Registration with The Engineering Council Of South Africa (ECSA).                           (2021)

See also the June 2021 Newsletter for more useful information.

General Information

(The information contained herein reflects the Chambers opinion and is offered as an aid in the interests of promoting the engineering profession. Some of ECSA requirements are subject to review and the requirements and method of assessment may change. The information supplied here is not official ECSA policy or approved by ECSA. The Chamber’s disclaimer applies to any use of this information).

 Background Information.

The following graphic is an over simplified illustration of the four different cadres of engineering.

 ^

^

T    K               Engineer

H    N

E    O                           Technologist

O   W

R    L                                                   Technician

E    E

T    D                                                                           Artisan

I     G

C    E

A

L

-------------------------------------PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE----------------------------à

 Please note that this generic two-dimensional graphic is oversimplified otherwise the illustration would be too complex to present. In reality there are many axis of different criteria to the real picture. In some cases there may also be a degree of overlapping in areas of expertise. There may also be some grey areas and gaps between areas.

 There are of course many branches of engineering but the main disciplines are Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Mining and Metallurgy and Chemical. There are many sub disciplines or sub branches under each type. As an example under Electrical there are at least, Heavy Current, Light Current, Electronics, Communications, Computers etc.

 Categories of Registration.

There are four (5) main categories of registered engineering persons in South Africa. They are:

1.         Professional Engineer.

2.         Professional Certificated Engineer.

3.         Professional Engineering Technologist

4.         Professional Engineering Technician
5.         Specified Categories (eg. Lifting Machinery Inspectors (LMI’s) etc).

 

Benchmark Engineering Qualification for Registration.

The Professional Engineer has to prove that he has obtained at least a four (4) year University engineering degree ((BSc) in an ECSA accredited University degree programme plus three years of post graduate high level engineering experience and responsibility.

 The Professional Certificated Engineer has to prove that he has obtained at least a National N Diploma (N6 level) from a recognised South African Technical College plus extra subjects such as Plant Engineering etc. leading to the awarding of the Government Certificate of Competency plus at least three years of appropriate post certificate experience before acceptance for registration. The requirements for registration in this category are currently being reviewed and may change soon

The Professional Engineering Technologist has to prove that he has at least obtained a four (4) year Bachelor of Technology (B Tech or B Eng) in an ECSA accredited degree programme offered by Universities of Technology in South Africa together with three years of acceptable experience of which at least one is in a position of engineering responsibility.

 The Professional Engineering Technician has to prove that he has at least obtained a three (3) year National Diploma (S4 level) in an ECSA accredited diploma programme together with three years of acceptable post diploma approved training and experience as well as at least one year of acceptable engineering responsibility.

 A further sub category of the Engineering Technician that of Specified Scope was introduced by ECSA to provide for persons who are engaged in a specific occupation which requires compulsory registration (by law) but who are not fully qualified and or experienced enough for registration in one of the four main categories. For example two such categories namely “Lift Inspector” and Lifting Machinery Inspector exist as well as some others.

 At present persons to be registered in the “Specified Categories” have to provide appropriate documented proof of qualifications and experience (scope, depth and duration) in the relevant specific occupation / field of engineering and thus prove that they are functioning at the level correct level. It is possible that such persons may have or be required to have a greater depth of specific knowledge than the normally registered Technician. However, such persons are not required to have the breadth of knowledge and variety of experience of the Professional Engineering Technician.

 Persons applying for registration in the Specified Categories may have come from the Artisan route and may be required to attend specified courses and pass examinations relevant thereto in order to be considered for registration. These will usually be applicable where public health and safety is involved and definitely where compulsory registration is required. ECSA can supply the specific requirements for these categories, as they are not dealt with here.

 Artisan / Craftsman. This category is not currently able to register with ECSA but may be covered in the future.

An Artisan has to prove the successful completion of:

·      a legally recognised apprenticeship or learnership

·      prescribed practical training

·      prescribed qualifications of N2 or higher by a Technical College

·      a trade test

   Job Availability.

