GUIDE TO ASSESSMENT OF ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERSHIP

(STAGE 1 COMPETENCY)

Engineers Australia
National Office: Engineering House
11 National Circuit BARTON ACT 2600
Telephone: +61 2 6270 6555 Facsimile: +61 2 6273 1488
Website: www.engineersaustralia.org.au

Engineers Australia is the common name of the Institution of Engineers Australia

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION

2 ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERSHIP OF ENGINEERS AUSTRALIA

2.1 Recognised qualification
2.2 Direct demonstration of competency
2.3 Mutual Recognition Agreements

3 THE COMPETENCY STANDARDS

4 PREPARING AN APPLICATION FOR ASSESSMENT OF ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERSHIP

(STAGE 1 COMPETENCY)
4.1 Overall form of application
4.2 Self-assessment of occupational category
4.3 Qualification details
4.4 Curriculum vitae
4.5 Narratives demonstrating Stage 1 competency – nature and purpose
4.6 Narratives relating to an educational program
4.7 Narratives relating to engineering employment
4.8 Work-based learning
4.9 General – all narratives
4.10 Summary of competencies
4.11 English-language competency
4.12 Application for assessment
4.13 Assessment fee

5 CHECKLIST OF MATERIAL TO BE SUBMITTED

6 ASSESSMENT PROCEDURE

7 REVIEW OF DECISION

APPENDICES
Appendix A Qualifications accredited, recognised or approved by Engineers Australia
1 Professional engineers
2 Engineering technologists
3 Engineering Associates
Appendix B Stage 1 Competency Standard for Professional Engineers
Appendix C Stage 1 Competency Standard for Engineering Technologists
Appendix D Stage 1 Competency Standard for Engineering Associates
Appendix E Persons authorised to sign documents
1 INTRODUCTION
This guide is for persons seeking admission to Engineers Australia in the grade of Graduate or the grade of
Member, who do not hold engineering qualifications that are already accredited or recognised by Engineers
Australia. Examples include:
• Candidates holding Australian engineering qualifications that have not been accredited or approved by
Engineers Australia;
• Candidates holding engineering qualifications from overseas countries with which Engineers Australia does
not have formal accreditation or mutual recognition agreements;
• Candidates holding qualifications in fields related to engineering, not recognised by Engineers Australia,
who have substantial experience in engineering work.

A separate guide is available for overseas residents seeking assessment of their engineering qualifications
by Engineers Australia for the purpose of immigration to Australia under the Skilled Migration program.

2 ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERSHIP OF ENGINEERS AUSTRALIA

Membership of Engineers Australia is competency based and is open to persons in three occupational
categories: professional engineers, engineering technologists, and engineering associates.
To be eligible for admission in the grade of Graduate or in the grade of Member, you must demonstrate the
competency needed to enter practice as a qualified member of the engineering team. This is known as
Stage 1 Competency.

Subsequently, members of Engineers Australia may seek Chartered Status. This requires further
assessment of practice competency and is described in separate handbooks.

You may demonstrate Stage 1 competency and eligibility for admission in one of the following ways:

2.1 Recognised qualification

If you hold an engineering qualification which has been accredited, recognised or approved by Engineers
Australia you are immediately eligible for admission in the grade of Graduate. The benchmark qualifications
are:
Professional engineer: four-year Bachelor of Engineering degree
Engineering technologist: three-year Bachelor of (Engineering) Technology degree
Engineering associate: two-year Advanced Diploma of Engineering (Australian Qualifications
Framework Level 6), or earlier equivalent such as Associate Diploma of Engineering (RATE), approved by
Engineers Australia.

If you are studying for such a qualification in Australia you are eligible for admission as a Student. For
admission in the grade of Member, in addition to being eligible for the grade of Graduate, you must be able
to show that have at least three years experience in engineering or engineering-related work appropriate to
your occupational category. (You must also meet some other requirements, detailed on the application
form.)

Appendix A describes what is meant by qualifications accredited, recognised or approved by Engineers

Australia. If you hold such a qualification, you may apply for directly for membership using the appropriate
form available on the web at www.engineersaustralia.org.au or through Engineers Australia offices, and
providing documentation as indicated on that form.

