Role, welfare of engineers vital

The Institution of Engineers PNG looks after the welfare of, and represents professional engineers in the country who are engaged in various industries such as mining and construction. Business reporter MARK HAIHUIE talked to its chief executive officer BENEDICT MICK about the institution.

HAIHUIE: What are the IEPNG functions and objectives in relation to Professional Engineers Registration Board and what it means for the profession?
MICK: The IEPNG is the professional body which represents professional engineers from all engineering disciplines in PNG. The terms “engineering profession” and “professional engineer/engineering” are used by the institution in the broadest possible way to include all those who use a systematic process of analysis, design/synthesis and implementation, strive to operate in a responsible way, are governed by a code of ethics and engage in continuing professional development to maintain the currency of their competence. The terms adopted do not specify how such skills are achieved. Thus IEPNG seeks to include people from widely varying educational backgrounds. IEPNG provides services for about 3000 members, both national and expatriates, who are classified into various membership classes according to their levels of education and extent of experience in engineering practice. The roots of IEPNG go back almost 50 years. The first professional engineering body in PNG was the Society of Professional Engineers formed in 1973. The Society grew steadily until 1980 when the increasing number of non-civil engineers among the membership began to demand recognition in the form of a name change. Therefore, after much debate, the Society of Professional Engineers was changed to the Institution of Engineers PNG. The Professional Engineers Registration Board is set up by the Professional Engineers Registration Act 2007 (amended) to register and de-register professional engineers from all engineering disciplines in PNG.
HAIHUIE: Engineering is a multifaceted profession with the most obvious being based in the extractive and construction fields such as mechanical and mining engineers. Can you outline the various engineers and the industries they work under?
MICK: The University of Technology in Lae has been since 1973 graduating engineers in Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Mining Engineering. Engineering is required in all levels of construction, manufacturing and other industries all over the world. In PNG, many engineers can be found in the private and public sectors. Organisations involved in the construction industry employ mainly civil, mechanical and electrical engineers. In the extractive industries, you will find civil, mining, mechanical and electrical engineers. The same applies to the public sector – Department of Works, PNG Power and Telikom PNG. Becoming registered by the PERB is only for one level or category.
HAIHUIE: The engineering profession is vital to the operations of industries which contribute to national development and the economy. What is IEPNG’s view on the role of engineers in nation building?
MICK: The engineering profession is one of the main contributors to nation building. The saying “engineers build a nation’’ is very true. Everything you see around you – buildings, roads, gadgets, electrical appliances etc – involves engineering. Engineers have for many years contributed significantly to national development especially infrastructure development. The dominant engineering professions – civil, mechanical, electrical and mining – have played a major part in the development of PNG. With the increase in infrastructure since the LNG Project, there has been an increase in engineering manpower requirements resulting in many engineering expatriates coming to the country. They are required by law to be registered. The Government however has given no support to the IEPNG or the PERB.
HAIHUIE: What has been the progressive demand for the profession by the private and public sector in recent years and to what can this be accredited to?
MICK: Given the rapid development in PNG and the lack of qualified technical expertise, the demand from the industry is now focused on the “technicians” category of engineering professionals in PNG. The recent developments in the gas and petroleum industry plus the APEC summit has seen a rise in demand for competent engineering professionals to be engaged in infrastructure development. The demand for skilled and competent engineering technicians was realised when the LNG project started. There was an urgent need for technical tradesman to work on the gas and oil pipelines, the construction of the plant and subsequent operations of the plant. PNG just did not have tradesman technicians to work on the project. The IEPNG was involved with Exxon Mobil and their partners and the Government to train local technicians who now are operating the LNG gas plant. The future for IEPNG is to work with educational institutions especially polytechnic colleges and technical colleges to graduate competent technicians and trades people by subscribing to the internationally accepted technicians training guidelines under the Sydney and Dublin Accords.
HAIHUIE: What are the main impediments to the engineering profession and how can these be addressed by stakeholders such as companies and the Government?
