Professional and Career Topics

A Professional Engineer (PE) license represents a major milestone in our Civil Engineering careers. It requires technical competence, ethical behavior, and a commitment to continuing education. Clients and employers see the PE credential as a mark of engineering maturity and gives them confidence to trust that engineer's judgement.

What comes next? The best engineers can apply for board certification in their specialties. Civil Engineering Certification (CEC) Academies provide that distinction for PE's with eight years of progressive experience after the PE, post-graduate education, and demonstration of expert knowledge in a designated specialty. Click here for details. Currently, Board Certifications are available in:

• Coastal Engineering
• Geotechnical Engineering
• Navigation Engineering
• Ocean Engineering
• Ports Engineering
• Water Resources Engineering

What's your perspective on Civil Engineering Board Certification?

If you're Board Certified, how has it contributed to your career?

If you're not, do you see Board Certification as a worthy goal?

Bill

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William McAnally Ph.D., P.E., D.CE, D.NE, F.ASCE
ENGINEER
Columbus MS
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I would like to see a national license that would be able to practice as a Professional Engineer in all 50 states and territories. It seems crazy that each states have a separate board and none are coordinated or connected. Thanks for the question.

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John Casey P.E., M.ASCE
Prescott Valley AZ
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Agreed, but you would have to add seismic, hurricane, snow loads, and other state specialties to the test for everyone.  It might be simpler to break the certification for states up into parts that must be completed for an individual states licensure. General (the PE exam for most states), plus, for example, Hurricane design and construction for coastal states.  General plus seismic for west coast states etc.  It would take a national effort by state license boards to accomplish this.  Doubtful it will ever happen just due to the inertia in most government agencies.  

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Blair Alegant P.E.
Philadelphia PA
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Blair Alegant P.E., M.ASCE
Assistant Chief of Construction
Philadelphia Water Dept.
Philadelphia PA
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Original Message:
Sent: 08-22-2022 01:29 AM
From: John Casey
Subject: Beyond the P.E. License?

I would like to see a national license that would be able to practice as a Professional Engineer in all 50 states and territories. It seems crazy that each states have a separate board and none are coordinated or connected. Thanks for the question.

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John Casey P.E., M.ASCE
Prescott Valley AZ
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I agree…or you could have a national P.E. with separate surveying/seismic/etc. that some states currently have. The national P.E. would not hold in those states until the individual took those individual segments…all states have these as separate exams…just a thought…thank you for your input.

John


Original Message:
Sent: 8/22/2022 12:36:00 PM
From: Blair Alegant
Subject: RE: Beyond the P.E. License?

Agreed, but you would have to add seismic, hurricane, snow loads, and other state specialties to the test for everyone.  It might be simpler to break the certification for states up into parts that must be completed for an individual states licensure. General (the PE exam for most states), plus, for example, Hurricane design and construction for coastal states.  General plus seismic for west coast states etc.  It would take a national effort by state license boards to accomplish this.  Doubtful it will ever happen just due to the inertia in most government agencies.  

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Blair Alegant P.E.
Philadelphia PA
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Blair Alegant P.E., M.ASCE
Assistant Chief of Construction
Philadelphia Water Dept.
Philadelphia PA
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I think a national PE license would be great. I would only need seismic for CA. Keep in mind that some states require a survey exam as well.

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George Miles P.E., M.ASCE
President
Alligator Engineering Inc
Edgewater FL
[Phone]
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Original Message:
Sent: 08-22-2022 04:36 PM
From: John Casey
Subject: Beyond the P.E. License?

I agree…or you could have a national P.E. with separate surveying/seismic/etc. that some states currently have. The national P.E. would not hold in those states until the individual took those individual segments…all states have these as separate exams…just a thought…thank you for your input.

John



Original Message:
Sent: 8/22/2022 12:36:00 PM
From: Blair Alegant
Subject: RE: Beyond the P.E. License?

Agreed, but you would have to add seismic, hurricane, snow loads, and other state specialties to the test for everyone.  It might be simpler to break the certification for states up into parts that must be completed for an individual states licensure. General (the PE exam for most states), plus, for example, Hurricane design and construction for coastal states.  General plus seismic for west coast states etc.  It would take a national effort by state license boards to accomplish this.  Doubtful it will ever happen just due to the inertia in most government agencies.

---------------------
Blair Alegant P.E.
Philadelphia PA
---------------------

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Blair Alegant P.E., M.ASCE
Assistant Chief of Construction
Philadelphia Water Dept.
Philadelphia PA
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 08-22-2022 01:29 AM
From: John Casey
Subject: Beyond the P.E. License?

I would like to see a national license that would be able to practice as a Professional Engineer in all 50 states and territories. It seems crazy that each states have a separate board and none are coordinated or connected. Thanks for the question.

