Australia is one of the popular and favourable destinations for Engineers today. The country not only offers contemporary living but a variety of work and business-related opportunities to the immigrants. Qualified engineers hold a bright future there as the industries in Australia are expanding on a large scale. In fact, Australia has already made a huge global presence in the engineering field.

But it is not only about finding a work opportunity in the country. Engineers must be working to develop their talents and mark their presence in the Engineering Industry. Engineers Australia is making huge efforts to encourage talented engineers and provide them with a global presence. An initiative in that direction is the National Engineer Register (NER).

Why Register on the NER?

Being listed on the National Engineering Register demonstrates an engineer’s proficiency in the engineering field. It is a sign of pride and global recognition. The NER gives an opportunity to the engineers in Australia to showcase their talents and work experience to the prospective employers. Being listed in the registration marks that the engineer is a trusted professional hence they can raise their recognition in the society.

Being registered on the NER is better than being registered on government registers as these registers do not provide extensive Areas of Practice like the NER. Employers can use this as a tool to make a good selection. Engineers can use it as a tool to market their proficiency and seek work and business opportunities.

What are the contents of the NER Australia?

The National Engineering Register contains the following information about the engineers:

1. Complete name of the Engineer
2. Post-nominal of membership of Engineers Australia
3. State or Territory in Australia (for overseas members – country and postcode)
4. Name of the Suburb and postcode (Australian Residents)
5. Occupational Category
6. Areas of Practice

The engineers can also include additional information like emails and phone numbers in their NER profile.

The engineers who have registered to the NER receive an ANNUAL CERTIFICATE that they can display. This certificate is evidence of the commitment and dedication of the engineer.

What is NER Engineers Australia edibility?

Those who want to get listed on the NER need to fulfil the following criteria:

1. Recognized qualification
2. Relevant professional experience
3. CPD (Continuing Professional Development)
4. PII (Professional Indemnity Insurance)
5. Commitment to ethical practice

How can Engineers Register for NER?

If an engineer is already a member of Engineers Australia they can log in with their EA ID and complete their registration for NER.

If an engineer is not a member of the Engineers Australia, they would require creating an EA ID for NER only and hence completing their registration process.

What is the fee to register for NER?

Can an Engineer add or remove Areas of Practice from NER?

The 5 Step Process of Registering in the NER

Engineers who are members of Engineers Australia and are working in the engineering industry for at least 5 years in a period of past 7 years have to follow these steps to get their names listed in the NER register:

1. Preparing a Work Experience Statement – engineers should undergo the self-assessment process to identify the career evidence and areas of practice and hence prepare the work experience statement as per the guidelines mentioned by Engineers Australia.
2. CPD (Continuing Professional Development) statement – candidates need to demonstrate their CPD in the last 3 years of their career (150 hours).
3. Professional Referee check – Engineers need to nominate two Professional Referees who can confirm the claims that the engineer has made while lodging the application for NER
4. Provide information about the PII (Professional Indemnity Insurance)
5. Interview – the last step of registering in the NER includes an interview of the applicant. The Professional Referees are also contacted via phone for their opinion.

Engineers who are not a member of the Engineers Australia need to perform one additional step along with the 5 steps mentioned above. So before these 5 steps, the engineer needs to conduct a Qualifications Assessment (Stage 1 Competencies). You can find more information in the application guidelines for NER.

How much time does it take to get registered on the NER?

In general, the whole process of application assessment takes 3 to 4 weeks. The time period may vary if the assessors require additional documentation. Engineers Australia selects highly skilled and experienced professionals to be a part of its assessment panel. They are also given complete training so that they can take a fair and informed decision.

To find more about the NER registration please go through the NER FAQs.