February 2008 Issue
President’s Notebook
KNOCK THE BLUES OUT OF WINTER
BY JOHN McLEOD, P.ENG.
APEGGA President
______________________
If the cold weather has you trudging into February with a touch of the winter blues, consider a few professional pick-me-ups. In fact, you probably should consider them no matter what your mood is.
Your Association is preparing for a busy spring, but there’s plenty happening right now to motivate and invigorate you.
Start by getting out there and supporting National Engineering & Geoscience Week, Feb. 21 to March 2. It’s true, there are more designated weeks than anyone can keep track of, these days, but this one is worth checking out. After all, these are our professions we’re celebrating.
Your Association, members, permit holders and other groups join forces every year to give engineering and geoscience the spotlight. The events put you in touch with the general public, often in one-on-one situations, and allow you to join your peers and colleagues in showing the world what your work and the sciences are all about.
Our careers tend to keep us isolated from people who don’t have regular ties to the professions, and this is a chance to help correct that imbalance. Also, scientific literacy is important during these complex, fast-changing times. As APEGGA professionals, we should always look at ourselves as ambassadors for science and math.
Making a World of Difference is the theme this year. Corporate challenges
in Edmonton and Calgary kick things off on Feb. 21, and the APEGGA
website contains a regularly updated calendar of the
events of the week.
Collectively, we do make a world of difference on the job. Here’s a way to share that message — and perhaps even make a world of difference in a few young minds, too, as they start developing interests or even formulating career plans.
Don’t take my word for it. The whole story appears on page 6 of this month’s PEGG, along with the calendar as it stood at deadline. You can also find out more online at www.apegga.org.
Other Ways to Give Back
Of course, opportunities to take our message to the street, so to speak, happen
all year round, and for that matter, so do opportunities to take our message
to the classroom.
Our Outreach program will connect you with students in Grades 1 to 12. APEGGA’s Outreach staff will put you in touch with the right classroom for your customized presentation. We even have kits of materials that make it easy.
Outreach is also the conduit to other career and science events in the schools, either put on or supported by APEGGA. If you want to take part in a science day, judge a science competition or have a student shadow you on the job, your Association can make it happen.
These events are extremely popular with students and teachers. They’re so popular, in fact, that there’s often more of a demand for professional members and members-in-training than APEGGA can meet.
Our website describes these opportunities clearly, so check the information box with this column to find out more.
Other volunteer opportunities also abound. If you want to take part in our excellent mentoring program or apply for a volunteer position on a committee, check out the links provided as well.
Election Time — With a Twist
The point I’m making is that giving back to the professions is important,
no matter what method you choose. Some of your peers are giving back by running
for election to APEGGA Council.
Your job is to check out the names on page 3 of this month’s PEGG, find out more about the candidates when the online information goes live, and then exercise your right.
We hope our move to electronic voting will improve the percentage of members who vote, which has typically ranged from 15 to 20 per cent of eligible voters. Remember: when you receive your PIN via regular post, it is up to you if you want to opt out of electronic voting and ask for a paper ballot.
Otherwise — and this is the choice we hope many of you make — use the information you receive to go online, find out more about the candidates and cast your vote. The system goes live on Feb. 29 and will remain live until polls close at 12 noon on Sunday, March 30. You should have received your information by the end of this month.
APEGGA staff and consultants have tested the system, and I’m confident that this is the way our elections should be conducted. It saves paper (trees) and from the second year on, it will save money, too.
EGGP Act amendments enacted last April allow electronic voting. The set of amendments also means that, for first time ever, registered professional technologists will be casting votes. Note that we also have, this year, our first-ever R.P.T. candidate for Council.
M.I.T., P.Geol. Consultation
You have all had plenty of opportunity now to respond to a survey of your opinions
on granting members-in-training at least some level of voting rights. Your comments
will be discussed by your Executive Committee and Council over the coming weeks.
Also up for discussion will be your comments on the possible move to a single,
Professional Geoscientist designation to replace Professional Geologist and Professional
Geophysicist.
Watch next month’s PEGG and upcoming e-PEGGs for more information on these
proposals.
AGM and More
Election results will be announced at the Annual General Meeting, April 19 in
Edmonton. The AGM is one part of the Annual Conference, April 17 to 19, which
also includes professional development opportunities, the Summit Awards, an art
show and more.
The conference is a great way to learn, to network, to have fun and to take part in self-regulation. Theme this year is Rock Solid Professionalism, which ties in perfectly with International Year of Planet Earth and the presidency of Dr. Gordon Williams, P.Geol., who you elected as President-Elect last year.
Check out the centre section of this month’s PEGG for the full information.
Contact Me
Please drop me a line at any time on any matter, at president@apegga.org.
President’s Visits are also underway, as Executive Director Neil Windsor, P.Eng., President-Elect Gordon Williams, P.Geol., and I tour the APEGGA branches to meet your executives and discuss issues with members, face to face.
If we haven’t come to your branch yet, check out the listing online in the Jan. 16 e-PEGG. I look forward to meeting as many members as possible.
more info
Annual Conference & AGM
... click here
Volunteering
... click here