On Tuesday, May 22, the West Kootenay Branch of APEGBC will host a social/networking opportunity and two short presentations; one highlighting APEGBC's Organizational Quality Management, and a second that overviews APEGBC's new CPD Guideline. Please come join us for a great evening of networking, appetizers and presentations featuring key staff members from APEGBC. There is no cost for this event, but registration is required.  We hope to see you there.

APEGBC OQM Program - A New Tool for Improving Professional Practice Quality Management

Later this year APEGBC will launch its new Organizational Quality Management (OQM) Program. APEGBC recognizes the significant influence that organizations employing APEGBC professionals have on the practice of the professions. The OQM Program aims to address that influence and improve professional practice quality management at an organizational level. This self-funded program is available on a voluntary basis to all organizations providing professional engineering or professional geoscience products or services in BC. In creating the OQM Program, APEGBC has NOT created a quality management system (QMS) for organizations.

Instead, the OQM Manual provides guidance to organizations about how to confirm, adapt, adopt or create policies and procedures for their QMS that are consistent with the quality management requirements that their APEGBC professionals must meet under the Act and Bylaws. As part of the OQM Program, APEGBC will issue an OQM certificate to organizations that have voluntarily implemented policies and procedures consistent with these requirements.

Peter Mitchell, P.Eng.
Director, Professional Practice, Standards and Development
Peter Mitchell is the Director of Professional Standards and Development at APEGBC. Peter is responsible for developing and directing proactive quality assurance programs covering member's practice standards. Two key components of these programs are the APEGBC Practice Review Program and the development and adoption of practice guidelines.
Peter provides staff support to numerous committees, task forces and boards dealing with professional practice issues including the Consulting Practice Committee, Building Codes Committee, Seismic Peer Review Committee, Practice Review Committee, and the APEGBC/ABCFP Joint Practice Board. He also provides support to the Division of Engineers and Geoscientists in the Resource Sector (DEGIRS), works closely with the Structural Engineers Association of BC, and directs APEGBC’s response to various government legislation impacting the practice of professional engineering and geoscience in BC.

An Overview of APEGBC’s New CPD Guidelines
Ailene Lim
Professional Development Coordinator
Ailene will present key points about APEGBC’s new CPD guideline, which address the updated criteria for CPD.  This will include the six categories of eligible activities that members need to follow in order to be in compliance with this guideline.  Although compliance with this guideline is recommended but not mandatory, Ailene will go over some examples to eliminate any confusion regarding the process of classifying and documenting your eligible CPD activities.

Castlegar Community Centre, Castlegar, BC.

Above: A picture of the winning bridge with a weight of 145 g that withstood 173.1 kg.

2012 Info Sheet

Bridge Kits can be purchased as follows:

• Nelson
  SNC-Lavalin, #3 - 520 Lake Street, Nelson, BC (open Mon~Fri, 8~4) - 250 354-1664
  
• Castlegar
  Empac Engineering, 1402 Columbia Ave, Castlegar, BC (open Mon~Fri, 8~5) - 250-365-8455
  
• Trail
  SNC-Lavalin, 1319 Bay Ave, Trail, BC (open Mon~Fri, 8~4) - 250-368-3256
  
• Rossland
  K.A.S.T.,#108 - 2196 Le Roi Ave., Rossland, BC - 250- 483-5052
  
• Grand Forks
  Contact Jocelyne Bowman at 250-442-0974

Martha McLean, P.Eng.