Career By Design

So, you've passed the PE, and now you need to track your professional development hours (PDHs) for continuing education (CE) requirements to keep your license active.

Thanks to @Deziree Ramirez for posting this link to the NCEES in another thread about licensure and the exams as well. 
https://ncees.org/engineering/
​
This link above will lead you to the state board of your choosing, which from there will let you determine what the requirements are for the state(s) that you are licensed in. ​

But how do you keep track of the credits you earn so that you don't accidently not reach your quota, or spend time and money doing more CE than necessary? 

One thought is to use a spreadsheet. I believe certain people like @Daniel Bressler have developed tracking spreadsheets for themselves. I imagine this works pretty well when accompanied with periodic calendar reminders to oneself. Personally, I've been putting all of my certificates in a folder on my PC and calling it a day. I feel I could be better. 

Does anyone else do anything different or have any ideas to share?​

------------------------------
Christopher Seigel P.E., M.ASCE
Civil Engineer
------------------------------

Chris - you nailed it.  A folder for the actual certs, and a spreadsheet.  

I made my own spreadsheet, which includes the date of the PDH, the providing organization (ASCE, GI, local vendors, etc.), the title of the presentation, the presenter, and the number of PDH's acquired.  I have a monthly calendar invite that reminds me to check my calendar for any scheduled trainings, scan/download and PDH forms, and update my log.  This has been very useful when I have been audited on my PDHs - save the relevant time period from the log, combine the proper time period of PDHs (hint - add the date in the title - 20210824 ASCE etc.), and send to the appropriate state board.  

If you are tracking PDH's, you are an engineer - have clear, linear, thought-out process. 

------------------------------
Joseph M. Rozmiarek, P. E., M.ASCE
Principal Engineer
Roseville, MN
------------------------------

Thanks Joe! Its nice to have feedback from someone who has actually been audited. Most engineers tend to talk about it only in the hypothetical.

------------------------------
Christopher Seigel P.E., M.ASCE
Civil Engineer
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-24-2021 08:07 AM
From: Joseph Rozmiarek
Subject: Tracking your Professional Development Hours

Chris - you nailed it.  A folder for the actual certs, and a spreadsheet.  

I made my own spreadsheet, which includes the date of the PDH, the providing organization (ASCE, GI, local vendors, etc.), the title of the presentation, the presenter, and the number of PDH's acquired.  I have a monthly calendar invite that reminds me to check my calendar for any scheduled trainings, scan/download and PDH forms, and update my log.  This has been very useful when I have been audited on my PDHs - save the relevant time period from the log, combine the proper time period of PDHs (hint - add the date in the title - 20210824 ASCE etc.), and send to the appropriate state board.  

If you are tracking PDH's, you are an engineer - have clear, linear, thought-out process. 

------------------------------
Joseph M. Rozmiarek, P. E., M.ASCE
Principal Engineer
Roseville, MN
------------------------------

Great advice Christopher!
I'd like to add that most companies have an accounting system, and a simple email to the accounting or billing department asking for a run-down of your billed project codes will get you a defined list of project experience. 

Luckily when I was applying for my PE in 2014, the company I was with had different activity codes we had to use on our timesheets, i.e. 41 for Design, or 65 for Construction Inspection.  So sorting through my project experience and what I performed on those projects was a pretty easy task after all! Work Smart, Not Hard! 

------------------------------
Christopher Hanna P.E., M.ASCE
Project Engineer II
Pennoni
Newark NJ
------------------------------

ASCE tracks the ASCE training, courses, and certificates via "myCourses" and also allows one to input other training and upload certificates. You can print out a "transcript".
I input and use NCEES to keep a log, store and send certificates given the various states acceptance of NCEES when audited. I have been audited twice by two different states several years apart. The audit with NCEES CPC tracking was relatively straightforward. 

I also have a PE licensure folder on my computer for continuing education by year that contains the study material, tests and certificates. 


------------------------------
James Williams P.E., M.ASCE
Principal/Owner
POA&M Structural Engineering, PLC
Yorktown, VA
------------------------------

Thanks James, I didn't know about the NCEES tracking tool!

------------------------------
Christopher Seigel P.E., M.ASCE
Civil Engineer
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-28-2022 04:34 PM
From: James Williams
Subject: Tracking your Professional Development Hours

ASCE tracks the ASCE training, courses, and certificates via "myCourses" and also allows one to input other training and upload certificates. You can print out a "transcript".
I input and use NCEES to keep a log, store and send certificates given the various states acceptance of NCEES when audited. I have been audited twice by two different states several years apart. The audit with NCEES CPC tracking was relatively straightforward.

I also have a PE licensure folder on my computer for continuing education by year that contains the study material, tests and certificates.

------------------------------
James Williams P.E., M.ASCE
Principal/Owner
POA&M Structural Engineering, PLC
Yorktown, VA
------------------------------