The Role of Electrical Engineers in Australian Migration
Electrical Engineering is a wide-ranging technical field related to power generation and distribution, electrical equipment, automation, telecommunications, control systems and technologies. For international electrical engineers seeking to have their qualifications assessed for purpose of Australian skilled migration, they may be required to establish that their education and engineering competency is equivalent to that required for assessment. The Competency Demonstration Report is designed for applicants who have not had their training recognised in any other pathway. The assessment emphasizes evidence and not just the position title or content of a standard résumé.
Building the Continuing Professional Development Record
Documenting professional learning is important and includes Continuing Professional Development. The field of electrical engineering is dynamic, with improvements in renewable energy, automation, communications, embedded technologies, safety systems and digital tools. The CPD record can be used to show how an engineer has continued to learn after leaving school. The activities include technical courses, technical reading, workshops, conferences, professional training, and all other activities that are relevant to the technical field. Applicants are required to document their activities in a clear and consistent manner and not include generic training just to ensure that the document is lengthy.
Writing Effective Career Episodes
Career Episodes are an opportunity for electrical engineers to describe a specific engineering project or experience in greater detail. The emphasis is to be placed on the applicant's personal engineering activity. A good episode should describe the purpose and background of the project, the engineering problem, investigation, design considerations, choice of plans, implementation of plans, and outcomes. Examples in electrical engineering could include the design of electrical systems, distribution of power, development of circuits, automation, telecommunications or control applications. Technical calculations, software, standards and engineering methods can be discussed if they were a part of the applicant's work. The aim is to show the application of engineering knowledge in a practical context.
Connecting Evidence Through the Summary Statement
The Summary Statement creates a logical link between the evidence presented in the Career Episodes and the competency requirements of the assessment. Electrical engineers should make sure that the references are accurate and lead to relevant evidence in the appropriate Career Episode. The difficulty of assessment increases if there are vague references or if the competencies are not clearly linked to the paragraphs of the summary. Preparing the document carefully is therefore helpful prior to finalization. It is important for applicants to ensure that all of the information in the Summary Statement matches that presented in their Career Episodes and does not contain any unsupported claims.
Maintaining Originality and Accuracy
When preparing a CDR, it is crucial that it is original. Applicants are expected to write about their own learning, projects, duties, decisions and career growth. Plagiarizing previous CDRs, online sources or other applicants can cause significant issues. The report must also be reviewed for grammar, formatting, consistency and correct technical vocabulary. In applying for an application, Electrical Engineers are advised to understand what Engineers Australia requirements are for the application and ensure all documents and assessment components are prepared as required for the pathway to which they are applying.