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John Casey P.E., M.ASCE
Prescott Valley AZ

Well, I don't agree. I still think this is something that should remain the prerogative of states. I am not in favor of the trend to make everything homogenized at a national level.  When I took my PE exam, the exam itself was prepared in that state. The entire P.E. exam consisted of solving problems and showing all your work in an exam booklet. No multiple choice questions! For each 4-hour session (morning and afternoon), one was presented with 8 problems; solve 4 of one's choice. One had to start each solution on a new page, because the solutions were separated and sent back to the author of the question for grading.

I think today's multiple-choice format, with a large number of short questions, was developed simply to make grading easier, not to improve the engineer's competence. The format today is more akin to the the FE exam I took. But I am a dinosaur, I know. I needed 144 credits for my B.S., not the typical 120 today.

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Martin Pinckney M.ASCE
President
American Engr. Consultants Marco Is.
Marco Island FL
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Original Message:
Sent: 08-22-2022 01:29 AM
From: John Casey
Subject: Beyond the P.E. License?

I would like to see a national license that would be able to practice as a Professional Engineer in all 50 states and territories. It seems crazy that each states have a separate board and none are coordinated or connected. Thanks for the question.

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John Casey P.E., M.ASCE
Prescott Valley AZ
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I am in full agreement the states should be the licensing authority with each state administering their own PE test tailored to meet their state's unique needs.  I strongly support a handwritten exam with (8) questions.  The test itself could be developed using a national template much like state codes adopting the IBC with state modifications.

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Kevin Casey P.E., F.SEI, F.ASCE
Principal
BBM Structural Engineers
Maitland FL
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-14-2022 10:26 AM
From: Martin Pinckney
Subject: Beyond the P.E. License?

Well, I don't agree. I still think this is something that should remain the prerogative of states. I am not in favor of the trend to make everything homogenized at a national level.  When I took my PE exam, the exam itself was prepared in that state. The entire P.E. exam consisted of solving problems and showing all your work in an exam booklet. No multiple choice questions! For each 4-hour session (morning and afternoon), one was presented with 8 problems; solve 4 of one's choice. One had to start each solution on a new page, because the solutions were separated and sent back to the author of the question for grading.

I think today's multiple-choice format, with a large number of short questions, was developed simply to make grading easier, not to improve the engineer's competence. The format today is more akin to the the FE exam I took. But I am a dinosaur, I know. I needed 144 credits for my B.S., not the typical 120 today.

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Martin Pinckney M.ASCE
President
American Engr. Consultants Marco Is.
Marco Island FL
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 08-22-2022 01:29 AM
From: John Casey
Subject: Beyond the P.E. License?

I would like to see a national license that would be able to practice as a Professional Engineer in all 50 states and territories. It seems crazy that each states have a separate board and none are coordinated or connected. Thanks for the question.

------------------------------
John Casey P.E., M.ASCE
Prescott Valley AZ

Going through the same certification board (CESB) (https://www.cesb.org/accredited-programs), I earned my certification in Forensic Engineering.  Similar to the PE license, it's the path to earn the certification that provides the initial value.   Once I put "Board Certified Forensic Engineer" on my CV, it correlated to an increase in interviews and subsequent acceptance as an expert witness in areas of my expertise.   I am still primarily a design engineer, but going to court and seeing the "bad ideas" has tightened up my engineering and business practices.

This certification is earned through the National Academy of Forensic Engineers, an NSPE affiliate organization.  Part of the requirements to earn that Board Certification is to hold and maintain a P.E., which makes the Board Certification "the next level" in many ways.

Bart Kemper, P.E., DFE

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Clarence Kemper CPEng, P.E., M.ASCE
Principal Engineer
Kemper Engineering Services
Baton Rouge LA
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Thanks for the candid feedback Bart!

Re: " I am still primarily a design engineer, but going to court and seeing the "bad ideas" has tightened up my engineering and business practices."

Imagine if we now, based on the excellent results from FEs, developed a "Forensic Management" track?

i.e., backtrack from the FE's work asking "Why?" at least 5 times.

Q. Where do you suspect such diligent work might lead?
Cheers,
Bill

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William M. Hayden Jr., Ph.D., P.E., CMQ/OE, F.ASCE
Buffalo, N.Y.

"It is never too late to be what you might have been." -- George Eliot 1819 - 1880
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Original Message:
Sent: 08-22-2022 02:30 AM
From: Clarence Kemper
Subject: Beyond the P.E. License?

Going through the same certification board (CESB) (https://www.cesb.org/accredited-programs), I earned my certification in Forensic Engineering.  Similar to the PE license, it's the path to earn the certification that provides the initial value.   Once I put "Board Certified Forensic Engineer" on my CV, it correlated to an increase in interviews and subsequent acceptance as an expert witness in areas of my expertise.   I am still primarily a design engineer, but going to court and seeing the "bad ideas" has tightened up my engineering and business practices.

