Professionals Australia began as The Association of Professional Engineers, Australia (APEA) which formed in 1946 and registered as an industrial association in 1948. APEA was the first organisation to ensure that professionals be recognised and rewarded for the high-value work they do. The "Professional Engineers Case" finalised in 1961 saw engineers across Australia receive salary increases averaging more than 40 per cent. Even more importantly it set the precedent for work value and benchmark salaries for professionals. Professionals Australia has Government approval as an assessment entity for the only mandatory engineering registration scheme in Australia – the Registered Professional Engineers of Queensland (RPEQ). Professionals Australia offer assessment in the areas of Civil, Electrical, Information, Technology and Telecommunications, Management, Mechanical and Structural Engineering.