Introduction
Regulation and licensure is the act of giving a permit to those qualified in particular field of specialty while at the same time keeping in checking their activities. It is usually established under a variety of jurisdictions that aim at promoting the welfare of the public. Licensure is the process under which engineers receive authorization to practice as well as provide professional engineering services to people [5]. Just like any other profession, engineering is usually protected by the law under some jurisdictions. In the United States, the practice of architecture is often governed by individual states.
The licenses are typically valid for areas granted by the state. Many engineers maintain their licensees in one’s state. Conformity allows engineers to practice in other countries. On the other hand, in Canada, the professional title engineer can be used by those licensed engineers and its method is usually protected by the law [5]. The practice of engineering in Canada differs from that of the United States. It differs in such a way that, it is self-regulated by a variety of bodies that are in various provinces.
The bodies underwent creation through the provinces legislatures. Both state and self-regulation of engineering seem to be working better for the engineers. They are equally useful in the sense that, regulation of engineers In Canada and the United States of America, are functional in a productive way [4]. Besides, the relevant governing bodies of engineers in the two countries, provide regulation and licensing of their engineers regardless of state or self-regulation mechanisms.
Meaning of protecting the public welfare
Over the years, social scientists have developed an agenda for research that aims at elaborating the prohibition policy adoption via the theory of the economic regulation and that of collective action. They discovered that the relative strengths of interest groups had played a vital role in the adoption of policies of prohibition at the national and state levels [1]. Most states and nations take it upon themselves to monitor as well as shape the demands of its citizens. They enact rules and regulations that aim at providing quality and efficient services to their citizens. Besides, the government’s goal of ensuring that their citizens are living in unfavorable conditions.
On matters related to engineering, protecting the public welfare means that, the various laws that govern engineers are put in check so as to prevent the actions of engineers from distorting the well-being of citizens. The rules are set through the regulatory bodies of engineers be it state regulated or self-regulated to ensure that, the welfare of the public are observed and preserved [5]. For instance, the regulators ensure that the engineers practice as well as observe ethical measures while dealing with the public. Also, they ensure that engineers provide quality services that might not endanger the lives of the publics.
The regulation policies also aim at ensuring that the engineers provide quality services that might prevent the emergence of hazards from the works of their engineers. The engineers are usually encouraged always to be mindful of the safety and wellbeing of the citizens. It is through the observation of the various rules and regulations set by the governing bodies of engineers that the protection of the public welfare will take effect.
Self-regulation as practiced in Canada
In the early 1920s and 1930s engineers in Canada initiated a movement that aimed at establishing the engineering profession. They requested the provincial governments to develop acts so as to protect the various standards as well as the reputation of the engineering profession. In 1922, a professional engineering Act was passed in Ontario, and in 1937, the law was closed so as to restrict the use of various design titles such as ‘P. Eng’ and Engineer to licensed engineers [5].
The various actions were created so as to regulate the profession of engineers. Canada has a variety of provinces, and in each one of them, the engineering profession is self-regulated. The act allows engineers to establish an association of a council of elected member’s engineers. The professional body of engineers of Ontario is one of the bodies that got created to ensure that the regulation of engineers is put in place. The PEO Council is usually responsible for the enforcement of the Act as well as the licensing of members, developing and enforcing the set regulation, code of ethics, and standards.
There exists Engineers Canada that regulates undergraduate programs for engineering. It follows a process of registration that includes: -graduates holding a degree from accredited programs or applied sciences approved by the Canadian Engineering board. Also, completing training in engineering or internship program under the direction if professional engineers and it requires a minimum of four years except Quebec, review of an engineering work experience by the association and passing a profession practice examination. The content and format of this exam differs between provinces.
Professional engineers are usually not licensed in a particular discipline but are often bound by their provincial code of ethics. For instance in Ontario, professional engineering act R.R.O OF 1990, Regulation 941 controls engineers from practicing beyond their training experience. Any breach of the codes serves as grounds for enforcing these measures which may go the extent of loss of license by an engineer or even suspension and financial penalties. In case it gets discovered that negligence took part in any instance that led to the loss of human life, an engineer might suffer a jail term.