This certification is earned through the National Academy of Forensic Engineers, an NSPE affiliate organization.  Part of the requirements to earn that Board Certification is to hold and maintain a P.E., which makes the Board Certification "the next level" in many ways.

Bart Kemper, P.E., DFE

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Clarence Kemper CPEng, P.E., M.ASCE
Principal Engineer
Kemper Engineering Services
Baton Rouge LA
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I think credentials can be good as they can demonstrate competency and provide a leading indicator of achievement. On the flip side, there will also be individuals who collect these things for the sake of having initials behind their name and other than being able to pass an exam have little to offer. Another possible negative is the organizations and bureaucracy behind administration of the credentialing programs. Very quickly these organizations become businesses with mouths to feed, creating the risk of entrenchment of practice vs flexibility to evolve with the times.

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Mitch Winkler P.E., M.ASCE
Houston, TX
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I think the PE exam, at least, was designed was evolution with the times. I have taken and passed the FE exam last year, right around the time I graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering. From there, I will need at least four years worth of experience in the field to take the PE exam, along with obtaining a proper number of PDH's every two years after the fact.

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Alexander Granato A.M.ASCE
Student
Bexley OH
granato.3@...
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-06-2022 10:08 AM
From: Mitchell Winkler
Subject: Beyond the P.E. License?

I think credentials can be good as they can demonstrate competency and provide a leading indicator of achievement. On the flip side, there will also be individuals who collect these things for the sake of having initials behind their name and other than being able to pass an exam have little to offer. Another possible negative is the organizations and bureaucracy behind administration of the credentialing programs. Very quickly these organizations become businesses with mouths to feed, creating the risk of entrenchment of practice vs flexibility to evolve with the times.

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Mitch Winkler P.E., M.ASCE
Houston, TX
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William,  you missed a very important Certification -- Board Certified Environmental Engineer, by the Americn Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists. It was founded in 1955; I have been certified since 1976.

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Joseph Reichenberger P.E., F.ASCE
Professor of Civil Engineering
Monterey Park CA
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While a national license would be convenient, there are lots of local conditions that affect civil designs, things like soil conditions, topography, rivers versus estuaries, climate, travel patterns, vocabulary, local construction practices, not to mention local ordinances and codes.  In over 50 years of practice, I have seen a number of errors or poor designs that resulted simply from lack of knowledge of local conditions.  If a national PE were enacted, the profession should try to make it mandatory to research local conditions or hire a local consultant.

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William Forbes MASCE, PE, ME, BCEE
Senior Principal Engineer/Vice President of Engineering
Forensic Analysis & Engineering Corporation
Virginia Beach, Virginia
[Phone]
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You make an excellent point about local conditions; however, keeping state registration may not accomplish the goal of location-specific knowledge. Many engineers have multiple state licenses. I don't know if comity licenses require local knowledge or expertise. Do they?

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William McAnally Ph.D., P.E., D.CE, D.NE, F.ASCE
ENGINEER
Columbus MS
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-21-2022 04:17 PM
From: William Forbes
Subject: Beyond the P.E. License?

While a national license would be convenient, there are lots of local conditions that affect civil designs, things like soil conditions, topography, rivers versus estuaries, climate, travel patterns, vocabulary, local construction practices, not to mention local ordinances and codes.  In over 50 years of practice, I have seen a number of errors or poor designs that resulted simply from lack of knowledge of local conditions.  If a national PE were enacted, the profession should try to make it mandatory to research local conditions or hire a local consultant.

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William Forbes MASCE, PE, ME, BCEE
Senior Principal Engineer/Vice President of Engineering
Forensic Analysis & Engineering Corporation
Virginia Beach, Virginia
[Phone]
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I am licensed in 10 states, all but one by comity.  In addition to the NCEES record, Florida required an exam covering Florida laws and rules, and requires separate qualification for special inspections.  I do not recall a specific state requirement in the others, but i do know that North Carolina requires (or did require) a separate state exam for surveyors.  I understand California in particular requires an examination in life-safety factors related to earthquakes.  There are also differing requirements for continuing education in each state.  
On consideration, most of the larger states have a fairly wide variety of local conditions within the state - most of the eastern states have mountain, piedmont, and coastal plain topography, rural and urban areas, rivers, lakes, and estuaries, and other variations.  So, perhaps a general professional requirement to actually do some research and familiarization when beginning work in a new area would be more useful, and should be second nature to anyone who "works around."

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William Forbes MASCE, PE, ME, BCEE
Senior Principal Engineer/Vice President of Engineering
Forensic Analysis & Engineering Corporation
Virginia Beach, Virginia
[Phone]
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-22-2022 04:12 PM
From: William McAnally
Subject: Beyond the P.E. License?