2.2 Direct demonstration of competency

When Engineers Australia accredits a program leading to an engineering qualification, it does so against the
Stage 1 Competency Standards (see Section 3). Accreditation means that after examining the program in
depth, Engineers Australia is satisfied that it enables and requires all its graduates to achieve and
demonstrate Stage 1 competency. Recognition of equivalent qualifications, under the agreements described
above and in Appendix A, is based on similar in-depth examination.

If you have not demonstrated Stage 1 competency through possession of an accredited or recognised
qualification, then you may undertake a direct demonstration of competency on an individual basis.
Section 3 introduces the Competency Standards. Section 4 explains how to prepare and submit an
application for assessment of eligibility for membership (Stage 1 Competency).
2.3 Mutual Recognition Agreements
Engineers Australia has Mutual Recognition or Mutual Exemption Agreements with professional engineering
bodies in a number of other countries. If you are a Graduate, Member or Fellow of an engineering body with
which Engineers Australia has such an agreement you may be entitled to automatic acceptance for
Engineers Australia membership. You should apply for admission using the Application Form for Admission
through a Mutual Recognition Agreement, available at www.engineersaustralia.org.au
In case of doubt, please inquire from your own Institution or from the Membership Team at Engineers
Australia’s National Office.

3 THE COMPETENCY STANDARDS

Engineers Australia publishes and maintains the Australian Engineering Competency Standards for
Professional Engineers, Engineering Technologists and Engineering Associates.

The Standards are available in full at www.engineersaustralia.org.au

The Standards recognise two Stages of competency:
• Stage 1 is the level of competency needed for entry to practice as a qualified member of the engineering
team, corresponding to completion of an accredited or recognised educational qualification.
• Stage 2 is the level of competency expected of an experienced engineering practitioner, and is the
requirement for Chartered membership of Engineers Australia. Stage 2 assessment is outside the scope of
this Guide and is described in separate handbooks.

Stage 1 competency means you have:

• a thorough understanding of the body of engineering knowledge relevant to your occupational category
(professional engineer, engineering technologist, or engineering associate); and the ability to apply this
knowledge to representative problems and situations, typical of the responsibilities of practitioners in your
occupational category.
You must also have the attributes and skills necessary to function as a professional, and the intellectual
skills to test and continually extend your knowledge through lifelong learning in formal and informal contexts.
Stage 1 competency is in fact a combination of knowledge, competencies and professional attributes.

Appendix B sets out in full the Stage 1 Competency Standard for professional engineers.
Appendix C sets out in full the Stage 1 Competency Standard for engineering technologists.
Appendix D sets out in full the Stage 1 Competency Standard for engineering associates.

Each Standard comprises three Units of Competency:

• Unit 1: Knowledge Base
• Unit 2: Engineering Ability
• Unit 3: Professional Attributes.
Each Unit comprises a number of Elements - for example Knowledge of science and engineering
fundamentals.
Details of the Elements are different for the three occupational categories.
Within each Element are a number of Indicators describing ways in which the Element would typically be
demonstrated.
To be assessed as Stage 1 competent you must demonstrate each Element of Competency in an overall
sense.
Assessment is made on a holistic basis and it is not expected that every indicator will be met in detail.
4 PREPARING AN APPLICATION FOR ASSESSMENT OF ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERSHIP
(STAGE 1 COMPETENCY)

4.1 Overall form of report

You may apply to have your engineering competency assessed by preparing and submitting an application.
The application should include:
a) Documentation of your qualification/s including the degree or diploma testamur/s or certificate/s, and
academic transcript/s listing the courses, subjects or units studied and the results you gained in each.
b) A Curriculum Vitae including an outline of any engineering employment history. This may include
employment or engineering experience undertaken before, during and since your formal qualification/s.
c) Three narratives describing major learning experiences through which you personally developed and
demonstrated Stage 1 competency, as set out in the relevant Appendix. These narratives may relate to your
educational program, and/or experience gained in engineering employment.
d) A summary table, relating each Element of competency to one or more paragraphs in your narratives.
e) Evidence of your English-language competency.
f) A signed declaration that the application is your own work and that the information it contains is true and
correct.

The following sections explain these requirements more fully.

