THE INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS, MALAYSIA (IEM) ENGINEERING & THE ENGINEER ~ PROFESSIONALISM A WAY OF LIFE Facts & Fancies Orientation/Seminar Presentation:- By Engr. Rocky HT Wong, PEng, FIEM Hon FAFEO cum ASEAN Engineer, Founder Fellow AAET, Hon Fellow (TEEAM), The Head Commissioner – ASEAN Engineers Register, Chairman; the IEM Pro-ETI Bureau, EAC Councilor, UTAR Industry Advisory Panel, IEM (Principal Interviewer), etc. RWHT/IEM(Pro)/REV(2)260509

A Definition Of :- 1.0 ENGINEERING is the profession in which… A knowledge of the mathematical & natural science… Gained by study, experience & practice… Is applied with judgement… To develop ways to utilise… Economically… The materials & forces of nature… For the benefit of mankind.

A Definition Of :- 2.0 ENGINEER shall mean a person who… By reason of his special knowledge… And use of mathematical, physical & engineering sciences… And the principles & methods of engineering analysis & design… Acquired by education and experience,… Is qualified to practice engineering.

3.0 Characteristics of engineering students :- A strong interest in and ability to work with mathematics & science; Better problem-solving skills, e.g. ability to think through a problem in a logical manner; A knack for organising & carrying through to conclusion the solution to a problem; An unusual curiosity how & why things work ~ keen to be multi-skilled; A responsible young person with higher ambition in life.

4.0 A technical specialist, these days, more so an engineering services professional, may be referred to as either engineer, scientist, technologist, technician, or (in the Malaysian context) a TA. The difference between a scientist and an engineer is :- The scientist primarily uses mathematical & physical science to acquire new knowledge; Whereas, the engineer applies similar knowledge to design & develop usable devices, structures and processes. In short : the scientist seeks to know the engineer aims to do.

5.0 Knowledge Society :- A society organised around the production and application of knowledge with social economic, cultural and political implications; and it Gives rise to knowledge-economy (i.e. K-economy) wherein economic value accrues from knowledge intensity, especially human knowledge, intelligence & creativity become key assets for “Services”. The engineer well-grounded with “Know-Why” of mathematical & natural sciences; equipped with “Know-How” principles & methods of engineering analysis & design; and the “Know-What” ability to apply technology is the fit-for-purpose K-worker; more likely , the leader of the engineering team of K-workers.

6.0 Globalisation & Regionalisation of the K-economy introduced the term: “Engineering Services Professionals” – otherwise referred to as the Engineering Team consisting of:- The Engineer (benchmarked to WA) The Engineering Technologist (benchmarked to SA) The Technician (benchmarked to DA), and The TA / Engineering Asst ( a local grade)

7.0 The engineering functions carried out by the Engineering Team can be in the areas as follows :- Research , Development, Design, Production, Testing Construction/Installation, Operation & Maintenance, Sales, Management, Consulting, Teaching & Training Regulators/Technical Officers Miscellaneous

8.0 Focusing on “ The Engineer” – the natural person who is expected to have a BEM / IEM recognized qualification based on an EAC accredited engineering programme which would have the breath and depth of knowledge content that will enable a graduate engineer to solve complex problems now and in future and create newer technology.

9.0 The Engineer, on graduation, shall have acquired in 4 years:- Scientific strength Professional competency; and be: Multi-skilled, Well-respected and a potential industry leader, and Morally and ethically sound. The sum total of which shall prepare the Engineer to be technically competent and a well-respected professional spearheading technology and wealth creation.

10.0 Professionalism is a way of life :- A professional person is one who engages in an activity that requires a specialised & comprehensive education, and is motivated by a strong desire to serve humanity. A professional thinks & acts in a manner that brings favour upon the individual & the entire profession A professional, besides technically competent, shall have a positive attitude toward life that is continually reinforced by educational accomplishments & professional service.

11.0 The professional engineer to have the following :- Specialised knowledge & skills used for the benefit of humanity. Honesty & impartiality in engineering service. Constant interest in improving the profession. Support professional & technical societies that represent the professional engineer; why? Because the rapid development in science & engineering is the work of technical societies. The engineer is a member of society, and must be able to integrate and socialise with the community at large.

