| |
PROFILE of ICMEESA
Why does ICMEESA exist?
Mission Statement
Vision
Objective
Representation on Professional Bodies
Who are our Members?
Advantages of membership
The Future
WHY DOES ICMEESA EXIST?
The Institution of Certificated Mechanical and Electrical
Engineers, South Africa, is the only learned and vocational institution
that caters for all certificated electrical and mechanical engineers in
South Africa.
It is also the only institution for certificated engineers that enjoys
statutory recognition in terms of the Engineering Profession of South
Africa Act.
MISSION STATEMENT
he mission of the Institution of Certificated Mechanical and Electrical
Engineers, South Africa, is to uphold the professional image, status and
interests of all Certificated Mechanical and Electrical Engineers
through:
-
Representing the Certificated Engineer through
pro-active participation on statutory, educational and professional
decision-making bodies.
-
Regular formal communication to and between members
so as to promote member interaction, fellowship and ongoing
professional development of the Certificated Engineer
-
Active participation at branch level
VISION
Formally recognized within the profession as the representative body of
all Certificated Engineers with membership of ICMEESA being highly
regarded by members through the visible and tangible added value benefit
of membership through a combination of active branch activity and sound
inter communication to and between the members.
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the Institution are:
-
To develop the Institution as the natural
professional home for engineering general practitioners adequately
qualified by education and experience to take full responsibility
for men and machinery in both electrical and mechanical branches of
engineering.
-
To promote the general advancement of the electrical
and mechanical engineering sciences and in particular the
application thereof to the design, installation, maintenance,
operation and control of fixed or mobile plant and equipment; to
provide facilities for the exchange of information on these subjects
amongst members of the Institution; to hold meetings and to place on
record the proceedings of such meetings.
-
To uphold the status of the electrical and mechanical
engineering profession particularly in so far as they affect those
members of the profession engaged in the design installation,
maintenance, operation and control of fixed or mobile plant and
equipment.
-
To conduct such examinations as may be necessary to
establish the qualifications of candidates for membership of the
Institution or to grant exemptions to candidates in possession of
qualifications deemed to be equivalent.
-
To support the efficient administration of the
existing laws appertaining to the Mechanical and Electrical
Engineering professions and recommend amendments thereto as and when
considered desirable.
-
To form or assist in the formation of a technical
library.
-
To purchase, sell, take on a lease or otherwise
acquire or dispose of and deal with any lands, building or property,
movable or immovable, which may be required for the purposes of or
capable of being conveniently used in connection with any of the
objects of the Institution.
-
To erect, maintain, improve or alter any buildings or
erections for the purpose of the Institution.
-
To borrow or raise money by the issue of mortgage
bonds, debentures, bills of exchange, promissory notes or other
securities of the Institution or by mortgage or change of all or any
part of the property or assets of the Institution.
-
To invest and deal with moneys of the Institution in
such manner as may from time to time be determined and to lend money
on such security and to such persons, company, bank or institution
as may seem expedient.
-
To award study grants and bursaries.
-
To encourage members to apply to the Engineering
Council of South Africa for registration as a Certificated
Engineer-in-training or Registered Certificated Engineer.
-
To appoint delegates to other engineering bodies when
invited to do so.
-
To do all things incidental or conductive to the
attainment of any or all of these objects.
REPRESENTATION ON
PROFESSIONAL BODIES
The ICMEESA has formal representation on the following bodies:
-
Engineering Council of SA (ECSA): Main Council;
Registration Committees; Education Advisory Committee; Technicon
Accreditation Committee; Steering Committee - Rationalization of
Certificates of competency.
-
Commission of Examiners for Engineers Certificates of
Competency
-
SABS Technical Sub Committee
WHO ARE OUR MEMBERS?
The term "Certificated" refers to the qualification attained by passing
an accredited training program and examination. The qualification is
presently known as the Government Certificate of Competency, hence the
commonly accepted abbreviated reference to "Certificated". The process
for attainment is shown in the education routing diagram.
