Project Mgt Practice in US and Canada 2

[Akhibi]

I am a Nigerian chartered Mechanical Engineer, and a certified PMP. I have seven years experience in the Nigerian Oil and Gas industry.

I am currently considering moving to the US or Canada as an experienced professional.

Are there any specific certifications or qualifications required for professional practice in the US or Canada that I would need to work as a Project management practitioner?





Greg Akhibi
Clearwaters Consulting Ltd

 

[jjf1]

akhibi,

Good Luck with your transition plans. I cannot speak for Canada, however in the US you may want to check the following:

Of course visa and immigration issues

Education and training recognition (may foreign trained professionals have difficulty getting their homeland education and training institutions recognized)

Networking within your industry (use your contacts within your target location to help you with company and industry practices)

Again, good luck!

jjf1

 

[FOETS]

Akhibi
In Canada getting registered as a professional engineer with overseas qualifications and experience is a pain. Most of the provincial associations will require you to basically pay to rewrite all your exams as they frown on anything non Canadian.
The whole thing reeks as a money making scam as they do very little once you are registered.
Before arriving for residency you have to apply through the CCPE to check your professional credentials; yet their analysis of your qualifications and experience is worthless once you arrive when trying to register with the Provincials; so dont think if you get the ok from CCPE its going to be simple to register once you arrive.
If you do consider moving to Canada make sure you have a position first or you may find you cannot work in your profession.
The whole system is pathetic
Cheers and good luck

 

[rajawaqar]

Akhibi.

If you are coming to Canada then Calgary is the place where you wanna go. Forget about certification, if you are Engineer then it is really easy to get a good job these days. CCPE is a good thing to do before you come herre and that will give you an idea that if in future you can get your P.Eng. status here. By the way if you have 10 years of experience then you dont need to write any exams, except Ethics, and can get a Professional Engineer status.

Good Luck.

Raja
AB, Canada.

 

[FOETS]

Good to hear Raja that all provinces are'nt so full of crap. Alberta is desperate for people so thay have probably waived some of the nonsense bureaucracy.

I agree to forget the certification as I am working in a senior engineering position without PEng status for a major Canadian company.

I would still advise to secure a position before arriving

 

[Akhibi]

Thanks a lot for your contributions. The news about Calgary is quite encouraging. My biggest worries was not being able to practice engineering.

However are there reputable agencies that can assist in getting an engineering placement before one arrives Canada?



Greg Akhibi
Clearwaters Consulting Ltd

 

[FOETS]

try looking in the careers section of

http://www.infomine.com

http://www.minegate.com

is another

 

[Ashereng]

I can't speak to whether your degree/experience/Charter Mech Eng will transfer to Canada - including Alberta. You can contact APEGGA for Alberta engineering society and find out just what they will accept, what else you need to do, etc.

But, to your original question. You do not need to be an engineer to be a "Project Management practicioner".

As far as I know, almost anyone can call themselves a "Project Manager". And these days, it seems that they do.

If you want to work as a project manager, the only hurdle is obtaining a position. You don't need to have a P. Eng to work as a project manager, to my knowledge.

Having said that, there are various "institutes" that grant either certificates or degrees for successfully passing their "Project Management" courses. As far as I know, there are no provincial or federal standards for these courses/degrees/certificates.

Good luck with your job hunt.

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[rajawaqar]

Design group and ATS Reliance are the leading recruiting agencies these days. You can contact them and hopefully you will land a reasonable job. It is good to have P.Eng. but not necessary for Project Management since you are helping in executing construction plans and not designing the plants. Even for design there are many rubber stamp Engineers available for signing the design documents when they are completed by some one.

Good Luck

Raja
AB, Canada.

 

[Akhibi]

Thanks Raja, you hit the nail on the head. I will try them right away.

Greg Akhibi
Clearwaters Consulting Ltd