Professional Development FAQ

Professional Development FAQ

• When does the PD Portal open for CPD Program Report Submission?

  The PD Portal is open to all registrants throughout the active reporting period. Activities can be entered throughout the year as they are completed but be sure to submit the online CPD Program Report on or before December 31st to avoid reinstatement fees and possible suspension. Refer to Appendix A for the Online PD Portal Instructions. 

• Are Members-in Training (EITs/GITs) required to submit annual CPD Program Report?

  While it isn’t mandatory, members-in-training should participate in the program. Those who don’t participate will forgo the potential benefit of carrying forward any professional development hours obtained during the in-training period. 

• What is a Professional Development Hour (PDH)?

  A PDH is the unit of measure of effort for the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) program. PDHs are earned at different rates for the various categories within the CPD program. 

• What are the seven categories of the CPD program in brief?
  1. Professional Work –15 hours of professional practise = 1 PDH.
  2. Formal Activities –1 contact/instruction hour = 1 PDH
  3. Informal Activities –2 hours of the informal activity = 1 PDH
  4. Participation – 2 hours of participation = 1 PDH
  5. Presentations – 1 hour of actual presentation time = 5 PDH
  6. Contributions to Knowledge – refer to Section 4.3.6 for PDH equivalents in this category
  7. Ethical Practice (Mandatory requirement of 2 PDH per year) – 1 hour of training = 1 PDH.

  Refer to Section 4 of the PD Guideline for in-depth details on the above categories and examples. 

• Which categories can I carry over to next reporting year?

  PDH credits accumulated in excess of those claimed in any category can be carried forward except the Professional Work Category. Carryover is only available for two years after the year it is recorded.

• What is a CEU (Continuing Education Unit)?

  CEU is an acronym typically used by universities and colleges and it equates to 10 hours of participation in an education program.

• What kind of descriptions should I input into the PD portal?

  Refer to Table 1 in the CPD Guideline and the blue boxes on each activity input page.

• What kind of documentation should I retain to support my PD claims?

  Refer to Table 2 in the CPD Guideline. All documentation which verifies reported CPD activities should be retained for at least 3 years.

• Are Eng. L and Geo. L exempted from the CPD program?

  No, limited license engineers and geoscientists must meet all the program requirements.