The Engineering Profession of South Africa Act, No 114 of 1990 defines a
Certificated Engineer as a person who is registered with the Engineering
Council of South Africa (ECSA) as a Registered Certificated Engineer.
Certificates of Competency are issued for the purpose of registration as
an Engineer at Factories, Mines and Works, as a Marine Engineer, and as
a Mine Manager.
South African Laws legislate for the appointment of competent electrical
and mechanical engineers to take responsibility for the supervision of
plant and machinery in industry. The Occupational Health and Safety Act,
No 85 of 1993 does this in the case of factories, and the Mines Health
and Safety Act , No 29 of 1996 in the case of mines and works. Such
certificates are issued in terms of the above acts and regulations, by
the Department of Labor or the Department of Minerals and Energy.
Where the installed capacity of plant and equipment exceeds certain
power levels, only persons in possession of a Government Certificate may
be appointed. Unfortunately this has resulted in the misconception that
the Certificated Engineer exists solely to comply with the legislative
requirements. The need for the certificated engineer is primarily
through an industrial need and secondarily through a legislative need.
certificated engineers have created a market need that goes beyond the
fulfilling of statutory requirements.
The Certificated Engineer, however, provides necessary vital
competencies to industry. Certificated Engineers contribute to the safe
growth and profitability of industry by providing professional
engineering skills and managerial services to the industry owners and
users of equipment and machinery. The Certificated Engineer has the
ability to perform work in the public sphere in accordance with the
qualifications, experience and according to a code of professional
conduct.
Space restricts the listing of the vast varieties of industry utilizing
the engineer. The word "Industry" becomes synonymous with the word
"Engineer." The Engineer adds value to the core business of his relevant
industry by providing the specific expertise required in maintenance
management, condition monitoring, quality control, project management,
safety and risk management, administrative procedures, human resources
management, decision making, innovation, technology advancement and
process control.
The education route, shows the practical and academic training required.
The qualification process ensures that the candidate meets the required
competency level by obtaining suitable technical, academic, managerial,
experiential and behavioral training. This candidate must demonstrate
sufficient knowledge of engineering aspects such as design,
construction, erection, operation, maintenance, acts and regulations.
The evaluation of these competencies is not only by examination but
through a process of quality assurance during and at the end of the
training period.
ADVANTAGES OF MEMBERSHIP
-
Members have, through the Institution, a recognized
formal representative channel of communication to other professional
and statutory bodies.
-
The ICMEESA is formally recognized by other
professional and legal bodies, as the legitimate body representing
the interest of all Certificated Engineers.
-
The ICMEESA is the only forum representing
Certificated Engineers holding all Certificates, Mines, Factories,
Mechanical and Electrical.
-
The branches provide an active forum for sharing
common interests and broadening the general engineering knowledge of
the members.
-
Members of the ICMEESA have formal nominated
representation on professional and statutory bodies through which
the interests of the Certificated Engineer are enhanced and
maintained.
-
Benefits of membership include free distribution of
technical journals and newsletters.
THE FUTURE
Legislation is but one component to ensure that the necessary competent
persons perform specific tasks.
The continued need for the Certificated Engineer in industry is
necessary through his proactive contribution to productivity and safety.
The future South African industry must overcome the tradition poor
productivity. The obvious solution is the introduction of mechanization
and automation. This will create further need for competent Certificated
Engineers. With an ever deteriorating higher education system and
growing emigration, one can only predict that the shortage of university
graduates will prevail into the future.
To compliment this shortage of skilled professional engineers, the
Certificated Engineer has an ongoing role to play.
Certification or compulsory registration as a form of licensing will be
necessary as a means to protect the public health and safety. This
should be seen in the context of enabling competent persons to take
responsibility for work that requires professional skills.
Such registration also needs to tie in and be compatible with standard
setting and competence assessment in other fields. Overseas recognition,
both of the accreditation process and education programs and individual
registration needs to be pursued.
It is in this area that ICMEESA has a responsibility to proactively
advance the professional status of the Certificated Engineer. The
ICMEESA is actively participating in the process to ensure sustained
standards of competency for the ongoing qualification of competent
engineers.
|
|
