Dear Members,

APEY council is pleased to report that a voluntary Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program will be initiated in 2009. In a 2007 APEY Member Survey, 74 % of respondents indicated that they supported APEY introducing a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Program. At the APEY Annual General Meeting in March 2008, the membership voted that APEY implement a voluntary continuing professional development program using the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists Alberta (APEGGA) CPD model, and that the program should take effect in January 2009. Although the program is voluntary, the membership also voted that APEY introduce a financial penalty of $50 to be levied against APEY members who do not submit the continuing professional development program documentation with their annual dues.

BEGIN RECORDING YOUR CPD HOURS STARTING JANUARY 1, 2009

The purpose of this letter is to provide the necessary information to roll out this program, and to educate members regarding the continuing development that they should aim to obtain, and records that should be maintained. The program will be consistent with a revolving three year target approach, which is the most common type of program found in other jurisdictions across Canada. This approach does offer flexibility, and should be attainable by all active members.

A table/questionnaire will accompany the annual membership fee invoice (see attached form: CPD Form). Practicing professional members will submit PD hours for the previous 12 month period according to the following:

• Target of 240 Professional Development Hours (PDHs) over three years with activities in three of the six categories per year (see attached CPD format table: APEY CPD Format, or visit APEGGA web site);
• 80 PDHs per year recommended (180 PDHs per year possible); and,
• 3-year rolling total, 2-year carryover for unclaimed PDHs.

Each member is requested to keep their own records of hours completed. The first submission of CPD hours will be in January 2010; for hours completed in 2009.

Any members who are already participants in a CPD program for any other Canadian Professional Engineering Association can submit the forms used for the other associations CPD tracking to avoid duplication of effort.

Non-practicing members are exempted from the $50 penalty for not submitting the CPD forms. Any members with special consideration (full time return to school, parental leave, health/disability etc...), may contact the APEY office or a member of the CPD committee to discuss how this program applies to them.

We plan to review the success of this program after two years. Consideration will be given to whether the voluntary program should be extended, or whether it should become a mandatory program; and if any other changes are required to improve the program.

Participation in this program will make us all more aware of our professional development; encourage our employers to support us in taking related courses; and, encourage APEY to facilitate at least one PD session per year. This program will also bring us into a consistent practice with the other jurisdictions.

We look forward to this program beginning in 2009. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the APEY office, or one of the members of the CPD committee. CPD members currently include: Rod Savoie, Walter Gutowski, Chad Cowan, and Ryan Martin.

Sincerely,

Ryan Martin, P.Eng.
President, Association of Professional Engineers of Yukon