PE Exam

A little detail would be nice. The person who knows the answer to your question may not have used that particular edition of that particular book.

Note also that following the issue on the usenet rather than your private email would permit others to benefit, too.

What is the problem as stated? What is the solution given? What part bothers you?

Answer these questions and you will have a better chance of getting a satisfactory answer.

I am not familiar with that book, so I don't know anything about the problem or the answer. However, I do teach PE review classes, using another book, and I can tell you that it has errors in it. You might want to check the publisher's web site for any errata sheets for that text.

Ben Miller

I graduated with a BSEE in 1997. I have not taken the EIT or PE yet, but I am thinking about doing so. I am somewhat concerned about the recent continuing education requirement that Ohio places on PEs.

It seems to me that the 15 hour per year requirement may be somewhat difficult to maintain. One PE that I know is going to let his PE lapse due to this new CPD requirement... which is too bad, because I wanted to have this individual be one of my PE references!

What are the general thoughts of other engineers on this subject?

Thanks,

-Chris

I think that it stinks! I have a PhD from a top notch institution. After getting layed off twice circa 1970 I decided to get a PE license. I found out that I did not have to take what was then the EIT (Engineer in Training exam) because of the PhD as well as because of sufficient time in the field. I studied for the PE exam in spare time. I passed my first try although it had a few surprises. It had a more complicated Electrical Code question than in the past. Also, it was the first exam not to have a problem soluble using the method of symmetrical components for many a year.

Since then, I have worked on many different things. I educated myself using books that were available. For example, I educated myself on infrared systems. Part of the obligation of being a PE, is not to work outside your area of competence.

Bill

-- Fermez le Bush

I don't like it but many states now require it. I am licensed in WV and have had the continuing education requirement since registration in 96. I think it is a scam put in place to support the continuing education business.

Charles Perry P.E.

We now have it in Illinois, and most states will eventually. I think you should look at all of the acceptable activities... a few society meetings, a magazine article, a few seminars, etc. A lot can be done on-line. If you are an active, practicing engineer, it is not a big deal. I am guessing that most of the PEs I have seen post on this group would have no problem complying, and in fact probably participate in many of these activities anyhow.

Without the intention of offending anyone, the biggest complaints I have heard are from retirees. They don't want to spend the time on it, but they want to keep their license. Illinois now has "PE Retired" designation which recognizes their accomplishments. However, they can not practice engineering unless they reinstate their license.

As engineering schools are cutting back on the hours required for a degree, some states are also looking into requiring additional education beyond the Bachelor degree for licensure. It all boils down to whether we want to have the recognition that we deserve as a profession (similar to the medical profession), or dumb it down so anyone can join.

DISCLAIMER: The above are my personal opinions and not those of the Illinois Department of Financial & Professinal Regulation. (Necessary since I serve on the Illinois PE Board!)

Ben Miller

California has similar regulations. I reluctantly I pay the renewal fee on the far out chance that I ever need to act as a PE.

I never practiced much as a PE. I did give some expert advice through a company that paid by the contact. One time, I told the company that there was no charge because the client knew more than I did. The company did not like that because they make money only when the client gets charged.

Bill

-- Fermez le Bush

thinking about doing so. I am

places on PEs.

to maintain. One PE that I know

bad, because I wanted to have this

You should be expected to maintain pretty much *any* professional license.

If you work in industry, just go to some of the distributor or mfr sponsored seminars (product ads). They'll show you the new crap they're selling, and feed you. It's usually free or the fee is nominal. It's stuff you should be familiar with, anyhow. You need to know what's available when you spec your next project.

If not, just sign up for continuing ed courses at the local community college or U. Hell, even online courses are accepted. You might learn something!

If you're not independent, your employer should fund your CPD--it benefits them to have a PE on staff. Otherwise, it's a bus exp.

Read 4733.151 (linked from the page you reference)--there's a *lot* of ways you can accumulate CPD hours. And you can carry over hours for one year--it's not hard.