12.0 The Professional Engineer Code of Practice :- Accredited and Recognised Qualification; Code of Ethics (COE) / Code of Professional Conduct; Professional Assessment Examination (PAE-BEM) or Professional Interview (PI – IEM); Continuing Professional Development (CPD); Design codes and standards satisfying Essential Public Interest Requirements (Applications & Development)

13.0 The Professional Interview (PI) :- A candidate, a Graduate Engineer of more than 3 years working experience, will have his practical experience assessed not only on a time basis, but also on merit; meaning he or she will be tested on Candidate’s grasp of the application of engineering principles; Candidate’s capacity to accept responsibility; Candidate’s ability to communicate.

14.0 Breadth and depth of knowledge and experience A candidate appearing at a PI will be required to show that he or she: can apply in practice the theory, and has acquired an understanding of the fundamental processes of: - investigation, - planning, - design, - construction either the whole “supply chain” / processes, or, one or more of those processes with either a completed project or an assignment on engineering project not brought to fruition.

15.0 Pre-PI and at the PI Submit forms IEM/PI(1) & IEM/PI(2) Prepare Experience Report with a companion Project Report Approximately half an hour face-to-face interview with Interviewers Section A - 1½ hour essay on one of two questions based on Experience (as contained in Reports) Section B - 1½ hour essay on one of two questions selected from among a bank of questions on COE.

16.0 Post PI: Pass PI – elected to Corporate Membership i.e. MIEM and when more than 3 years BEM registration and completed PDP – apply to BEM for PEng registration and if needed, a licensed EPC; consider ACPE (under MRA) & APEC Engineer under IMF etc. Failed PI – appeal if PI not fair, however don’t give up and try again.

17.0 The IEM PI Regulations (2001) For more information, please refer to the IEM PI Regulations (2001), where in. Appendix A: Guidance on Documents Appendix B: A Candidate who is a teacher in engineering Appendix C: A Research Candidate Appendix D: Guidance on specific requirements for branches of engineering

18.0 Do you know why the professional assessment is styled an interview and not an Exam? Time honoured peer assessment (with OFI’s) of an engineer’s professional competence benchmarked to best practices established by a progressive fraternity mindful of public interests, carried out in an atmosphere of aplomb and decorum among peers. Therefore, corporate membership of IEM is a time honoured universal measure of peer recognisation and respect of engineering, technology and innovation (ETI) expertise and professionalism.

19.0 Challenges of the future :- The world continues to undergo rapid changes; The huge tasks of providing energy on the one hand & climate change on another, Maintaining a supply of water & food vis-à-vis environmental sustainability, Rebuilding infrastructures & retooling facilities, Technology of space etc.. ~ All these add up to challenges of the future which will be beyond current imagination!

20.0 How about reinventing the future? A total transformation? Early engineers were more effective in leading change because they were fully integrated in society ~ they were craftsmen and inventors with the engineering profession beginning as craft guilds & technology began independently of science. The “scientification” of technology has reduced engineering to fixed formulas & methodologies dampening creativity. The “professionalisation” of engineering has constrained engineers to rigid rules & regulations : standardisation!

21.0 ENGINEERS ~ RISE! Engineers should rise to the occasion – lead social transformation by becoming once more imaginative & responsive to society’s needs; meaning engineers can reinvent themselves & society if we reintegrate & resocialise ~ contribute more to “Know-What” & the “Know-Who” than the “Know-How”. Besides science, engineering & technology, we may need to be students of “Know-When” and “Know-Where”, i.e. we need to be students of history & geography.

“The transition from a paradigm in crisis to a new one from which a new tradition of normal science can emerge is far from a cumulative process, one achieved by articulation or extension of the old paradigm. Rather it is a reconstruction that changes some of the field’s most elementary theoretical generalisations as well as many of its paradigm methods and applications.” ~ Thomas S Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1970),page 84/85

Footnote: The IEM under the OFI’s environment has been reviewing and improving the application process for election as Corporate Members on a continuing and incremental basis; to be in line with the belief that IEM welcome more professional engineers as members. THANK YOU