APEGA assists international applicants navigate registration

The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) is sharing about its work assisting international applicants, most notably with the help of its International Qualifications Officer.

Enayat Aminzadah has been an International Qualifications Officer at APEGA for the past eight years.

“During that time, he has provided an empathetic connection for people in refugee-like situations seeking to apply to become a professional engineer or geoscientist,” Megan Braithwaite, APEGA Content Creator, shared. “He was once a refugee, moving from Afghanistan to Canada. His experiences living in a war zone and seeing his family transfer their lives, including the careers that brought them their livelihood, makes him especially adept at assisting those beginning their application process in Canada. He has built his career on helping those in similar situations navigate their new country.”

“The assumptions we form watching war-zone news footage do not come close to the unique perspective of a human who’s lived in a refugee-like situation. Enayat Aminzadah, APEGA’s international qualifications officer, brings that perspective to his role at APEGA, as he helps international applicants with their APEGA registrations,” Braithwaite wrote.

Following his own navigation of the Canadian education system, Aminzadah worked at the Government of Alberta in international qualification services, where he identified equivalencies between international and Canadian course credits, before moving to Immigrant Services Calgary.

“I’m a bit more in tune with how to advise newcomers, especially when they may not even be ready to complete an application with APEGA—I let them know how to get ready and what services they can tap into because I’ve got those industry connections and relationships.”

Braithwaite wrote that he “understands the struggles and accomplishments of those wanting to practice the profession they worked so hard to earn.”

“When I was young, a lot of my own family members had to go through this kind of a process, mostly unsuccessfully. This is very personal for me,” Aminzadah said.

APEGA reported that in 2021, 3,108 applicants were trained in Canada, while 1,252 applicants were trained internationally.

Aminzadah explained that his understanding of where people are coming from helps him in conversations with those with international credentials inquiring about licensure. Although some qualifications don’t transfer, having the ability to understand and acknowledge the value of these credentials is meaningful.

For more information about APEGA’s supports for international engineers and geoscientists coming to Alberta, visit: www.apega.ca.

Resources: https://www.edmontonexaminer.com/news/apega-assists-international-applicants-navigate-registration