Continuous Professional Development in Civil Engineering: Closing the Knowledge Gap

This paper presents the enablers and the key success factors in the civil engineering profession in which the continuous professional development (CPD) is the impetus in closing the knowledge gap related to current advances in technology as well as global development. Many industrialized nations are making it essential for the professional engineers to maintain their practices by advocating the necessity for professionals to continually upgrade their skills through either voluntary or mandatory professional accreditation systems. Currently, the renewal of professional accreditation for civil engineers includes attending learning programs such as seminars, conferences, technical workshops, short courses, and even trainings which have been pre-approved by the local professional accreditation body. CPD points are typically recommended in areas which deepens skills and knowledge in the engineers’ area of expertise but also include the broadening of skills to other related areas. A holistic approach should be encouraged among the practicing professionals. In view of this, the academic institution is poised to provide the knowledge needed in transforming the practicing professional into a knowledge based and technically sound practitioner. The current scenario predicates that the academic institution is limited in fulfilling this role but transforming and engaging the academic institution with the practicing professional is seen as a viable and most economical approach in providing CPD. It is noticeable with the creation of Malaysia as the hub for education, the quality of education in Malaysia is comparable to other advanced nations especially in the quality of engineering education. With this as the future momentum, cross learning should be mapped in propagating and enhancing the engineering educator on the practicing aspect of civil engineering. This will be the impetus in fulfilling the road map which will be discussed herein to the future development of CPD for civil engineers