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In the latest of its continuing series of annual “Inspire the Next” workshops, the EL Division focused on one of the key milestones of career development in the field of engineering - becoming a professional electrical engineer.
The overall aim of the workshop is to introduce the competence-based professional assessment system and provide guidance and inspiration for young members on applying for the Institution’s Corporate Membership.
The workshop was held on 30 November 2024 and attracted many young members from electrical engineering backgrounds. We were honoured to have Ir Simon Chung, Director of SC Consultants Ltd.; Ir Dr Edward Lo, Adjunct Associate Professor at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University; and Ir Mandy Leung, Head of Asset Strategy of CLP Power Hong Kong Ltd. give detailed introductions to the membership application procedures and share the competency requirements for professional assessment by the Institution.
Ir Chung introduced the competence-based assessment system and explained that candidates are required to meet 12 competences in four broad areas: Applying Engineering Knowledge; Developing Technical Solutions; Managing Engineering Work; and Maintaining Professional Acumen.
Ir Dr Lo outlined the application process for the Institution’s Corporate Membership and the professional assessment processes. He also elaborated on the detailed requirements for meeting six of the competencies and gave examples. He explained the logical connection between each competency and how candidates should demonstrate the logical flow of their thinking in solving problems and show their working experience and engineering judgement in tackling the challenges they encountered in their projects.
Ir Leung discussed the other six competencies and shared examples of how different candidates had met the requirements. She also encouraged young engineers to grab opportunities to work on different projects and learn from engineers with different backgrounds to hasten their career development in becoming all-round professional engineers.
Following these introductions, the participants were then divided into small groups based on their career fields to have an intensive question-and-answer session with the speakers and seek advice on their different circumstances. The speakers also shared their experience in preparing for their own professional assessment interviews.
The Black Point Power Station is one of the world’s largest gas-fired, combined-cycle power stations. Fuelled primarily by natural gas to reduce emissions, it complements this with ultra-low-sulfur diesel as a backup fuel source to ensure an uninterrupted power supply. With its ten operating units boasting a gross capacity of up to 3,850 MW, this powerhouse supplies much of Hong Kong’s daily electricity needs.
The captioned visit to the station was a collaborative effort between the Institution and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Electrical & Electronic Engineering Alumni Association (EEEAA). A total of 26 participants joined.
The visit started with a comprehensive introduction to the station by the CLP Power Academy, in which several of their retired staff shed light on the intricacies of the electricity business.
Notable among the station’s facilities was the latest power plant which uses cutting-edge H-class technology to achieve an impressive efficiency of up to 62%. The station uses three sources of natural gas to ensure a reliable electricity supply and was established from design to operation with a consideration for the environment. The building housing the latest unit, for example, received the prestigious BEAM Plus Platinum rating for sustainable performance with an overall score of 82.
The visit continued with an exploration of the advanced combined-cycle gas turbine. This system reuses hot steam from burning gas to heat the water that powers the steam turbine and improves energy production efficiency.
It is worth mentioning the lower emissions of the new units compared to the older units, which clearly demonstrate the station’s efforts to reduce pollution. This not only improves efficiency but also helps replace coal units in the CLP fuel mix as the company moves towards a cleaner energy future.
The visit ended with a bus tour around the station and its turbine hall. The staff provided insightful explanations of each specialised facility along the way. This enabled the participants not only to enjoy a rewarding visual experience first-hand, but also to enrich their understanding and learning.
As a token of appreciation, we gave a gift to the host to mark the conclusion of the truly enlightening and impactful visit. All the participants learnt how innovation and eco-friendly practices are shaping the future of power generation.