The award recognizes individuals who make significant contributions that benefit the association’s accreditation, registration or certification processes.

In 1998, at the request of the association, Martinek and Schelling took on the task of developing training materials to assist candidates preparing to take OACETT’s Professional Practice Examination. Successful completion of the exam is one of the requirements for certification as an Engineering Technologist / Technician in the Province of Ontario.

The two-day weekend training seminar was launched in 1998 and has been mounted at locations across Ontario more than 50 times since its inception, attracting more than 4,000 participants. Facilitated by an engineering and legal professional, the training seminar prepares candidates to complete the three components of the rigorous examination: Law, Ethics and Professional Practice.

Although the seminar is open to all exam candidates, it has proven to be particularly useful for internationally trained engineering technologists who may be unfamiliar with Canadian business practices and customs. Since the introduction of the seminar, the pass rate for the Professional Practice Examination has increased from 65 percent to around 95 percent.

That, according to Tony Martinek, is the real reward for the work that he and Schelling have contributed to the development and delivery of the program. “It is a tremendous honour to be recognized by the association,” he said, “but the increased success rate of the exam candidates makes all of our efforts worthwhile.”

The duo will be officially recognized at OACETT’s 2011 Awards Gala to be held in October at Exhibition Place in Toronto.