Around 90 participants attended the ETSC Forum Talk 2026 on the policies and regulatory framework for engineering technologists and technicians in Malaysia, held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in conjunction with ENGINEER 2026. The session welcomed Ir. Megat, a member of the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) Examination and Qualification Committee, and Ir. Dr. Bernard, IEM Vice President. Their insights helped address common questions about professional registration, competency assessment and career pathways.
The discussion highlighted the importance of understanding BEM’s applicable registration requirements for engineering technologists and how their competency assessment differs in emphasis from the graduate engineer pathway. For engineering technologists, assessment focuses on practical, applied competencies for workplace readiness; the graduate engineer pathway places emphasis on engineering fundamentals, analytical skills and critical thinking that support development across different specialist fields. Both pathways aim to prepare competent professionals for their respective roles.
The forum also highlighted IEM’s Technologist Competence Assessment (TCA) and Technician Competency Assessment (TnA), which provide eligible members with structured routes to demonstrate competency and pursue relevant professional recognition, subject to applicable requirements. The strong turnout underlined the value of continued dialogue among BEM, IEM, industry and graduates. By clarifying registration obligations and competency pathways, the engineering community can better support technologists and technicians and strengthen their contribution to Malaysia’s engineering workforce.
