matt-tasha

Hi all, i'm matt. i've been searching the web to find out what my british qualifications are equivalent to in Canada to no avail, if anyone can point me in the right direction i would be most grateful

I'm an electrical engineer (industrial electrician)

with

Btec onc (electrical engineering)
Btec first certificate (engineering)
City and guilds 2381 (wiring regulations)
City and guilds (basic engineering)
City and guilds (fabrication and welding)

I served a 4 year apprenticeship with the engineering authority training board which is fully certified and resulted with an NVQ level 3 in electrical engineering.

Many thanks, Matt.

Reaver

You should do a forum search for "Red Seal" I believe and you might find these links of some use.....

http://www.credentials.gc.ca/immigra...s/engineer.asp

The next three require you select the occupation then choose a province, which will then tell you certification requirements.....

Electricians (Except Industrial and Power System)
Industrial Electricians
Power System Electricians

Hope that helps a little.....

.

JB0591

The way I understand it, there is a few things to consider....

Red Seal.....for certain skilled trades of which Industrial Electrican is one.

http://www.red-seal.ca/[email protected]?lang=eng

For other engineering roles there is Professional Engineer (PEng) status. I say some as not every engineering role will ask for it. For PEng it is licenced by province and there is a overall national body called Engineers Canada.

http://www.engineerscanada.ca/e/

I would look at the red seal area first and if that fits your role then that is what you need to obtain....if you are not sure you can look at the links in the other post and it will tell you if the NOC is regulated or not.

mojovibe

Are you an electrician or a designer? If your an electrician your qualifications will be recognised in Canada, but you will have to challenge the interprovincial red seal exam within the first six months of having your qualifications assessed. Once you have had them assessed you will be able to work as an electrician for six months after which you should have passed the exam to obtain a licence. To enter for the exam you need to prove 9000 hours experience of your declared trades.

If your a designer, I don't think you will need to obtain a licence to work as one. As your duties at work will not neccessary put anyone in danger. You will need to purchase the Canadian electrical code in either case and study it, as you will need it to work in either jobs. It is available for instant purchase and download from the CSA website. Costing around $240.00 and includes the study guide book as a dual package. If you do decide to purchase the dual package, try to refrain from looking in the guide first. I say this because I found it misleading and confusing. I have only browsed through the code, and it is set out similiar to the wiring regs. But they have different terminology to the British wiring system, and tends to be harmonised with the US NEC.

I used to be a sparky but for the last 4 years I have worked as a service engineer, or a service technician as they call it over the pond. I will have to get my electricians licence first, then as time goes by I will have to obtain my gas fitters and refrigeration licence. To continue working as a service engineer on catering and laundry equipment. I don't really want to work as an electrician again, but needs must.

Hope this helps

cheeky_monkey

If you are an electrical engineer..this means in construction speak you are a designer and not an electrician by trade..judging by your qualifications and experience you would be classed as a junior engineer in the UK.

matt-tasha

I design, construct and test. I also have 16 years experience after my apprenticeship. My job at the moment is an engineering manager at a factory and some duties included design control panels, build them, breakdowns, electrical installations etc. I also was a shift electrician for 14 years in total at Rugby cement and Allied Bakeries. I have numerous other qualifications but just listed those ones as examples.

Also to add i have my own Electrical contracting business on the side, im Part-P registered, 17th Edition wiring regulations.

Its confusing yes but im an electrician as well as an engineer!

agr

No doubt you've seen the other threads on this topic, but engineer is a protected title in Canadian provinces - it's illegal to use it without a licence issued by the provincial engineering association (except in certain disciplines, generally under federal jurisdiction). The PEng licence invariably requires a bachelors degree plus experience. I only mention this because you might want to avoid calling yourself an engineer while talking to prospective employers - you'll confuse them otherwise.

JB0591

I think that is slightly over the top, in certain trades/disciplines that might be the case but not generally. I could provide lots of links to Engineer roles being advertised that do not ask (or expect) PEng status.

Generally here they use the term Engineer in conjunction with a job requiring a degree level of educaton and Technologist in conjunction with Diplomas level etc. But they are referring to Canadian qualifications.

JonboyE

The name thing is for people who offer their services to the public.

I am qualified and licensed so I can refer to myself as an accountant when offering my services to the public. If i was not qualified and licensed I would have to refer to myself as a bookkeeper or, more likely, a consultant.

However, a company can advertise for somebody to work in their accounts departments and can call the position whatever they want.