MICK: I see two very important areas where the Government, the education institutions and employers must seriously address to enhance the quality of engineering in PNG. One: The engineering programmes offered by institutions in PNG must be benchmarked and accredited to internationally-accepted education qualifications standards. For the engineering field, the internationally-accepted standards are enshrined in the Washington Accord for Professional Engineers with a four-year engineering degree, the Sydney Accord for engineering technologist with a three-year engineering degree or advanced diploma and the Dublin Accord for technicians (tradesman) that have diploma or certificate in engineering trades. Two: The remuneration packages offered by the public sector is very low compared to the private sector resulting in experienced and competent engineering professionals leaving the public service for the private sector. The Government must seriously look at ways to improve the remuneration offered to professionals in the public service to match the private sector.
HAIHUIE: There is a view that local engineers are being overlooked for senior position in companies in the extractive sector, plus other issues in the private sector. What is the IEPNG’s view on this and the capacity of locally trained engineers to take up leading roles?
MICK: Getting employment or getting promotion in any organisation either private or public is becoming very competitive. Engineering work in PNG requires people who have the required qualifications and competencies to work. In PNG we have many expatriates who are working as engineering professionals. Their entry to work in PNG is regulated by the Labour Act. Expatriate engineers applying for a work permit need the Institution of Engineers PNG (Inc) to check and give its approval first before they can come and work in PNG. PNG engineering professionals should not and must not be overlooked for promotions to senior positions in an organisation if they are competent and capable of doing the job. I have not seen a genuine case where a PNG national is overlooked for a promotion just because they are from PNG. I have encountered many such complaints but upon investigation, the company has given both the nationals and expatriates the same opportunity for promotion. And the expatriates got the job purely because they have the qualification, skills and are competent to do the job. Many national engineering professionals are holding senior roles in organisations because they are competent and qualified to do so. The way forward for PNG is to develop its own competent manpower base in engineering to ensure that programmes offered by the PNG University of Technology in Lae are benchmarked and meet internationally recognised standards set by the Washington Accord.
HAIHUIE: The Government and the private sector have prioritised infrastructure developments with an increase in the construction of public facilities. There are views that the infrastructure development is not sustainable, with cases of bridges collapsing and road standards deteriorating soon after completion.
MICK: I have seen a lot of public funds put into big infrastructure projects that fall apart very quickly or are sub-standard. IEPNG has called for investigations into infrastructure projects that cost a lot of money to build but do not meet expectations. IEPNG has in the past called on the Government to have independent and competent engineering professionals appointed by the IEPNG Inc to sit on important bodies and boards involved in the delivery of infrastructure projects. These include the Central and Provincial Supply and Tenders Board, PNG Power Board, Telikom PNG Board and others. It is pleasing that the current Government has responded favorably to the IEPNG by having IEPNG representatives on the Supply and Tenders Board and the PNG Power Board. We have also suggested the setting up of an independent body to carry out technical audits of Government-funded infrastructure projects.  The IEPNG has the engineering expertise through its membership to provide this service to the Government. Such audits will ensure that the projects meet design standards and are correctly costed before the propjets are tendered. During the construction of the project, audits must be undertaken to ensure that the contractors adhere to standards, build to design and are paid for what they actually deliver. Upon completion, final checks are done to ensure that the project has met all the technical requirements and is now ready for use by the public.
HAIHUIE: IEPNG has several educational initiatives to standardise the profession through its Competency Based Assessment and makes our engineers globally marketable. What does this entail and how can it be of benefit to the profession, employers and the country?
MICK: The current system of assessment for registration and membership is using the engineering qualifications (degree) and a person’s work history to make a judgement if the person can be registered as a professional engineer or becomes a member of IEPNG. The qualification is a four-year engineering degree from a university and country that is acceptable to the Professional Engineers Registration Board to be registered as a professional engineer. The person’s CV is considered acceptable as having the ‘’engineering experience”’ to qualify for professional registration. The CBA is the new proposed system of assessment. The two key areas being tested are engineering knowledge and competence in actually implementing the engineering work to meet expected targets and in accordance to accepted standards and ethics.