The NSW Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 requires all registered engineers to meet the CPD requirements of the Building Commission’s Guidelines for Professional Engineers. A copy of the CPD for Professional Engineers can be downloaded here Guidelines for Professional Engineers.

Engineers who want to or are registered as a professional/design engineer in NSW have three different pathways that they can register and maintain their licence.

Pathway 1 Eligibility and ongoing registration requirements set by Fair Trading

Pathway 2 Eligibility and ongoing registration requirements set by recognised engineering body in accordance with a scheme approved by Fair Trading

Pathway 3 Eligibility and ongoing registration requirements set by professional body of engineers that operates with a Professional Standards Scheme.

ADVICE FROM THE NSW BUILDING COMMISSION

I’ve received direct correspondence from the Building Commission who advised that:

• “The important thing to understand is that at the moment pathway 1 is the only active option. Pathway 1 is the traditional way of registering – the engineer applies to the Department and the Department assesses that the engineer has the required qualifications etc. and then is granted a registration. Engineers registered under that pathway must comply with the 50 hours CPD requirement and conditions set out in the guideline approved by the Secretary”.

• “Pathways 2 and 3 are alternative options which recognise that engineers have been assessed by an industry association (Engineers Australia, for example) as appropriate for registration, and then the Department would automatically register those engineers. However, before those options are available, the industry association would need to apply and be granted the ability to be a recognised engineering body (pathway 2) or have an approved Professional Standards Scheme (pathway 3). Membership of a professional association doesn’t meet the requirements of Pathways 2 or 3”.

In short, an engineer must comply with Pathway 1 which determines that “certain topics are mandatory and 20 hours must be formal CPD activities. Approved formal education and training involves participating in structured and organised activities, where there are clear objectives and learning outcomes, including an assessment measure, and where attendance or participation can be evidenced”.