I love engineering. I believe that a solid engineering background gives us the ability to learn to do practically anything. However, normal human failings lead a lot of us to think that we can do everything (without bothering to learn) A.K.A. the halo effect. If we are not careful, we fool ourselves. Because we are competent engineers, we think we are good managers, great financial experts, super politicians, etc.
Unfortunately, the results speak for themselves.
Bill 124, Brownfields, De-credentializing, etc.
Less than one in five engineering graduates join PEO. What is wrong with them? Is there any truth to the rumour that PEO does not give them exclusive practice rights? i.e. a practical reason to join.
Mess
PEO is now stuck in a mess of its own making. Digging has got us to this point, so perhaps we are not working fast enough.This is not only my opinion. If you read the election platforms of people who have been in council and are running now, you will see statements like:
may be good PR, but is not good engineering.
You and I know that, currently, PEO is
disconnected from its members; this sad fact would undermine any
achievement and hinder any progress.
During the crisis, there was no consultation with the members on a
preferred course of action. The Council and Presidents, over the
years of confrontation, did not communicate to us their plan of
action.
Pat Quinn, past PEO President
It is abundantly clear that our governance structure is inadequate. What is unclear is how to get past a recalcitrant Council that puts vested interests before progress.
Denis Dixon. past PEO councillor
Does it matter who runs PEO and how?
Being on Council exposes one to the inertia of the system.
Too many existing Councillors do not have the time to read and
research the information before voting on it.
PEO does not listen to its members.
PEO members are largely unaware of the issues.
PEO ignores the advice it gets from its own committees and its own
staff.
Self denial
If you read the letters published in Engineering Dimensions, you will occasionally see members complaining how irrelevant PEO is. In the Jan 2008 issue, the editor received a call from a member asking to have all of his mailings, except his licence renewal notice, stopped.He went on to rant briefly to me about how
irrelevant he finds Engineering Dimensions, and PEO in general, and
how he wouldn’t be licensed at all were it not that he had to
earn a living. I listened patiently. After all, it’s nothing
I haven’t heard before.
But, realistically, we recognize that there are many of you who
feel as this member does...
To members who have never taken an active role in PEO, its
governance may seem like a shadowy process that’s no business
of theirs.
Actually, nothing could be further from the truth, as our features starting on page 56 will illustrate. PEO governance is designed to be transparent, and to be relevant to the government, the general public and, yes, the membership, too.
So, let me ask if PEO is relevant to you?Have they given you an exclusive right to practice?
I, (like two thirds of you) have never needed a P.Eng. licence to practice. Living in their ivory tower, PEO does not have an inkling of the many new fields in engineering. The exclusive right to practice for most engineers does not exist.
