Engineering Licensure 101
A guide to becoming a professional engineer
August 16, 2011
Understanding P.Eng Certification
Look out any window in any developed community and chances are everything you see will have at least one thing in common: engineering.
Engineering is an integral part of all the technologies that make life possible, sustainable, and enjoyable. Professional engineers not only build bridges, roads, sewage systems, and buildings, as everyone knows, they also design aerospace components, computer chips, medical diagnostic equipment, subway trains, and hearing aids.
So as demand for these products and services increases, engineers will play a key role in developing modern technology and materials for communities around the world to enjoy their sustainable growth.
In Canada the professional engineer (P.Eng.) designation represents the highest standards of engineering knowledge, experience, and professionalism. It also licenses you to practice professional engineering. The designation tells employers that you're committed to engineering excellence; that you have the right skills, education, and attitude; and that you're a responsible professional with the proven problem-solving abilities to help their business build business. It also means that you are prepared to be held publicly accountable for your professional conduct and competence.
To become a P.Eng. in Canada, you must be licensed in the province or territory in which you are employed. In Ontario, Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) governs its license and certificate holders and regulates professional engineering practice to serve and protect the public. Under the Professional Engineers Act, PEO establishes the educational, experience, and other requirements for licensing. PEO also provides leadership to the profession and raises public awareness of its role and of the value of licensure. To take responsibility for professional engineering work in Ontario, or to call yourself an engineer, you must be licensed by the association.
More than 250 engineering programs offered at 38 Canadian universities—nearly half of which are in Ontario—have met the standards set by the profession and been accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB). Graduation from one of these nationally accredited programs means you have earned the academic qualifications required to apply for a license as a P.Eng. with any of the 12 provincial and territorial engineering licensing bodies.
The Iron Ring
With graduation from a Canadian engineering program comes a unique and memorable event: the Iron Ring ceremony. A tradition since 1925, the ring is worn on the little finger of the working hand to symbolize the pride engineers have in their profession and to remind them of their obligation to live by a high standard of professional conduct. Although the ring represents an enormous achievement, it does not make the wearer an engineer. Graduation is just the first step to obtaining the license and becoming a professional engineer.
To be granted a license to practice professional engineering in Ontario, an applicant must:
- Hold an undergraduate engineering degree from a CEAB-accredited program (or possess equivalent qualifications).
- Demonstrate at least 48 months of verifiable, acceptable engineering experience, at least 12 months of which must be acquired in a Canadian jurisdiction under a licensed professional engineer (P.Eng.).
- Successfully complete PEO's Professional Practice Examination.
- Be of good character.
- Be at least 18 years old.
To encourage engineering graduates to apply for their professional engineer license in Ontario, PEO has introduced a program that removes a potentially significant economic hurdle. Under the program, called the Engineering Intern Financial Credit Program (FCP), graduates of engineering programs accredited by the CEAB may be eligible to apply for the P.Eng. license at no cost.
CEAB graduates are eligible for the FCP if they apply online within six months of the date their degree was conferred. They will also be registered in the Engineering Intern (EIT) program for the first year at no cost. Participants in this program demonstrate their commitment to becoming licensed as a professional engineer to potential employers. They are also entitled to annual reviews of their engineering experience by PEO; able to receive the association's official publication—Engineering Dimensions; and eligible to join a PEO chapter and take advantage of the many associated networking opportunities.
Newcomers to the country with a bachelor of engineering or a bachelor of applied science degree may also benefit from the FCP if they apply within six months of their landing in Canada. In addition, recent changes to the Professional Engineers Act have eliminated a previous requirement that an applicant be a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant, making it easier for an applicant from outside of Canada to apply for and obtain a license.
As a license holder in the province, you will become part of a community of more than 80,000 professionals committed to enhancing the quality of life, safety, and well-being of all Ontarians.
The P.Eng. designation indicates an appreciation for work that is not only technically competent, but also based on sound professional ethics, and that adheres to the standards of practice that are the hallmark of professional engineering.
And, while not all engineering graduates find licensure mandatory for their chosen career paths—and it's important to note that a license is not required for engineering employment in Ontario, if a licensed professional engineer takes responsibility for the work—the P.Eng. after their names can provide many advantages.
Employers in all disciplines indicate that they find licensed professional engineer employees to be more dedicated, with enhanced leadership and management skills. These employers look to licensure in evaluating the advancement potential of employees. In fact, a 2007 engineering labor market study conducted for Engineers Canada found that 78 percent of employers required or preferred engineering graduates to be licensed. The main reason cited was a culture of professionalism associated with licensure.
These benefits aside, the true value of the professional engineer license is its value to the public, not the license holder. For nearly 90 years the Professional Engineers Act has set the bar for practice in a profession in which, arguably more than any other, public safety in its broadest sense is paramount. Public safety and serving the public interest are the key results behind the years of education, training, and supervised experience that goes into making professionals within the current 41 engineering disciplines. Being a P.Eng. means being responsible and accountable for the work you do.
The engineering profession has a powerful and revered tradition of accountability and service in Canada, and attaining the P.Eng. designation is an important and worthwhile step to consider in your professional career.
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