KIVI professional in Kiwi Land – Aotearoa

The last 3 years I spent in New Zealand, the 'Land of the Long White Cloud', working for a consulting engineers firm on flood risk management projects; coastal, river and water catchments strategies, design of river works, dredging and environmental mitigation works as well as being the clients project manager on multi M$ projects.

The biggest challenge? Being a KIVI NIRIA recognised professional and having the FEANI accreditation I was seeking to transfer this to the Institute of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ). This proved to be a big challenge and I was unsuccessful in applying for the transfer as the Dutch and European professional membership was not recognised! We are not part of the so called 'Washington Agreement' and the only option was to start again as a Graduate at my tender age of 50 years young. 

I acquired the support of KIVI NIRIA head office and contacted other members in Aotearoa. Despite that the Dutch contingency is very large, there is only a hand full of members. All of us came across the same 'challenge' and my colleagues had all given up the pursuit of membership transfer. Lengthy discussions followed with IPENZ to no avail. From a professional recognition and indemnity point of view other means had to be sought: fellow NZ professional colleagues to sign-off contractual documents. Despite this I was invited by IPENZ to give several presentations on major projects which were applauded.

If only we could get the recognition – Kia Ora! My next challenge: construction standards in Cambodia – what standards - Leah Sen Heuy!

Jan van der Vliet

PS: Kia Ora is a greeting in Maori as is Leah Sen Heuy but than in Khmer; don’t you just love languages!

Vorige