Qualifications and CV vs. demonstrated competence
Qualification & Work History (CV)
The current system uses an engineering qualification (degree) and a person's work history (CV) to judge whether they can be registered as a Professional Engineer.
The qualification must be a four (4) year engineering degree from a university and country acceptable to the Professional Engineers Registration Board (PERB). Whether the qualification is internationally benchmarked under the Washington Accord is not considered relevant.
Work history — what a person did over a period of time, even a decade ago — is considered acceptable evidence of "engineering experience" for registration.
Competency Based Assessment (CBA)
CBA checks and tests whether a person practising engineering is first qualified — holding a Washington Accord qualification or an equivalent accepted by PERB and IEPNG. Where that isn't the case, evidence such as work samples can instead be used to assess whether the person has the engineering knowledge required for complex engineering tasks.
Second, and just as important, the person is assessed using evidence — work samples — to determine whether they are currently competent and able to perform complex engineering tasks and projects.
Qualifications alone do not take precedence in the assessment — they only prove the person possesses engineering knowledge. Far more weight is placed on demonstrating competence across twelve key standards used to measure whether a person can perform as a Professional Engineer.
Two key areas of assessment
Engineering Knowledge
Whether the person holds the underlying engineering knowledge required to perform complex engineering tasks — proven through a Washington Accord (or equivalent, PERB/IEPNG-accepted) qualification, or through evidence such as work samples where a qualification alone isn't sufficient.
Demonstrated Competence
Whether the person is currently able to actually implement engineering work — meeting expected targets and in accordance with accepted standards and ethics — assessed through the evidence and work samples they provide.
Qualifications prove knowledge. CBA proves competence.
More emphasis is placed on determining whether a person has competence across twelve key standards — the real measure of whether they can perform as a Professional Engineer.
Competence isn't a one-time check
Under the new CBA system, a Professional Engineer is required to undertake a Competency Based Assessment every three (3) years to prove they remain competent in their practice area — whether that's Civil Engineering, Works Management, Facilities & Structures, Design, or another discipline — in order to remain registered as a Professional Engineer.