Second Class

Notice for Examination Candidates writing the 2nd class part A paper 2 (2A2) power engineering certification examination.

At the 2023 Association of Chief Inspectors meeting it was agreed that, effective January 1, 2024, the 2A2 power engineering examination paper will only be administered in the multiple-choice format. This is a continuation of an initiative to move towards multiple choice examinations at the 2nd class level.

With proven success at the 3rd and 4th class level, converting the 2nd class examinations to a multiple choice format will continue to provide a comprehensive level of testing of the subject material and ensure that candidates are tested on all areas of the syllabus.

The syllabus and pass mark of the 2A2 examination will not change. The amount of questions on the examination has been set at 100. There will be no difference between passing the 2A2 examination in essay format or multiple-choice format for credit towards 2nd class certification.

Please follow updates on the SOPEEC website with regards to this implementation process as well as the process for any further examination changes. If you have any questions please contact the SOPEEC Coordinator of Examinations, Tom Leming, at leming@absa.ca

Applicants may apply for an examination by logging to their ABSA Account. Applicants that do not have access to their accounts may apply for access by contacting exams@absa.ca and providing the following information:

• Name
• Date of Birth
• File Number
• Preferred Email Address

Applicants may also apply for an examination by submitting an AB-66 "Application for Power Engineers Examination" form, a minimum of 5 business days prior to the requested examination date. Available examination dates can be found on the Power Engineer Examination Schedule.

Applicants submitting operating experience must submit an  AB-66a “Declaration for Power Engineers Experience” form.

To qualify to take a 2nd Class Power Engineer’s Certificate of Competency examination, a candidate must hold a 3rd Class Power Engineer’s Certificate of Competency.

NOTE: The examination consists of six (6) papers. Paper 2A1 shall consist of seven (7) essay style questions of which five should be attempted. If more than five (5) questions are attempted, only the first (5) attempted will be marked. The time allotted for the essay examination is 3.5 hours. Effective January 1st, 2024, the 2A2, 2A3, 2B1, 2B2, and 2B3 examinations will be multiple choice consisting of 100 questions each. Note that all multiple choice examination are a maximum 3 hours in duration as of January , 2024 Please check the SOPEEC website at www.sopeec.org for more details.

To pass a 2nd Class Power Engineer’s Certificate of Competency examination, a candidate must obtain at least 65% of the total marks allotted for each examination paper.

Detailed information in regard to this examination can be found in the Revised Second Class Power Engineers Reference Syllabus (AB-52a) . The Revised Second Class Syllabus became effective on January 1, 2005. A candidate can write the examination in any one of the examination locations listed in our Examination Schedule.

To qualify for a 2nd Class Power Engineer’s Certificate of Competency, a candidate must

(a) pass the 2nd Class Power Engineering Certificate of Competency examination, and

(b) have been employed for a period of

(i) 24 months as a chief power engineer, shift engineer, assistant shift engineer or assistant engineer in a power plant that is required by this Regulation to employ in the chief power engineer, shift engineer, assistant shift engineer or assistant engineer positions persons who hold at least a 3rd Class Power Engineer’s Certificate of Competency,

(ii) 36 months as a shift engineer in a power plant that has a capacity exceeding 1000 kW,

(iii) 1/2 of the period of time specified in sub-clause (i) 12 months or (ii) 18 months, and have been employed for either a period of 12 months in a pressure plant in an operating capacity satisfactory to the Administrator or a period of 24 months in a supervisory capacity satisfactory to the Administrator in the design, construction, commissioning, installation, repair, maintenance or operation of pressure equipment to which the Act applies, or

(iv) The Administrator may grant 9 months’ credit towards the work experience required by subsection (i) and (ii) above by the successful completion of a 2nd class power engineering course or to the hold a degree in mechanical engineering from a university satisfactory to the Administrator,

(v) The Administrator may grant a credit equivalent to ½ of the experience required by subsection (i) and (ii) above to a candidate who holds a 3rd Class Power Engineering Certificate of Competency and has successfully completed a 2-year power engineering technology program satisfactory to the Administrator.