Settings

  • Appearance

Theme Color

Select your preferred accent color from the Arisyn palette.

Engineers Australia CPD Guidelines

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) policy guidelines, activity classifications, and compliance validation rules.

Reference : Engineers Australia

Engineers Australia CPD Policy Statements

Detailed Policy Statement

Undertaking CPD is a core requirement of maintaining your Chartered or NER credentials. Individuals with Chartered or NER credentials will be subject to regular CPD Audit and Practice Reviews.

CPD Requirement Overview

To meet Engineers Australia's requirements for CPD, an individual must undertake a minimum of 150 hours of CPD activities over the previous three-year period. The 150 hours must include the following professional development activity breakdown:

  • At least 50 hours must relate to an individual's area of engineering practice.
  • At least 10 hours must relate to risk management.
  • At least 15 hours must relate to business and management skills.
  • The remainder must cover a range of activities relevant to an individual's engineering career.

If an individual has more than one area of engineering practice, their 150 hours must include a minimum of 50 hours allocated to each area of engineering practice. If technical CPD activities overlap, then the same hours can be used for each area of engineering practice.

If an individual is an engineering academic or teacher, their 150 hours must include a minimum of 40 hours of industry involvement over the three-year period.

The CPD - Types and Conditions document can be used as a guide to meet the CPD requirements.

CPD Audit and Practice Review

The standard CPD audit and practice review cycle is five years. Individuals can expect to be audited at least once during a five-year cycle and may be subject to additional audits.

Part-Time Employment

Part-time employment is defined as working less than 24 hours per week over the previous three-year period, in which case the CPD period is extended to five years.

Career Break Guidelines

Career break is defined as a period of leave from the workforce of at least six months and less than five years, in which case the CPD period is extended to five years.

The following may be considered as a career break:

  • A serious illness;
  • Parental leave;
  • Extended travel;
  • Caring for family members;
  • Unemployment;
  • Elite sporting or cultural pursuits; or
  • Other career breaks as assessed by Engineers Australia on a case-by-case basis.

A career break must be applied for during a CPD audit and practice review.

CPD Types, Conditions and Notes

No. Type of CPD Conditions Notes
I Any tertiary course taken either as an individual course or for a formal post-graduate award. There is no limit to the maximum number of hours that you can claim in any CPD period. Study may be either on campus or online or blended education. Time claimed is the actual contact hours for learning, noting that there will almost always be further time spent both in preparation and follow-up. All such activities will involve some form of assessment.
II Short courses, webinars, workshops, seminars, discussion groups and conferences. There is no limit to the maximum number of hours that you can claim in any CPD period. Webinars, seminars and workshops, will normally be delivered or facilitated by recognised practitioners in the field. Workshops, seminars and discussion groups will often be inhouse for employees.
III Learning activities in the workplace that extend competence in a relevant area of professional practice. A maximum of 75 hours of your total CPD may be claimed for these activities in any CPD period.

Note: normal work activities in the workplace cannot be claimed.		 Activities that are normal work activities applying current knowledge cannot be claimed as learning activities in the workplace. For any learning activity undertaken in the workplace you must be able to demonstrate how it has extended your knowledge.
IV Private study which extends the individual's knowledge and skills. Note 1: Reading issues of Engineers Australia magazine, create, and associated Engineers Australia digital offerings, can contribute to a maximum of 18 hours of your total CPD in any CPD period.

Note 2: The maximum claimable hours for learning activities in the workplace (Type III) and private study (Type IV) combined are 110 hours in any CPD period.		 Study may be in your area of practice and/or in the core areas of risk management, business and management skills. Private study includes the reading of books, journals, transactions, manuals or listening to podcasts etc. Sufficient records must be kept for claimed private study (e.g. date, title, author and time invested) as evidence. This information should be recorded after you have completed the private study.
V Service to the engineering profession. A maximum of 50 hours of your total CPD may be claimed for these activities in any CPD period. Service to the engineering profession may include, but is not limited to representing Engineers Australia:
  • Serving as an Office Bearer or volunteer on boards and committees which advance the engineering profession.
  • Being a panel member on tertiary course accreditation visits.
  • Being a panellist on a chartered assessment.
  • Reviewing technical publications prior to publication.
  • Mentoring colleagues for work experience purposes.
  • Preparing written submissions or contributions to, and participating in technical standards related meetings of organisations, such as Standards Australia, in areas relevant to your professional work.
VI The preparation, peer review or presentation of material for courses, conferences, workshops, seminars and writing of technical papers. Up to 45 hours per paper may be claimed for papers published in journals and conference proceedings and for the preparation of material for courses not part of your normal workplace activities e.g. as a visiting lecturer from industry, in any CPD period.

Up to 75 hours per paper may be claimed for papers subject to critical peer review prior to publication, in any CPD period.		 This is outside of your normal workplace activities and can be claimed for CPD purposes if the material is prepared and presented by you and the activities contribute to the advancement of the profession.
VII Individuals employed in tertiary teaching or academic research. Shall demonstrate a minimum of 40 hours of industry involvement in any CPD period. Shall demonstrate engagement with contemporary engineering industry practice, which may take the form of provision of consultancy services to industry, participation in joint industry-university research collaboration, supervision and development of students' industry-based design projects and field trips, or other direct industry involvement, such as secondment.
VIII Any other structured activities not covered by I to VI above that meet the objectives of the CPD Policy. Documentary evidence and a clear justification will be necessary. e.g. Assessment, certificate of completion/participation etc.