Education and training

Continuing professional development (CPD)

AIRAH is the leading provider of education, training, and professional development to the Australian HVAC&R industry. It is our mission to create an Australian HVAC&R industry that is highly skilled and professional, safe, sustainable, and environmentally effective.

For AIRAH members

Throughout your working life, undertaking CPD is an important way to expand your knowledge, maintain up-to-date technical skills, and progress your HVAC&R building services career.

For APER applicants

To ensure engineers on the AIRAH Professional Engineer Register (APER) are of the highest standard of contemporary practice, we require evidence of relevant CPD.

About CPD

AIRAH recognises the importance of members not only developing their technical HVAC&R building services industry knowledge, but also advancing their skills in other critical knowledge areas.

CPD activities are designed to extend or update your knowledge and skills. It:

• Ensures you continually build the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in the competitive business environment
• Assists you in achieving your development and career goals
• Aids in your ability to excel in your role, providing increased value to your organisation and clients
• Provides transferable skills for increased employability
• Helps to build your reputation as a business leader

About APER

The AIRAH Professional Engineer Register (APER) is the professional accreditation for engineers operating in the HVAC&R building services industry. It demonstrates to the public that an engineer is qualified, competent, and ethical.

To ensure engineers holding this status are of the highest standard of contemporary practice, we require evidence of relevant CPD. This is a vital pillar of APER accreditation, and our CPD requirements were established to meet the expectations of government, profession, industry, and public.

CPD for AIRAH Professional Engineer Register (APER) applicants is mandatory. The APER program requires participants to undertake CPD to become and maintain their APER status. Applicants must provide a record of 150 hours of completed CPD over the last three years, at a minimum of 50 hours each year. At least 70 per cent of CPD hours must relate to technical matters relevant to the discipline of engineering in which you are being assessed.

AIRAH will conduct audits of CPD hours of APER applicants and members. As such, you must be able to show proof of your claimed CPD activities.

CPD for AIRAH members is recommended. We encourage all members to participate in CPD, but there is no official obligation to either participate in or formalise your relevant activities.

Key features

• Continuous – CPD operates throughout the practitioner’s working life.
• Focused – CPD is necessary for the execution of specialised technical duties related to maintaining the quality and relevancy of expert services.
• Broad-based – CPD develops knowledge, skills, and personal qualities.
• Structured – CPD offers systematic maintenance, improvement, and broadening of a person’s skill base.

Activities

AIRAH recognises seven major types of CPD activities.

Importantly, there are conditions attached to each category for maintaining APER status, and at least 70 per cent of CPD hours must relate to technical matters relevant to the discipline of engineering in which you are being assessed. You must also demonstrate that your CPD comes from a cross section of the categories/activities listed below.

Formal post-graduate education

Formal post-graduate education (at a higher learning institution), aligned to your current role and responsibilities or related to the HVAC&R building services industry. This may include individual units of post-graduate study that involve some form of assessment, such as lectures, tutorials, lab work, and research.

APER - There is no limit to the hours claimable within a three-year period, but you must demonstrate additional CPD activities in other categories.

Professional development education

Formal training programs offered by RTOs and other education providers, including AIRAH’s technical courses and programs. Online courses and private study can be used to claim CPD if they are aligned to your current role and responsibilities or are related to the mechanical engineer – HVAC&R building services discipline.

APER - There is no limit to the hours claimable within a three-year period, but you must demonstrate additional CPD activities in other categories.

Conferences and technical meetings

Attendance or participation at conferences, site visits, and technical meetings. These must be linked to your work, profession, current role, and responsibilities, or they must be related to the mechanical engineer – HVAC&R building services discipline.

APER - Limited to 60 hours of CPD claimable within a three-year period.

Leadership positions and profesisonal participation activities

Active participation on an AIRAH or allied organisation committee (Board, Associate Director, National Reference Group, Special Technical Group, division, or conference). You must be able to demonstrate how the leadership position or your involvement in professional activities enhances your knowledge and support of the industry. Activities such as mentoring are also included.

APER - Limited to 150 hours of CPD claimable within a three-year period.

Speaking (presentations)

Presentation at an AIRAH or allied organisation conference, forum, or event. These engagements should fall outside your normal employment but be aligned to your current role and responsibilities; or be related to the mechanical engineer – HVAC&R building services discipline. Please note that repeat presentations of the same content should not be included.

APER - Limited to 75 hours of CPD claimable within a three-year period.

Writing (published works)

Technical material published by AIRAH or an allied organisation in a print or electronic medium, including contributions to technical manuals, publications, technical blogs, and conferences. If the published paper or works is co-authored, you can claim a pro-rata split of the time spent on writing the paper.

APER - Limited to 150 hours of CPD claimable within a three-year period.

Informal learning activities

Activities claimed must contribute to expanding your existing knowledge and skills. They can include extending your knowledge of legislation, regulations, codes, standards, and specifications through work or private study. Sources may include reading technical or industry publications; digital information sources; online technical forums; technical manuals; and learning to use industry-specific computer software. You will need to cite sources (title of publication, date published, author, etc.) and provide sufficient evidence to support how these activities enhanced your knowledge.

APER - Limited to 90 hours of CPD claimable within a three-year period.

If you believe you are undertaking other types of CPD not covered by the above categories, please make a written submission to the AIRAH office for consideration via email.

Recording CPD activities

AIRAH has an online CPD diary that allows members to record all their learning and development activities.

AIRAH activities requiring registration and that qualify for CPD are automatically recorded in your diary. Activities that are less formal in nature (such as STG and committee participation) must be manually added.

The diary also allows members to record learning and development activities undertaken outside of AIRAH. It provides the opportunity to maintain a complete record of all learning and development activity throughout your career. You should provide the type of learning, learning provider, number of hours, and date of activity.

APER applicants can download and complete a CPD Record Template from the APER Resources page to help collate their eligible CPD activities. This must be submitted as part of your APER application.

Career break extension

An engineer on the APER may apply to have a career break extension recognised.

A member is recognised as having a career break if they have a period of leave from the workforce of at least six months, but less than five years, for a reasonable cause such as:

• Serious illness
• Family care
• Parental leave
• Travel
• Elite sport/cultural involvement
• Unemployment (involuntary)

Please note that permanent part-time work, volunteering, study, and retirement are not included under reasonable cause.

You must apply for the career break extension in advance.

To file an application for the APER career break extension, please email [email protected]