I think it is the same with engineers. They cannot set up in practice and offer their services to the public as engineers unless they have the PEng designation.

Job titles are a different matter. Train drivers are often called railway engineers.

JB0591

I would agree with JonboyE.....services to or involving the public requires the PEng....if you are new then you can be supervised by a PEng until you have the experience required to get licenced as a PEng.

matt-tasha

I kind of understand what your saying about the engineer( need a PEng to call yourself one), in the UK a fitter is classed as an engineer so what would the equivelent be in Canada. My qualifications are based around electrical and mechanical engineering (which basically means i am capable of fitting/installing/repairing industrial machines)

agr

I think it's over the top as well, but it's the law. The law may not be strictly observed everywhere, but this is what the Alberta act says (most provinces' acts are similar):

"3(1) No individual, corporation, partnership or other entity, except a professional engineer, licensee or permit holder entitled to engage in the practice of engineering, shall
(a) use
[..] (ii) the word “engineer” in combination with any other name, title, description, letter, symbol or abbreviation that represents expressly or by implication that the individual, corporation, partnership or other entity is a professional engineer, licensee or permit holder,
or
(b) represent or hold out, expressly or by implication, that the individual, corporation, partnership or other entity
(i) is entitled to engage in the practice of engineering, or
(ii) is a professional engineer, licensee or permit holder"

(my underlining)
There's nothing in that section that says it only applies where services to the public are offered. That's why APEGGA hunts down people who have CEng on their office door name plates. And it's why people here generally understand the difference between mechanics, technicians and engineers, unlike in the UK. That said, I don't think it's particularly healthy for a profession to be so exclusive (and I'm a PEng).

JB0591

Agr....lets look at Ontario PEng:

Q2. What is the practice of professional engineering?
A. The definition of professional engineering given at section 1 of the Professional Engineers Act sets out the criteria that must be met to determine whether an act is within the practice of professional engineering.

1. Is it an act of designing, composing, evaluating, advising, reporting, directing or supervising?
2. Does it involve the safeguarding of life, health, property or the public welfare?
3. Does it require the application of engineering principles?

If what you do meets all three tests, and you are not a natural scientist, then you are practising professional engineering. The definition applies to all situations where this particular combination of intellectual activity, societal protection and methodology exists regardless of whether the position is in industry, government or consulting.

Q3. Who can practice professional engineering?
A. In most situations only a professional engineer can practice professional engineering in Ontario. According to the Act "professional engineer" means a person who is granted a licence or a temporary licence by Professional Engineers Ontario. PEO can also issue a limited licence to an individual who, as a result of ten or more years of specialized experience, has developed competence in a clearly defined area of professional engineering. Holders of limited licences are able to practice only within a narrowly defined area of professional engineering. Unlicenced individuals, such as technologists and technicians, are able to do any of the tasks normally reserved for professional engineers only if they are working under the supervision of a P. Eng.


I think we can see where the "public" element comes from......

bit of a mess?

and it changes per province/territory

agr

All the acts describe the practice of engineering, and who is permitted to do it. Granted, those parts of the legislation cover protection of the public. But I'm talking about use of the term engineer, which in the Alberta act is covered in the section titled "Exclusive use of name engineer". I believe most provincial acts have similar provisions.

mojovibe

Matt

Just choose to be an electrician, industrial 7242, or commercial 7241, on your application, it won't really matter. Once you get accepted and you get there, you can work in any job you like. If you choose to work in factory maintenance, you can always tell them you have worked as a multi skilled electrician in factories.

The term for a fitter in Canada, I think is a millwright 7311 which is a regulated occupation that you need to have a licence for. I wouldn't worry too much about getting a licence for any trade in Canada. If it was that difficult there would hardly be anyone working and loads of vacancies. An electromechanical engineer might be an electrical mechanic in Canada on their NOC list 7333 and is not a regulated occupation so no licence required.

You will only have to get two licences if you want to continue working as an electromechanical engineer, but just get your electricians one first. I'm going to have to get three licences to continue working as a service engineer, or as a service technician/major appliance repairer as they call it over there. If you mention that you test installations to a prospective employer you might confuse them as testing is almost unheard of in Canada.

Although I have heard a rumour that the next version of the code that's out in 2012, mentions that any circuit that's going to be modified will have to be tested to prove its safe to do so before its modified. So you might be in luck and in favour of a job offer if the regime of testing is implemented, you will have a head start on Canadian electricians.