The country’s requirements and thus the probable numbers of jobs available are in the following order of priority:

  

                                                                                                                      #

#        #

#              #

#   Engineer    #

#       Technologist   #

#           Technician          #

#              Artisan                   #

###########################

In other words there may well be more Artisan jobs available than for Engineers.







 General Descriptions of Engineering Professionals.

 

Professional Engineer

Professional Engineering Technologist

Professional Engineering Technician

Will practice in complex engineering activities, which may include design, planning, investigation, research, engineering operations & processes, project management and more. The boundaries of practice are complex and change over time.

Complex engineering problems are characterised by fundamental and specialist underpinning knowledge, complex systems needing identification & refinement & may be abstract requiring, research, analysis and unique solutions.

This requires broad & in depth knowledge from fundamentals, first principles analytical approaches, often requiring complex calculations, knowledge of engineering, legal, contract & other laws & knowledge of interacting disciplines.

Accepting engineering responsibility for designs and overall work done.

Will practice in broadly defined engineering activities, which may include design, planning, investigation & problem resolution, engineering operations, manufacturing, project management, commercialisation and more. The boundaries of practice are linked to technologies used & change by adoption of new technologies.

Broadly defined engineering problems are characterised by underpinning knowledge & skills, may be of systems requiring identification & interpretation into practice. can be solved by structured analysis techniques. Problems may be partially outside standards and codes.
This requires specialist in depth knowledge of fundamentals, analytical approaches, calculations, knowledge of engineering, legal, contract & other practice area laws. Accepting engineering responsibility within broad parameters for work done.

Will practice in well defined engineering activities, which may include contributing to design and modification, planning, investigation, fault finding & maintenance, engineering operations, manufacturing, project management commercialisation & more. The boundaries of practice are defined by established techniques applied and adopting new techniques developed. Improvements are often referred to engineers / technologists stakeholders for final approval.

Well-defined engineering problems are characterised by being discrete, focussed, routine but may be unfamiliar require clarification. Problems can be solved in standardised or prescribed ways by use of standards, codes & documented procedures. They may be frequently encountered.

This requires defined knowledge of some fundamentals, analytical approach within the area of expertise, defined calculations using established formulas & standards, applicable laws, regulations & codes. Accepting engineering responsibility for the work done by the technician.

 

 

 

  

Alternate Routes To Registration as a Professional Engineering Technician.

While the benchmark requirement for a registered engineering technician is the National Diploma plus 3 years of acceptable post diploma experience, candidates with other qualifications may be accredited if the candidate can prove that the candidates theoretical and practical knowledge, experience and responsibilities have been at a similar acceptable level to the bench mark criteria for an extended period.

The alternate route period of acceptable experience is longer than the benchmark route. This is to allow time for on the job learning, which may also be, unstructured and development of both theoretical and practical knowledge. No alternate route is a short cut to the benchmark route.

 

ECSA Registration Tips for Technicians.

While this below refers to engineering technicians, the same advice applies to technologists. In the case of technologists the documents referred to are similar but have different numbers and refer to technologists. Other categories are similar.

The best advice we can give when completing your application for Registration especially the Engineering Report is to read and understand the instructions.

You must understand what is meant by a well-defined engineering activity. Once this is understood you will find is easier to complete the Engineering Report.

You must also read quite a few documents on the ECSA website. It is critical that you do read these documents which are listed below. You are referred to a table in the one document that actually explains what is required by each outcome in connection with the Engineering Report.

One must understand the Engineering Report is your advertisement of what your knowledge, experience and responsibilities are. Please do not rush to fill in this section. Take your time as it requires careful thought and wording.

Write down and walk away and come back and read again what you have written and do not be shy to be critical. Give essential details but be brief and do not exceed the suggested total words used per answer. Get someone else to read what you have written to see if it makes sense and that the language and grammar and spelling are correct.

All the documents on ECSA website (www.ecsa.co.za) under the Technician section are important.