4.2 Self-assessment of occupational category

You should apply for assessment in only one of the three occupational categories: professional engineer,
engineering technologist, or engineering associate.
Before starting to prepare the application, you should:
• read carefully the general role descriptions for the three categories in Appendices B, C and D, and
• note the benchmark qualifications for the three categories, mentioned at Section 2.1 above and repeated in
the corresponding Appendix.
On this basis, decide which category you believe matches your qualifications and experience. This is the
basis on which your application will be assessed.

4.3 Qualification details

You must provide certified true copies of your original degree or diploma testamur/s or certificate/s, or
certificates of other contributing qualifications, together with the associated academic transcript/s showing
courses, subjects or units studied and the results gained in each. If you have more than one qualification
that you believe is relevant, please provide the above details for each one. Examples might be an
undergraduate degree in a non-engineering (but engineering-related) field, plus a masters degree in
engineering; or an advanced diploma followed by a graduate diploma in engineering. If available, please
provide extracts from university, college or other handbooks giving brief descriptions of the courses, subjects
or units you have studied.

Certified copies Please refer to Appendix E for details.

Where qualifications are not in the English language you must provide copies of both the original language
document and a certified English-language translation. The name and contact details of the translator must
be provided on the English-language version.
If your current name is not the same as on the original documents you must provide evidence of your name
change.

4.4 Curriculum Vitae

You must provide a CV which includes a summary statement of any engineering employment to date. This
should include engineering experience gained prior to your current qualification or concurrently with it. For
each engineering appointment you have held, please include:
• the name, location and contact details of the employing organisation
• the dates and duration of your employment in this appointment
• the title of the position you held
• your defined role and responsibilities.
Your CV should be no more than three A4 pages and may be shorter.
4.5 Narratives demonstrating Stage 1 competency – nature and purpose
This is the most important part of your application.
You should prepare three narratives describing major learning experiences through which you believe you
developed and demonstrated Stage 1 competency.
Before starting, you should carefully read and digest the Competency Standard for your occupational
category. Then think of some major learning experiences that you believe were really important steps in your
formation as a professional, able to demonstrate the range of competencies described in the Standard. A
substantial project or design exercise, for example, may have required you to demonstrate many different
competencies, and could be a very suitable basis for one of your narratives.
After you have described each experience, indicate which Elements of competency it enabled you to
demonstrate. You should not try to write separately about each Element of competency. It is not expected
that each narrative or major experience will demonstrate all the Elements of competency. You should aim to
ensure that your narratives, taken together, cover all the Elements.
You must write in the first person singular (I … ) and describe work you have actually performed
personally.
When writing about a team project, you should describe the project overall – but you must also describe the
specific part you played personally, how it contributed to the overall objective, what you actually did, and
what competency or competencies you believe this demonstrates.
Remember that Stage 1 competency requires:
• a thorough understanding of the engineering body of knowledge, and
• the ability to apply this knowledge to problems and situations typical of your occupational category.
Engineers Australia needs to be satisfied that you have both of these. Your narratives should focus on the
application of your knowledge. They should also show that you acquired the knowledge in a systematic and
comprehensive way, through an educational program or otherwise.

4.6 Narratives relating to an educational program

A narrative based on your experiences during your educational program should focus on the most advanced
pieces of work you have done, the knowledge you needed in order to perform that work, and the abilities you
needed in order to apply your knowledge in an engineering context. Project work is likely to be one of the
best ways of illustrating your knowledge and abilities. As well as projects conducted within the university or
college, you may find it useful to write about any experience in industry you were required to undertake as
part of the educational program. You must write about what you actually did, indicating what Elements of
competency you believe you demonstrated, and how you did so. Some aspects of your knowledge and
abilities may not have been applied through project or design work, but may have been tested through
assignments or other tasks. In such a case, you can demonstrate your competency by writing about the
most advanced work you did in particular topic areas – what kinds of problems you were able to solve, how
you solved them, and what knowledge was required to do so. It may be useful to describe what you found
most challenging about them, and how you developed the ability to handle them with confidence.
It is not enough to say simply that a particular unit of study covered the competencies required. You must
explain one or more pieces of work that you performed (during the educational program, or subsequently),
how you performed it, and how you believe it demonstrates the knowledge or competency in question. It is
important
also to indicate which units of study contributed to the knowledge you needed in order to perform the work.
Give some indication of the breadth of your technical knowledge. You may wish to write about your
competency in one particular technical area in some detail, and about other areas in shorter form. Where an
Element of competency requires you to demonstrate awareness or appreciation, describe how you
developed this awareness or appreciation, and (if possible) a task or experience that required you to
exercise it.

