The Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) has reiterated its call for all engineering professionals to register with the Council.

“The nature of the engineering and related fields is such that regulations and guidelines have been firmly put into place to govern the industry,” says President of ECSA, Cyril Gamede, PrEng. “It is a process that has seen the South African engineering profession being recognised locally and abroad, and assures stakeholders of verified credentials, a commitment to continuing professional education and exposure to new developments.”

The President adds that ECSA, in partnership with the State and the engineering Profession, seeks to promote a high level of education, training and development of practitioners in order to enhance professionalism in engineering, both locally and abroad. ECSA enjoys full autonomy, although it is accountable to the State, the profession and the public for fair and transparent administration of its business in the pursuit of its goals.

ECSA is the only recognised professional registration organisation for engineering in South Africa. The recognition of the Engineering Profession by other professions, locally and abroad, gives a wide spectrum of stakeholders a measure of protection and “peace of mind”. Registration with ECSA is paramount to reaping both individual and business benefits which are:

Peer Recognition of Qualification and Experience

The recognition by ECSA’s committees ensures that the minimum requirements expected of a Professional, extending to colleagues and other practitioners in the profession are met.

Public Confidence in Professional Competence

Professional recognition instils a sense of confidence and assurance that a Professional’s competence has been assessed by other professionals, who are knowledgeable in their fields of expertise.

Membership of Professional Societies

Professionals who are members in good standing of recognised voluntary associations enjoy certain discounts with ECSA. Thanks to negotiations in collaboration with vocational societies in the profession, an ECSA-registered professional can benefit from special financial advantages and other benefits that arise from this “dual membership”.

International Recognition

ECSA is a co-signatory to the “Washington, Sydney and Dublin Accords” where the registering bodies in countries various participating countries recognise each other’s accredited tertiary qualifications in engineering. This confirms that an academic qualification is internationally acceptable.

“With South Africa’s increasing globalisation, it has become critical for this country to become competitive at international level. Registration contributes substantially to the preservation of professional standards and ECSA’s continued international recognition is crucial for the maintenance of high standards,” adds Gamede.

Employment Marketability

An increasing number of employers are requiring registration with the Engineering Council as a prerequisite for appointment to certain engineering vacancies in professionalism of staff is crucial for an employer to remain competitive in the markeplace. Registration is widely regarded as an additional and objective indication of competence. Registration with the Engineering Council adds to the marketability of an employee.

Statutory Empowerment

The legislation holds employers responsible for the safety of their employees, therefore, by appointing an ECSA registered engineer, the employer does not only takes appropriate action aimed at safeguarding public safety, but also complies with statutory requirements. Apart from precautionary measures taken by the State in its own right, registration with ECSA serves as an additional safeguard against poor engineering practices. This is the engineering profession’s contribution towards promoting public safety and health, a context in which ECSA sees itself in close partnership with the State.

“The interests of the country and the public can only be served properly if a profession is healthy and thriving, that is why registering with the Engineering Council of South Africa is central to the maintenance of a strong engineering profession,” Gamede concludes.