The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Airconditioning and Heating (AIRAH) has launched the Registered Professional Engineer (ARPEng) accreditation program for mechanical engineers.
It follows the release of the Shergold-Weir Building Confidence report and the Building Ministers Forum (BMF) recommendation to introduce a nationally harmonised registration scheme for building practitioners, including engineers.
Schemes have already been introduced in some states, for example the Queensland Professional Engineers Act has been in operation since 2002.
Just recently, the Professional Engineers Registration Bill 2019 was introduced in Victoria, as well as the Professional Engineers Registration Bill in New South Wales.
AIRAH has applauded these efforts and supports a mandatory licensing scheme for engineers.
AIRAH CEO, Tony Gleeson, said the ARPEng has been designed to meet the requirements of the Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ) and other state-based schemes as they are released.
AIRAH is in the process of lodging applications to become an assessment scheme for the Queensland and Victorian professional registration schemes.
“A successful application to become an ARPEng will display to the industry – and to the public at large – an individual’s qualifications and commitment to the discipline,” Gleeson said. “It confirms their skills, professional development and training are up to date, and that they are a qualified professional.”
Gleeson said the scheme provides extra value to members, and supports AIRAH’s vision to create an Australian HVACR industry that is highly skilled and professional, safe, sustainable and environmentally effective.
“We see it as a vital scheme, not just for individuals but for Australia’s building industry as a whole,” he said.
Full details of the ARPEng scheme can be found at www.airah.org.au/ARPEng