communicative;
Knowledgeable about sciences and
mathematics;
• Knowledgeable in a selected
field and conversant in related
fields;
• Skillful in business and
management;
Key Attributes of the
Engineer
• AbleProfessional
to provide leadership
• Professional and positive in
attitude;
• Aware of societal considerations
in global context;
• Aware of relevant laws,
regulations, standards, and
codes;
• Knowledgeable about engineering
ethics and codes of conduct; and
• Dedicated to lifelong learning.
Knowledge, Skills and
Attitudes
• Knowledge - consists of
comprehending theories,
principles, and fundamentals;
• Skills - the abilities to
perform tasks and apply
knowledge; and
• Attitudes - the ways in which
one thinks and feels in
response to a fact or
situation.
Knowledge, Skills and
Attitudes
• Expressed in the EBOK as 30
Capabilities
– Capabilities
• 3 Basic or Foundational
• 16 Technical
• 11 Professional Practice
– Each Capability
• Description
• Example Ability Engineer Should Have
Basic or foundational
1. Mathematics
2. Natural Sciences
3. Humanities and Social Sciences
Technical
4. Manuf./Const.
5. Design
6. Engr. Econ.
7. Engr. Science
8. Engr. Tools
9. Experiments
10. Prob. Recog. & Solving
11. QCQA
12. Risk, Reliab., Uncert.
13. Safety
14. Societal Impact
15. Systems Engr.
16. Oper. & Maint.
17. Sustain. & Environ. Impact
18. Tech. Breadth
19. Tech. Depth
Professional practice
20. Business Aspect of Engr.
21. Communication
22. Ethical Responsibility
23. Global Knowledge & Awareness
24. Leadership
25. Legal Aspects of Engr.
26. Lifelong Learning
27. Professional Attitudes
28. Project Management
29. Public Policy & Engr.
30. Teamwork
Example abilities
As examples of design capability, an engineer entering
practice at the professional level should be able to:
• Identify, or work collaboratively to identify, the
pertinent technical, environmental, economic,
regulatory, and other project requirements and
constraints;
• Contribute to the development of alternatives and
prepare design details for complex projects;
• Analyze the pros and cons of some alternative design
options and assist in the selection of an optimized
design alternative;
• Etc.
Session Exercise #1
Exercise #1
30 Capabilities
• Yes or No? - Do you use this
capability regularly in your
current practice of engineering
Optional Email Address - for
poll results
Engineering
society members
Prospective
engineering
students
Teachers/
advisors
Certification
boards
Licensing
boards
EBOK
Mentors and
supervisors
Engineer
interns
Employers
Parents
General
public
Engineering
Educators
Current
engineering
students
Accreditation
leaders
Stakeholders
Possible Uses
Prospective engineering
students, parents,
teachers, advisors,
general public
• Understand
importance of
engineering
Engineering and other
faculty and
administrators
• Design
curricula/programs
• Appreciate range of
knowledge, skills, and
attitudes
• Create/improve
courses
Current engineering
students
• Provide context for
their education
Accreditation leaders
• Revise criteria
Employers
• Partner with
personnel
Engineer Interns
• Direct their
experience
Mentors and supervisors
• Assist interns
Licensing boards
• Set expectations for
licensure
Certification boards
• Define desired
mastery level
Engineering society
members
• Use as resource for
committee,
subcommittee, and
task force work
Uses of EBOK
1. Employers/Employees
Performance Review for
Engineering Interns and PE
• Use EBOK as basis for
evaluation tailored to
situation
•
Positive feedback from
successful use
• Available on NSPE website on
Licensure Blog
EMPLOYEE EVALUATION
Capability Development
Capability
a. Design – Project Type
b. Technical Depth
c. Technical Breadth
d. Software Applications
e. Cost Estimating
f.
Construction
1. Field Coordination
2. Resident Inspection
3. Constr.
Administration
g. Safety
h. Sustainability/Env.
Impact
i. Communication
1. Written –
Correspondenc
e
2. Written – Reports
3. Public Speaking
j.
Project Management
1. Time Management
KEY: E = Experienced
Experience
D = Developing
Planned
N = Not Applicable to Date
Professional Development
Goals (Internal and External)
EMPLOYEE EVALUATION
2. Project Planning
3. Project Monitoring
4. Team Management
k. Risk Management
1. Project
Risk
Assessmen
t
2. Technical QA/QC
l.
3. Internal QA/QC
Review
Business Aspects
1. Project
Cost
Control
2. Proposal
Preparati
on
3. Business
Developme
nt
m. Legal Aspects
1. Contract Documents
2. Construction
Interpretatio
n
3.
Engineeri
ng
Contracts
4. Codes, Regulations,
Uses of EBOK
2. Engineering Education
Assignment in Freshman Engineering
Course
• Have freshman engineering students
review EBOK
–to better understand what
engineering is about
–What they will need to learn for
their careers
• Successfully used at New Mexico
State University
•
Planned other universities
Uses of EBOK
Freshmen-New Mexico State University,
Feb 2015
What Capabilities Surprised You?
• Engineering Economics
•
Sustainability and Env. Impact
•
Business Aspects of Engineering
•
Legal Aspects
•
Ethics
•
Technical Breadth
Session Exercise #2
Group #1
• Complete Exercise #2 - Handout
• 30 Capabilities
• Rank 1-4 - Today Capability is
Currently Attained Through:
– Baccalaureate Education
– Graduate Education
– Professional Development
– Experience
Session Exercise #2
Group #2 - What Should NSPE do
to Promote EBOK?
Group #3 - What Capability is
Missing? Should any be Deleted?
Group #4 - How Else Could the
EBOK be Used by Stakeholders?
Additional Info – Free Download, Summaries, Uses
WWW.NSPE.ORG/EBOK
Department of Labor Website
www.doleta.gov
www.careeronestop.org/competencymodel/
Comments, Questions:
NSPE: Arthur Schwartz, Esq
aschwartz@nspe.org
Thank You
Paul Schmidt, P.E., F. NSPE
pschmidt@cmaengineers.com
603-627-0708