Applications are being accepted for the first two categories under New Zealand’s new National Certification Framework.

Members of Survey and Spatial NZ (S+SNZ) are now able to apply to become a Certified Professional Land Development Engineer (CPLDEng) and or a Certified Professional Engineering Surveyor (CPESurv).

The new certifications follow almost three years of development and are the first of their kind in New Zealand.

Engineering Surveying was chosen as one of the first categories as it is an unregulated industry within New Zealand. Certification will provide quality assurance for employers, clients and third parties, and open a new career pathway for S+SNZ members.

The Land Development Engineering certification is a first for professional land development engineers in New Zealand, and is in alignment with the intent of the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment’s new Occupational Regulation of Engineers Act, which is due to be passed this year.

The new certification framework will include processes to ensure currency, such as a four-yearly reassessment of competency, an annual practising certificate with compulsory continuing professional development, and a commitment to ethics and professional best practice.

The certifications of competence will be a formal recognition by S+SNZ of those who have been assessed against a defined set of professional and technical competencies, meeting the standards and technical sign-off criteria required by private and public asset owners, territorial and local authorities and other entities.

The annual practising certificates will set a quality benchmark to maintain public confidence.

S+SNZ aims eventually to expand the certification regime to include other professions represented within the organisation’s membership.

Full details can be found on the S+SNZ Certification website.