You make an excellent point about local conditions; however, keeping state registration may not accomplish the goal of location-specific knowledge. Many engineers have multiple state licenses. I don't know if comity licenses require local knowledge or expertise. Do they?

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William McAnally Ph.D., P.E., D.CE, D.NE, F.ASCE
ENGINEER
Columbus MS
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 11-21-2022 04:17 PM
From: William Forbes
Subject: Beyond the P.E. License?

While a national license would be convenient, there are lots of local conditions that affect civil designs, things like soil conditions, topography, rivers versus estuaries, climate, travel patterns, vocabulary, local construction practices, not to mention local ordinances and codes.  In over 50 years of practice, I have seen a number of errors or poor designs that resulted simply from lack of knowledge of local conditions.  If a national PE were enacted, the profession should try to make it mandatory to research local conditions or hire a local consultant.

------------------------------
William Forbes MASCE, PE, ME, BCEE
Senior Principal Engineer/Vice President of Engineering
Forensic Analysis & Engineering Corporation
Virginia Beach, Virginia
[Phone]

It would interesting to see a comparison of the tests for 50 States specific to assessment of knowledge of local conditions just to see how large this issue is in reality. 

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Mitch Winkler P.E., M.ASCE
Houston, TX
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-21-2022 04:17 PM
From: William Forbes
Subject: Beyond the P.E. License?

While a national license would be convenient, there are lots of local conditions that affect civil designs, things like soil conditions, topography, rivers versus estuaries, climate, travel patterns, vocabulary, local construction practices, not to mention local ordinances and codes.  In over 50 years of practice, I have seen a number of errors or poor designs that resulted simply from lack of knowledge of local conditions.  If a national PE were enacted, the profession should try to make it mandatory to research local conditions or hire a local consultant.

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William Forbes MASCE, PE, ME, BCEE
Senior Principal Engineer/Vice President of Engineering
Forensic Analysis & Engineering Corporation
Virginia Beach, Virginia
[Phone]
------------------------------

But we already have a national PE in the form of the NCEES except for some states which have special additional testing e.g., Alaska and California. It's up to the individual, operating under the standard of care to understand local conditions.  If you need to local conditions, then each states need to add a supplemental test(s) like CA.

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Joseph Reichenberger P.E., F.ASCE
Professor of Civil Engineering
Monterey Park CA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-22-2022 05:34 PM
From: Mitchell Winkler
Subject: Beyond the P.E. License?

It would interesting to see a comparison of the tests for 50 States specific to assessment of knowledge of local conditions just to see how large this issue is in reality. 

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Mitch Winkler P.E., M.ASCE
Houston, TX
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 11-21-2022 04:17 PM
From: William Forbes
Subject: Beyond the P.E. License?

While a national license would be convenient, there are lots of local conditions that affect civil designs, things like soil conditions, topography, rivers versus estuaries, climate, travel patterns, vocabulary, local construction practices, not to mention local ordinances and codes.  In over 50 years of practice, I have seen a number of errors or poor designs that resulted simply from lack of knowledge of local conditions.  If a national PE were enacted, the profession should try to make it mandatory to research local conditions or hire a local consultant.

------------------------------
William Forbes MASCE, PE, ME, BCEE
Senior Principal Engineer/Vice President of Engineering
Forensic Analysis & Engineering Corporation
Virginia Beach, Virginia
[Phone]

Good Afternoon,

ASCE is a member of the Alliance for Responsible Professional Licensing, which is a group dedicated to educating policymakers in statehouses all across the country about the importance of professional licensure. The coalition will be hosting a call this afternoon to share expectations for licensure policy during state sessions next year. 

More information is below:

Don't Forget! ARPL Webinar… This Tuesday!

 

Don't miss this Tuesday's webinar, ARPL 2023: Projects and Priorities for Stronger Advocacy.

 

When: Tomorrow, Tuesday, November. 29, 2022, from 3-4 p.m. ET.

 

Registration Still Open: Click Here to Register Now!

 

Today, ARPL's Marta Zaniewski and James Cox will discuss ARPL's recent efforts to bring the responsible licensing perspective to lawmaker forums and preview 2023 projects and priorities:

 

• New research to strengthen the business case for licensing
• Enhanced digital resources and advocacy tools
• Legislation to watch as we prepare to enter the new year

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Caroline Sevier Aff.M.ASCE
Director, Government Relations
American Society of Civil Engineers
Washington DC
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California has a Seismic Exam that you must take to be considered licensed in Civil or Structural.  I think the reason is obvious.

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George Harris Aff.M.ASCE
Senior Track Engineer
Olive Branch MS
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