 

The three are important documents when completing your application are:-

  1. Professional Engineering Technicians guide to Completion of the Registration Application Form.

  2. R-04-PN: Training and Mentoring Guide for Professional Categories

  3. R-08-PN: Guide to the Competency Standards for Registration as a Professional Engineering Technician

  4. R-02-STA-PE/PT/PCE/PN, Competency Standard for registration in Professional Categories as PE/PT/PCE/PN, Revision 1: 20 August 2020 (Table no.7)

  5. R-03-PRO, Processing of Applications for Registration of Candidates and Professionals, Revision 2: 29 January 2019.

 

Please look at R-02-STA under the section Technicians and there you will find the definition and the criteria for Technicians and also table 7 in this document is excellent in guiding you to complete your application especially the Engineering Report.

 

Please note it is important to go through these documents as they have a wealth of information to complete your application successfully. Remember do the application yourself and you will know what you wrote in the Professional Review interview.

Write in the first person and avoid using “we” as the assessor needs to know what you did and not the group (we). Also remember that the assessors do not know you and depend on the information that you supply about yourself and your knowledge, experience and responsibilities.

 

The Application Process for Technicians.


Candidate Engineering Technician

  1. Download the application form (from the ECSA Website www.ecsa.co.za)

  2. Fully complete the first two pages of the application form E1.1 and E 1.2, both pages signed by yourself and the commissioner of oaths(include commissioners stamp).

  3. Include certified copies of your National Diploma certificate

  4. Attend to payment of applicable application fees and include proof of payment in your application. You may use your Full names/Identity number as payment reference.

  5. Submit the originally completed and commissioned application form and qualifications via post or direct delivery to our offices.

  Professional Engineering Technician

  1. Download the Application form: Registration as a Professional Engineering Technician

  2. First two pages of the application form C 1.1 and C 1.2 fully completed, signed by yourself and commissioned by the commissioner of oaths.

  3. Include Certified Copies of your National Diploma certificate

  4. Be sure to Nominate Three referees registered with ECSA as either Professional Engineering Technician or Professional Engineering Technologist or Professional Certificated Engineer or Professional Engineer, one of which must be from your direct supervisor.

  5. Request the nominated referees to fully complete the referee report form C4 and submit same directly to ECSA.

  6. Include the following documents in your application

    1. Proof of Voluntary Association Membership or Application for Membership (Letter, certificate, Invoice or Receipt.

  7. Ensure that the following documents are completed using the templates indicated are included with the application:

 

    1. Summary of Training and Experience report form C 2.2. From first instance of experience after obtaining the first degree till date of submission in a chronological date order(please see application form information sheet C)

    2. Training and Experience Report for each Period using form C 2.1 from first instance of experience after obtaining the first degree till date of submission in the same chronological date order as listed on form C 2.2. Each period on a separate form C 2.1 signed by yourself and the relevant supervisor if registered or not(please see application form information sheet C2)

    3. Organograms

  1. Include the fully completed Initial Professional Development Report form IPD(C5)

  2. Fully complete the Engineering Report form C 2.3

  3. Fully complete the Education Development Report form C 18 if you do not meet the benchmark requirements

 

The Application Process for Lifting Machinery Inspectors (LMI’s).

Lifting Machinery Inspector

  1. Download Application Form

  2. First two pages of the application form J 1.1 and J 1.2 fully completed, signed by yourself and commissioned by the commissioner of oaths.

  3. Include certified copies of all your qualifications.

  4. Be sure to Nominate Three referees ECSA as either as Registered Lifting Machinery Inspector or Professional Engineers or Professional Engineering Technologist or Professional Engineering Technicians or Professional Certificated Engineer.

  5. Request the nominated referees to fully complete the referee report form J 4.1 and J 4.2 and submit same directly to ECSA.

  6. Certified Copies of Load test and Inspections certificates signed by yourself and a registered Lifting Machinery Inspector.

  7. Fully complete the Development Questionnaire on the prescribed form J 2.3 signed by yourself and the relevant supervisor. Each question must be answered accordingly.

    Hints on Completing the Outcomes.

    Outcome 1:

     Key words – Define    -   Investigate      -     Analyze

    Define means describe in your own words the problem as it was given to you- possibly, verbally, per sketch, per email (etc). and by who and what you at that stage understood the problem to be.

     Investigate means take all the information and then by further discussion with others, owners, similar operations ensure that you are sure what the problem actually is, not what appears to be the problem.

