SUPPORT BY ASSOCIATION
In life, success does not come by chance. There are some people who support us, become our allies, our friends, our mentors. It is through these people that we become visible and are recognized for our own merit. I am sure each of you have received an extra push to go further and this has allowed you to grow personally or professionally
(Micheline Bouchard, P.Eng., DMR Group, Montreal Forum).In Chapters 19 to 21, we propose ways that associations of professional engineers can help attract women to engineering by promoting the profession and retain women in engineering by supporting their women members. In Canada, there are four national associations of professional engineers, each with its own particular function.
The Canadian Council of Professional Engineers (CCPE) is the national coordinating body for provincial and territorial licensing authorities. It represents more than 146,000 professional engineers of which 3.4 percent were women in December 1991. CCPE helps its member associations co-ordinate licensing of engineers, professional practice and educational activities. In the licensing process, engineering graduates spend a period as engineers-in-training (EITS) before obtaining their professional engineer (P.Eng.) status from their provincial professional association. In this report, we refer to two of CCPE's three standing committees: the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) which ensures engineering education programs meet or exceed educational standards; and the Canadian Engineering Human Resources Board (CEHRB) which conducts labour market surveys, provides statistical information on engineers and engineering, and monitors supply and demand.
The Association of Consulting Engineers of Canada (ACEC) represents nearly 900 independent consulting engineering firms that range from one-person practices to multidisciplinary corporations. An umbrella organization for 11 provincial and territorial consulting engineering associations, the ACEC's objectives include: increasing recognition of the role and expertise of consulting engineers; fostering constructive relations among its members and members' clients, the public and in the media; and encouraging an adequate supply of qualified consulting engineer professionals.
The Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC) is a federation of Canadian engineering societies. Its goals include: presenting views on engineering technology of interest to the public; recognizing excellence in engineering; and promoting career advancement programs for engineers.
The Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE) is a learned society whose membership is by peer election. Activities include: providing expert advice on engineering-related problems of national importance; recognizing excellence in engineering; and promoting public awareness of engineering.