4.7 Narratives relating to engineering employment

When you demonstrate competencies gained through work performed in engineering employment, you may
base one or more of your narratives on:
• a project you have worked on or are currently working on;
• a specific position you occupied or currently occupy;
• a particular problem you were required to solve as part of your job.
The narrative should describe the application of your engineering knowledge in such a context. It should
identify any particular problems encountered and problem-solving techniques you used. The Assessor must
be able to identify the contribution you made personally to the project or task, particularly if the contribution
was of a novel or critical nature. You must write in the first person singular, describing what you actually did
and how this demonstrates the competencies claimed. Please try to ensure that any work-based narrative
includes the following:
Introduction;
Dates and duration of the project or appointment you are writing about;
Name of employing organisation and location of worksite;
Title of the position you occupied;
Background Nature and objectives of the overall engineering project;
Nature of your particular work area and statement of your duties;
An organisation chart highlighting your position;
Personal performance.
Detailed description of the work you performed personally, including:
• technical details of the work;
• how you applied your engineering knowledge and skills;
• the tasks delegated to you and how you went about accomplishing them;
• any particular difficulties you encountered and how you solved them;
• strategies you devised, including any original or creative design work;
• how you worked with other team members;
Summary.
Your view of the overall project (brief summary);
How well the project succeeded in meeting its goals and requirements;
How your personal role contributed to the project.

As a guideline, a total of 800 to 1,000 words should be enough for each narrative.

4.8 Work-based learning

The Stage 1 Competency Standards place great emphasis on formal knowledge of engineering principles
and fundamentals, particularly in Unit 1: Knowledge Base and Technical Competence. It is vital to
understand not only what makes good engineering practice, but why. If your formal educational program did
not cover all of the knowledge base expected, you may wish to claim that you developed some of this
knowledge through work based learning.
Please note that it is not enough simply to say that you have performed work requiring such knowledge. You
must explain how you acquired the knowledge – for example through training courses, continuing
professional development, work-based learning modules, or private study. You must give enough detail for
the Assessor to be satisfied that you have developed the knowledge in a serious and comprehensive way.
An unsubstantiated claim of “private study” or “on-the-job experience” will not be enough. If possible, include
certificates or statements of satisfactory completion from any relevant courses.

4.9 General – all narratives

As you compose your narratives, ask yourself continually: how can the Assessor, reading my application, be
satisfied that I have actually demonstrated Stage 1 competency?
The Assessor will expect you, somewhere in your series of narratives, to cover every Element of
competency. You must try to show that you have demonstrated each Element in an overall sense. In judging
whether or not you have demonstrated each Element, the Assessor will rely on the Indicators for that
Element as a guide. Remember always that you must write about your personal performance. It is not
enough to say that a project or unit of study, in which you took part, covered certain competencies. You must
describe what you did yourself, as an individual. It’s your competencies that are being assessed. As a
guideline, it is suggested that a total of 2,500 to 3,500 words, covering three narratives, should provide
ample scope to demonstrate your competencies.

Please number each narrative and each paragraph within it so that you can refer to them later (see
4.10).
For example, paragraph 3 in Narrative 2 would be referred to as paragraph N2.3.
4.10 Summary of competencies
Following your narratives you are asked to provide a summary table, identifying each Element of
competency claimed and indicating where you have addressed it. A suitable format would be:
Competency Element Where the Element was demonstrated – narrative paragraph reference
Where the underpinning knowledge was developed
(e.g.) PE1.3 (e.g.) N1.4, N2.6-2.7 (e.g.) Degree program - Design and Laboratory units
(e.g.) EA2.3 (e.g.) N3.5-3.8 (e.g.) CAD advanced training course provided by equipment supplier

4.11 English-language competency

Stage 1 competency requires fluency in written and spoken English. Engineers Australia will normally accept
your English-language competency if:
• you are a native speaker of English; or
• the program of study leading to your major academic qualification, and the assessments within that
program, were conducted entirely in English; or
• you have successfully completed a major program of study (for example, a Masters degree) at an
Australian university; or
• you have worked in Australia (as detailed in your CV) and your employer has provided a statement that
you are competent in English in the workplace.