     Analyze means take all the facts from the problem report, your investigation and then by analyzing all the information document the problem for discussion with your supervisor and problem (i.e)  “Owner”

     Outcome 2: 

    Key words – Design     -     Develop.

     Design means use your engineering knowledge and practical experience together with advice you may have obtained while investigating and analyzing to formulate a solution to the problem. This could be process change, method change, material change, equipment changes etc. You may have to re- design a process or equipment or make modifications; sketch drawings and calculations should be submitted if available.

     Develop not all problems require design, re-design, or radical change. Often instructions need to be changed. Staff need to be trained or minor changes to the process are required. The total process should be considered, and a cost-effective solution needs to be proposed. If the solution is self-evident, discuss other projects where solution was more difficult to formulate.

     Outcome 3:

     Key words- Comprehend.

                           Apply knowledge embodies in established engineering practices.

                            Knowledge specific to your practice area (juristiction)

                             (e.g. Pumps Hydraulics, )

     Comprehend describe shortly how you fully understand the problem and how you used your taught & practical (expertise) knowledge to define the problem and solution in a cost-effective way. Often known factors such as maximum flow allowed, maximum pressures Stress allowed, lubrication, friction and maintenance parameters or NDT are good pointers.

     Apply knowledge in your area of engineering it is normal to have a good knowledge of a few fields and a basic knowledge of how related fields affect your principal field. i.e., electrical supply. Material science, supply line management (JIT principals ), availability of scarce resources ad reliability required by the user / owner.

     Specific knowledge Describe how specific knowledge you have obtained in your career was used to assist in the solution. Where you have had short comings.  Describe how and where you obtained specific knowledge relevant to the problem and or solution.

     Outcome 4:

     Key words- Manage part or all the projects.

     Manage means to keep record and plan the project from time & financial quality outcome basis

    To do this some form of management tool (Bar charts etc.) are required together with record of cost and progress to date. Management also means agreed upon norms for finance and delivery and quality. Also reporting up and down must be documented and all confirmed by confirmation from role-players. Ensure you are aware of your company’s management philosophies and rules.

    Outcome 5:

     Communicate clearly with others in course of your engineering activities.

     Communication The best evidence your assessor will have is your submission for registration (Application) so ensure that you have done your best to ensure correctness/ neatness and provided answers to all questions.

     Outcome 6:

    Recognize and address foreseeable social cultural and environmental effects of problem &

    solution.

     Do not only address the implication on the work site OSH act etc. Address problems to surrounding areas and population or nature. Could you use locals for labour or assistance. Did you discuss problems & possible solution with those in vicinity? How the nearby environment affected or could be affected – noise, Dust, pollution possibility of explosion etc. If no problem is apparent try to fabricate a bad result and what you would have done to avoid it. Most big firms have a social commitment to locals through their HR department.

     Outcome 7:

     Meet legal & regulatory requirements and protect all involved & nearby.

     There is a big difference between an act and regulations. Regulations are made to ensure the various acts are complied with. All engineering practitioners need a good knowledge of at least (1) OSH act (2) enviro act (3) engineering act (4) labour regulations act. Always try to find something in your problem or submission that involves those acts. There are many others like water act, nuclear pressure vessels etc.

     Outcome 8:

     Ethically conducting work process

     State firstly ethics is regulated by E.P act and disciplined by ECSA. Then state how ethics handled on work site and by employer. Try to give an example of when your ethics was tested (bribe etc.) or if never tested how you would react. Only give sound advice to clients with consideration of costs.

     Outcome 9:

     Sound judgement

    Try to give assessor examples of engineering judgments (Choices with implications) you have had to make in your work situation. Urgent decisions during a project or decision where you received advice which required a choice.  (Considering safety & consequences)

    Outcome 10:

     Responsible for decisions

    Try to give an example of a decision. You took which you had to defend to employers/ Clients and to show that you were responsible. Appointments to committees / meeting where you represent your employer or there is legal responsibility.

    Outcome 11:

     CPD

    Give details of literature you read, advise you get from mentors, courses you attended and want to attend.  Any studies you are planning or records you keep of knowledge you are given or source.

     Re read what you have written and correct mistakes, spelling and grammar.



 

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