Introduction

The School of Consulting Engineers, under the auspices of Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA), renders a valuable service in validating external training provider’s courses, seminars, workshops, lectures, site visits, conference, congresses, colloquiums (hereinafter referred to as ‘Event”) for Continual Professional Development (CPD) credits.

This CPD events will be used as a mechanism through which all registered practitioners will be able to renew their Registration with ECSA. Section 22(1) of the Engineering Profession Act, 2000 (Act 46 of 2000) requires that a registered practitioner has to renew his or her Registration and has to "apply (in the prescribed manner) to the Council for the renewal of his or her Registration. Five credits per year, or 25 credits are acquired over a 5-year period, within the three categories of CPD activities. CPD credits must be obtained in at least two of the three categories listed below, with at least 1 credit per annum from Category 1.

ECSA has given approval to voluntary associations, recognised as such in terms of the Engineering Profession Act, 2000 (Act 46 of 2000) (hereinafter referred to as “the Act”), and accredited tertiary educational institutions to run activities which will be acknowledged for obtaining CPD credits. CESA is a recognised voluntary engineering association of the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) which

ECSA regards these bodies as capable of ensuring that all their validated events meet required standards. These activities are described in Category 1, Section 9 of the ECSA Policy document

All other bodies who want to register their event/s in Category 1, such as private companies or state organizations, would therefore need to have their event/s CPD validated by a recognised voluntary association. The organisers would approach the recognised voluntary association and follow their policy, procedure and complete an application form. A validation fee would be charged, as there are assessors fees and administration costs to be paid. The recognised voluntary association for that discipline and/or category of registration would then arrange for the assessment of the content and on approval would be awarded CPD credit. A confirmation letter and a certificate would then be sent to the successful training provider.

It is the responsibility of registered persons, who intends participating in an event to ensure that the event has been validated  and that the credits awarded to such event will be recognised by ECSA.

In approving a CPD event in Category 1, the recognized voluntary associations will ensure that the following aspects are covered:

• The activity should serve to maintain or enhance the knowledge, skills and competence of all those who participate in it.
   
• The activity should meet an educational and developmental need and provide an effective learning experience for the participants.
   
• The participants or group of participants must be specified (e.g. professional engineers, professional technologists, professional certificated engineers, professional technicians, registered technicians or a specified category, e.g. registered lift inspectors) and where appropriate, the discipline should also be specified.
   
• The depth and breadth of the subject matter covered must be appropriate with sufficient time for discussion.
   
• The subject covered should provide a balanced view and should not be unduly promotional.
   
• The presenters should have proven practical and academic experience, and be good communicators.
   
• Evaluation forms for obtaining feedback from participants on the activity must be provided for rating the relevance, quality and effectiveness of the activity.

The duration of validations for courses, seminars and workshops will be 3 (three years) unless specified differently. Conferences, congresses, colloquiums, lectures and site visits, are only valid for the duration of the specific event and appointed date/s of such event. 

Renewals

All Training Providers who wish to have their training event/s (courses, workshops, seminars) re-validated by Consulting Engineers South Africa CESA for CPD credits/points (Category 1, Section 9, ECSA CPD Policy document) must comply with the following requirements:

1. The Training Provider must complete the on-line CPD Validation application form (ECPD2a).
    
2. An invoice will be emailed to you, on receipt of your application form. The Training Provider must pay the validation fee in full before the evaluation process can take place.  (See Cost Structure)
    
3. The Training Provider must submit the following:
   • One hard copy of all the training material, including PowerPoint presentations and handouts, which will be used for the event.
      
   • A CD/DVD of all the training material, including PowerPoint presentations and handouts, which will be used for the event. [This is the achive copy]
      
   • Proof of payment
      
   • CV of trainer/s
      
   • A copy of a blank evaluation form for obtaining feedback from participants for rating of the relevance, quality and effectiveness of the event.
     
     TO:     
     Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA)
     School of Consulting Engineering
     Fulham House, Hampton Park North,
     20 Georgian Crescent,
     Bryanston, Johannesburg
     For Attention: Mary Mabaane
     
      
   • The above is to be submitted no less than four weeks prior to the expiry date of the previous validation.
      
4. Validation Process
   • Once the School of Consulting Engineering (SCE) has received:
     • the on-line application form
     • the required documentation (see No.3)
     • the proof of payment
       
       a confirmation letter, a certificate and the CESA logo will then be sent.
        
5. Once the training provider has received the validation number, the validation number together with the CESA logo, must appear on the following:
   • Cover page of all marketing material
   • Cover page of the training material
   • Registration form
   • Attendance register
   • Attendance certificate
      
6. Attendance Registers and Evaluation Forms
   
   The Training Provider must, at the end of each event, allow the delegates to evaluate the event.
   • If delegates experience the event in a negative light, the training provider must submit a corrective action report to the CESA Education and Training Committee.
     
     After the event, the Training Provider must, within 30 days, submit the following:
      
   • Send and/or email a copy of  delegate’s attendance register to: sce@cesa.co.za/ CESA - P O Box 68482, Bryanston 2021, Johannesburg
      
   • Send and/or email a one page collective overview of the results of the evaluation forms or a copy of the evaluation forms to:
     sce@cesa.co.za/ CESA - P O Box 68482, Bryanston 2021, Johannesburg

EVALUATION CRITERIA:

Material will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

1. Does the activity serve to maintain or enhance the knowledge, skills and competence of all those who participate in it?
2. Does it meet an educational and developmental need, and provide an effective learning experience for the participants?
3. Is the depth and breadth of the subject matter appropriately covered?
4. Is an evaluation form attached for obtaining feedback from participants on the course and does it provide for rating of the relevance, quality and effectiveness of the activity?
5. Are the objectives of the course clear?
6. Does it have defined intended outcomes?
7. Appropriateness of method of presentation.
8. Does it address the anticipated benefit to the target group and to the profession as a whole?

VALIDATION PERIOD:

The duration of the validation period will be 3 (three years) unless specified differently.

DISPUTE:

If a dispute should arise then the CESA Education and Training Committee will resolve the issue. (A formal letter and supporting material must be submitted by the parties involved prior to the dispute).  If the CESA Education and Training Committee fails to reach a resolution then the matter will be referred to Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA).

Cost Structure

The costs for the School of Consulting Engineers, rendering a valuable service in CPD validating and then monitoring external events are listed below:

NEW VALIDATION - COURSES, SEMINARS, WORKSHOPS, LECTURES, SITE VISITS, CONFERENCE, CONGRESSES, COLLOQUIUMS

RENEWAL OF VALIDATION - COURSES, SEMINARS, WORKSHOPS

CPD VALIDATION – LECTURES & SITE VISITS

Validation Numbers

A validation number will be structured in the following way:

• Once the the validation number has been recieved, the validation number together with the CESA logo, must appear on the following:
  • Cover page of all marketing material
  • Cover page of the training material (If submitted)
  • Event Programme(if submitted)
  • Registration form
  • Attendance register
  • Attendance certificate

ECSA Policies

For the full ECSA Policy document and amended rules, please consult the ECSA website, and click on ‘CPD’  on their homepage - www.ecsa.co.za