Integrated Buildings & Structures

Continuing Education has been an on going conversation through 35 years of my career.  Having the responsibility training staff it would be nice to have a discussion of what courses people have found helpful in keeping up with the knowledge they need for there area of expertise.  While making use of University programs I have found that I have had to search across the spectrum to secure the knowledge I have been looking for.  One of my greatest challenges is developing a curriculum for training staff in the needs of the firm.  Not something that comes naturally for Engineers nor is our expertise.

It would be nice to hear observations on how as a group we can help each other develop and maintain our expertise.

My area Structural Engineering.
The challenges we have had for training is

• Structural Analysis - specifically Non Linear
• Aluminum Design
• International Design Loading Standards

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David Thompson P.E., M.ASCE
Principal
KTA Structural Engineers Ltd.
Calgary AB
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ASCE has an online course on design of Aluminum structures that I found very useful.   I took it about a year ago, and I believe it is still available

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Harold Dibben P.E., M.ASCE
Princ-Struct Engr
Lassing Dibben Consulting Engineers Ltd.
Trenton ON
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And if I may add a dimension to whatever is shared, please include whether or not the course was, or is approvable by any specific state board for continuing education credit regarding PE license renewal.
Thank you.

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William Hayden Ph.D., P.E., CP, F.ASCE
Management Quality By Design, Inc.
Amherst NY
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Mr. Thompson

I can appreciate your interest in this topic having been the a structural engineering department manager in a prior role.  There are a wide array of online continuing education programs available with a correspondingly wide variance in their quality (my opinion).  I have found some of the ASCE content useful and some programs were less than I had hoped.  Given that this is a forum sponsored by ASCE I feel that advocacy for other providers seems to be inappropriate or at least rude.  Maybe this discussion is better suited to a forum not administered by a content provider.

If ASCE leadership has a different perspective, please post a reply indicating such and I will elaborate more on what I have found beneficial.

Thank you

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Timothy Gilbert P.E., S.E., M.ASCE
Project Specialist - Civil
Wadsworth OH
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​Hi Tim,

Thanks for asking how best to share resources or respond to questions about continuing education sources.

We want to keep Collaborate free of promotions, so we do not permit promotions for conferences, courses, etc., regardless of the provider.

Please feel free to share your insights and recommendations with one another via private message.

Jane

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Jane Howell
ASCE
Reston VA
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-26-2017 07:10
From: Timothy Gilbert
Subject: Online Sources for Continuing Education

Mr. Thompson

I can appreciate your interest in this topic having been the a structural engineering department manager in a prior role.  There are a wide array of online continuing education programs available with a correspondingly wide variance in their quality (my opinion).  I have found some of the ASCE content useful and some programs were less than I had hoped.  Given that this is a forum sponsored by ASCE I feel that advocacy for other providers seems to be inappropriate or at least rude.  Maybe this discussion is better suited to a forum not administered by a content provider.

If ASCE leadership has a different perspective, please post a reply indicating such and I will elaborate more on what I have found beneficial.

Thank you

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Timothy Gilbert P.E., S.E., M.ASCE
Project Specialist - Civil
Wadsworth OH
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Almost 10 years have passed, and your concerns are still valid.
thank you for your message,
@David Thompson  
 

In my view, the reason for this is that we tend to be highly specialized in civil and structural engineering, and at times we need to engage with multidisciplinary topics even within the field of structural engineering. Along the way, the reality emerges that we tend to be better at solving problems within specific types of structures, such as structural concrete, steel, wood, or even aluminum (which is not usually applied in buildings in Brazil, for example, since low energy-efficient systems are required, and therefore it does not govern the design, e.g., light steel frame structural systems). Complex structural systems, such as combined structural concrete and steel systems, including hybrid or composite systems, are even rarer.

In the U.S., "PDH" stands for Professional Development Hour. It is a unit of measurement used to track continuing education and training. Structural engineers can align these PDHs through offerings provided by professional organizations, public & private companies, and event-based programs (e.g., ASCE/SEI and ACI). In addition, there are clusters of PDHs that effectively form training programs. However, in such situations, there may be a need for training that goes beyond PDF-based materials, or that is combined with practical experience and examinations in specific areas of structural engineering. This could represent a more universal approach to enhancing training, improving engineer readiness and performance, and ultimately advancing the future of the structural engineering sector, both nationally and globally.

Sincerely Yours,
AN

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Andre Newinski S.E., M.ASCE
Structural Engineer - ASCE 7-28 Member: Main Committee and Subcommittee
AN
Santo AngeloBrazil
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Hello David,

Thank you for sharing your experience. Continuous learning is indeed one of the biggest challenges in engineering, especially when balancing professional work with staff training responsibilities.

In my experience, combining multiple sources is the most effective approach:

1. University courses and professional certificates – provide structured knowledge and credibility.

2. Industry webinars and workshops – allow learning about the latest practices and standards quickly.

3. Peer communities and professional societies (like ASCE) – sharing case studies and practical experience is invaluable.

4. Self-guided online platforms – Coursera, edX, and other specialized structural engineering courses help fill specific knowledge gaps.

For structural engineering, focusing on your specific challenges, such as nonlinear analysis, aluminum design, and international loading standards, I would recommend creating small, modular learning sessions for staff, combining theory with practical examples from projects. Peer mentoring or collaborative problem-solving sessions can also reinforce learning effectively.

Maintaining a learning culture within the firm often depends more on structured processes and collaboration than on individual effort alone.

Best regards,
Darya Stanskova

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Darya Stanskova M.ASCE
Cost Estimator, Construction Engineer, Power Engineer, Project Manager
Fort Myers FL
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