Gerald ONeill and Stephen Estes

Becoming a Professional Engineer

Executive Summary

The purpose of this paper is to teach a future or current engineer the how and why of becoming a Professional Engineer. This impresses upon the reader the counsel that he or she should complete the four requirements to becoming a Professional Engineer, thereby gaining the proofs and credentials the license bestows, opening a vast many opportunities to him, and finally conferring upon the engineer the abundant benefits that result, as well as upon the society he or she serves.

Gerald ONeill and Stephen Estes

Introduction This paper is written to enlighten the reader, a future or current engineer, on the benefits of a becoming a Professional Engineer, and the methods of obtaining the eponymous license. Through this paper, the reader will know of the qualifications and proofs a Professional Engineering license will provide him, the opportunities these provide, and finally the benefits both he and the society he serves will reap. Armed with this knowledge, the reader will then learn the path to follow, the requirements he must meet, to obtain these ends; In short, the why and how of becoming a Professional Engineer Why become a Professional Engineer? There are many reasons to become a Professional Engineer, but they all flow from the same basic principle: more opportunities. At the most simple level, becoming a Professional Engineer displays that one has earned credentials proving their competency in engineering as well as their high moral standards. These credentials earn trust from customers as well as the respect from employers and co-workers. More importantly, these credentials give the Professional Engineer more opportunities in the industry. Only Professional Engineers may develop plans and figures to submit to a public authority for approval. In addition to this, only Professional Engineers may approve engineering work for public and private clients. In order for a company to engineer anything for a customer, the law requires that a Professional Engineer approve the work. This leads to another benefit of becoming a PE, job stability. As engineering companies are required to have a Professional Engineer, this licensing can insure a position at a company. Also, if one does lose their job, being a Professional Engineer can be very helpful in finding another, for instance as a professor or a

Gerald ONeill and Stephen Estes

consultant. In education, more colleges are requiring engineering faculty to obtain a Professional Engineering license. Also, to be an engineering consultant, one is required, by law, to be a Professional Engineer ("What is a," ). In addition to all this, there is a financial benefit to becoming a Professional Engineer. As Professional Engineers have more responsibilities and value to a company, they tend receive a higher compensation. What it takes to become a Professional Engineer There are several steps in obtaining a Professional Engineering license. The first, and most apparent, is graduating from an engineering program approved from the license board of that state. After that, one must pass the Fundamentals of Engineering exam (FE) and become classified as either an engineer intern or engineer-in-training. Obtaining either of these classifications signifies that the fundamental requirements of engineering have been mastered by the individual. The next step is to obtain experience in the field of engineering. All states require that all Professional Engineer candidates have acquired four years of experience in the field. This time can be decreased, however, if the candidate has gained experience in other manners. For instance, many states allow the completion of a masters degree or doctorate degree to provide credit towards work experience, a masters degree typically counts as one year of credit while a doctorate degree counts for two ("Demonstrating qualifying engineering," 2007). In addition to the experience, written references are also often required to confirm and validate the work experience. However, the number of references can vary from state to state ("Requirements," 2007). Lastly, the candidate must pass the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam. The PE test is an open note eight-hour exam that is split into a morning and afternoon section.

Gerald ONeill and Stephen Estes

For mechanical engineering the pass rate for first time takers is 73% and 37% for repeat takers ("PE exam," 2012). Thus, study hard and pass it the first time! A summary of the steps to obtain the PE are: to obtain an engineering degree from an engineering program approved from the license board, pass the FE exam, acquire four years of experience, and finally pass the PE exam. Conclusion Obtaining a Professional Engineering license brings proof of competency, proof of moral character, and certain legal qualifications. By becoming a Professional Engineer and obtaining these attributes, the engineer becomes more attractive to nearly all potential or current employers, as well as increasing standing with coworkers and peers. This benefits massively benefits the newly qualified Professional Engineer in the form of job opportunity, job security, and job compensation, as well as benefiting the community, which he serves through competency and character requirements. To do this, the potential Professional Engineer must obtain his degree, pass the FE exam, obtain experience, and pass the PE exam. Recommendations This paper recommends that the future or current engineer prioritize, and immediately work towards, obtaining a Professional Engineering license. The reader should take steps to obtain an engineering degree from an approved source, pass the FE exam, acquire four years of experience (while perhaps accumulating glowing recommendations), and finally pass the PE exam to become a Professional Engineer to enjoy both the personal benefits, and those the reader bestows upon society.

Gerald ONeill and Stephen Estes

References Demonstrating qualifying engineering experience for licensure. (2007, September 28). Retrieved from http://www.nspe.org/Licensure/Resources/LandQP.html PE exam. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.ncees.org/Exams/PE_exam.php Requirements. (2007). Retrieved from http://theprofessionalengineer.com/requirements/ What is a pe?. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nspe.org/Licensure/WhatisaPE/index.html