If one of these statements applies to you, please provide a statement to this effect.

If English is not your first language, and none of the above statements applies, then you must provide
evidence that you have achieved sufficient English-language competency to enter engineering practice in
Australia.
You should provide an IELTS (International English Language Testing System) assessment showing that
you have achieved a minimum of Band 6 in each of the four modules of speaking, listening, reading and
writing, in either the general or the academic modules of IELTS.

4.12 Application for assessment

Please submit you’re application under cover of the form Application for Assessment of Stage 1
Competency, available on the web site at www.engineersaustralia.org.au
The application form includes a declaration that the report submitted is entirely your own work and that all
the information it contains is true and correct to the best of your knowledge. Please ensure you sign this
declaration.

4.13 Assessment fee

The fee for assessment of Stage 1 competency is:
• for applications lodged from overseas: AUD 450.00.
• for applications lodged from within Australia: AUD 450.00 + GST = AUD 495.00.
Cheques and money orders should be made payable to Engineers Australia.

5 CHECKLIST OF MATERIAL TO BE SUBMITTED

Numbers in parentheses refer to the relevant Section of this Guide.
Completed application form including signed declaration (4.12). The address for submission is on the
form.
Certified true copies of academic testamur/s or certificate/s (4.3).
Certified true copies of academic transcripts, showing courses, subjects or units studied and results
gained
in each (4.3).
Curriculum vitae (4.4).
Narratives demonstrating Elements of Competency (4.5-4.9).
Summary table of competencies (4.10).
Statement or evidence of English-language competency (4.11).
Assessment fee (4.13).
6 ASSESSMENT PROCEDURE
On the basis of the information contained in your application, an Assessor appointed by Engineers Australia
will assess whether you have demonstrated Stage 1 competency and eligibility for membership. The
assessment is made on a holistic basis, taking into account all your qualifications and experience as
described in the application. You are expected to have demonstrated each Element of competency in an
overall sense, but it is not expected that you will have demonstrated every detail within each Element.

Occasionally, a candidate may be asked to provide more information or to attend an interview with one or
more assessors. In the great majority of cases, assessment is based on the report as submitted. Engineers
Australia reserves the right to seek confirmation of particular information. It may, for example, seek
confirmation from your university, college or other educational institution, that the details of your
qualification/s are correct. Engineers Australia will not approach your employers or other third parties without
first seeking your permission to do so. You will be advised by letter of the outcome: that your application has
been assessed as demonstrating, or not demonstrating, Stage 1 competency and eligibility for Engineers
Australia membership in the category for which you have applied.

If your application has not been successful, the letter will give an indication of the areas in which you are not
considered to have demonstrated Stage 1 competency. You may wish to take steps to strengthen those
competencies which are lacking, for example through further study or targeted workplace practice. You may
then wish to submit a revised application for re-assessment. Engineers Australia would expect that such a
program of development would take at least six months, and would not normally accept a revised application
in less than six months unless there are special circumstances.

A revised application submitted within twelve months will be accepted for assessment at no additional fee.
An application received more than twelve moths after the original will be treated as a new application, and a
new fee will be charged.

7 REVIEW OF DECISION
If you believe your assessment outcome is not appropriate you may apply for a review of the decision. Your
request should be addressed in writing to:
Director Education and Assessment
Engineers Australia
11 National Circuit
Barton, ACT 2600
and should set out the basis on which you believe the decision is inappropriate. The request for a review
must be accompanied by a review fee of $200.00. The fee will be credited to your membership account if
the decision is amended in your favour, but not if the original decision is confirmed. If you apply for a review
you should understand that all necessary documentation from your file will be photocopied and forwarded to
a review committee. Under Australian Privacy Legislation your permission is required for this to happen.
Your signature on your letter applying for a review will be taken as denoting your consent for your file
documents to be forwarded to a review committee.

Appendices A, B, C, D & E provide additional information and are available as separate

downloadable documents.