If the education of engineers is accredited by the CEAB, they are not usually tested on technical knowledge during the licensing process. It is because the accreditation of schools and their granting of degrees are always monitored and controlled. The process of accreditation is governed by Engineers Canada via their active group CEAB. The process if accreditation is continuous and is usually enforced via the regular accreditation reviews of the various engineering schools in Canada.
The studies entail, the review of the curriculums of the engineering schools that requires marking assignments and final examinations. The professional engineering license is usually valid in the province of delivery. However, there exist some agreements between the associations to ease mobility. For example, in 2009, professional engineers in Ontario, led an initiative that aimed at developing a national engineering licensing framework so as to facilitate mobility of engineers among the various provinces.
In the late 1800 and early 1900s, engineering licensure emerged as a means of regulation in the United States. In 1907, the Wyoming legislature passed a bill that required anyone representing themselves to register to the public either as a surveyor or an engineer. They created a state board of examiners for the profession [4]. By 1920, 1o states in America had engineering licensure laws, but there existed one problem [3]. The states did not accept engineers that had licenses from other countries. Individual states govern the registration or licensure of professional engineers as well as engineering practice. Each license/registration is usually valid within the state where it is granted. Therefore, many engineers in the United States of America maintains licenses in more than one state.
The various states have laws that govern the licensing programs. Some of them include- graduate from an accredited board of engineering and technology an accredited four-year college or university program with an engineering degree [2]. Also, complete a standard fundamental in planning written exam that aims at testing the applicants on the breadth of comprehending the basic principles of design as well as some elements of the engineering specialty. The state laws require one to accumulate a certain level of experience in design and to have completed a written principles and practice in engineering examination that aims at testing the knowledge of the applicant on skills in their chosen engineering disciplines and engineering ethics [4].
The PE AND FE exams are usually written and graded by a central organization that deals with standardization. The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying is the central board. However, the exams in the various states are usually set by a board of professional engineers in these countries. All 50 states and districts of Columbia are often represented on the NCEES [1]. The licensure of engineering has been in place in the United States of America for more than 100 years, and it is usually employed by all countries so as to regulate the practice of engineering in the interest of the public on matters regarding welfare, health, and safety. The various states include the regulatory processes and the engineering profession [3].
The states have been successful as well as effective in their mission of ensuring that there exist a measure of integrity and competency that holds public protection paramount. There exist a difference between a graduate and a professional engineer. The definition of a graduate engineer is one who has graduated from the four-year university program and holding a degree in engineering but has not been licensed to offer services or practice engineering [5]. They work as employees of any company or professors in engineering colleges where they are usually governed by the industrial exemption clause. On the other hand, a professional engineer is one who holds a practicing license in engineering.
Defending my position
Canada and the United States engineering regulations are equally effective because they have planning boards that are legit and deal with the regulation of the activities of engines, despite the existence of different working ground such as the United States basing its operations on state law and Canada on self-regulation. The two countries operate on the same level ground on matters related to engineering. They both have education institutions and bodies of design that governs the activities as well as regulate engineering as a profession.
The boards act as the regulatory factors and also issues licenses to engineers for professional practice. The boards that manage matters related to design are deeply rooted in history, and this gives them credibility. For instance, in the United States of America, the construction governing body has existed for over ten decades while that of Canada also has some experience on matters related to engineering as a profession.
References
[3]2017. [Online]. Available: https://www.nspe.org/sites/default/files//june2007_the_professional_engineering.pdf. [Accessed: 29- Jan- 2017].
[5]2017. [Online]. Available: https://www.engineerscanada.ca//p58-61_engineers_canada_exclusive_intl_innovati [Accessed: 29- Jan- 2017].
[4]2017. [Online]. Available: https://engineerscanada.ca/sites/default/files/regulating_the_profession-eng.pd. [Accessed: 29- Jan- 2017].
[1]2017. [Online]. Available: http://www.aaes.org/sites/default/files/2012_NAE_Convocation_licensing_overview.pdf. [Accessed: 29- Jan- 2017].
[2]2017. [Online]. Available: https://www.nspe.org/resources/issues-and-advocacy//licensure-federal-engineers. [Accessed: 29- Jan- 2017].