I've been logging hours from activities I've done in 2006 so I can carry over into 2007.

Credit for university or college level coursework shall be based on the credit established by the university or college. One semester hour as established by the university or college shall be the equivalent of forty-five hours of continuing professional development, and one quarter hour as established by the university or college shall be the equivalent of thirty hours of continuing professional development.

Credit for seminars, workshops, or conferences, offering continuing education units shall be based on the units awarded by the organization presenting the seminar, workshop, or conference. A registrant may earn ten continuing professional development hours for each continuing education unit awarded.

Each hour of attendance at a seminar, workshop, or conference for which no continuing education units are offered shall be the equivalent of one continuing professional development hour.

A registrant may earn two continuing professional development hours for each year of service as an officer or active committee member of a professional or technical society or association that represents registrants or entities composed of registrants.

A registrant may earn ten continuing professional development hours for authoring relevant published papers, articles, or books. A registrant may earn ten continuing professional development hours for each such published paper article, or book. A registrant may earn ten continuing professional development hours for each patent award.

I got registered in NC back in '77 after I had moved to VA. Aside from putting it on my resume, I just never used it. I had the "seal" (both the rubber stamp and the gadget that indented the paper. The folks who made the seal misspelled my name and I never bothered to get a replacement.

A few years ago NC started requiring "continuing education" and I let the registration lapse.

I took the EIT exam back in 1965 but at least at the time, the EIT exam didn't make any real difference in my progress toward actual registration.

I wanted to "study" for the exam. The closest I came was trying to borrow a "study book" from a guy at work and he wasn't willing to share.

I went back to NC with a new "low rent" multi-function calculator (trig functions, logs, etc.) As soon as the exam started my calculator failed! A fellow in the next chair over loaned me his backup, a 4-function calculator.

With ALL these problems, the actual test was a snap. The most difficult problem was something in "industrial engineering" which required calculating present value of future cash flows. Ordinarily that would be easy but all I had was the 4 function calculator and some math tables. Yet, I managed to finish the test before everyone else.

That's where the fun part truly began. I stood up and was gathering my books, etc. to bring my exam up front to turn it in. Some woman who was taking the exam noticed me and started to rush herself because she just HAD to be the first out and beat all us nasty men! Of course, I had a head start and "won."

Back then if you had a broad background you could get by with just answering "easy" questions in each category. If you didn't have a broad background you would be stuck with answering several questions in one category. For example, the "easy" question in civil engineering had to do with which end went down in an "egg shaped" culvert. The hard questions were incomprehensible to this EE. The "easy" Chemical Engineer question was just balancing a chemical equation (high school stuff). Etc. The "easy" Industrial Eng. question was compound interest (in effect.) The "easy" EE question was something like parallel resisters!

I understand things are different today but I bet that the vast majority of EEs have no need whatsoever of a PE.

Y'know, a gentleman would have stepped aside with a broad sweep of his hand and a nod of his head and said "Ladies first."

Yeah, you're right. But I like having that piece of paper. Boss seems to tout it to the Clients, too, so maybe it's just a sales tool.

I would take exception to "vast majority". Anyone offering engineering services to the public needs to be licensed. Anyone who consults, and deals with the types of issues in at least 50% of the posts in this NG, needs to be licensed. Examples include power system design, facility design including power and industrial controls, etc. Those designing products fall under the manufacturers exemption and do not require a license.

Ben Miller

Y'know, a gentleman would have stepped aside with a broad sweep of his hand and a nod of his head and said "Ladies first."

Yeah, you're right. But I like having that piece of paper. Boss seems to tout it to the Clients, too, so maybe it's just a sales tool.

Y'know, a gentleman would have stepped aside with a broad sweep of his hand and a nod of his head and said "Ladies first."

Yeah, you're right. But I like having that piece of paper. Boss seems to tout it to the Clients, too, so maybe it's just a sales tool.

Y'know, a gentleman would have stepped aside with a broad sweep of his hand and a nod of his head and said "Ladies first."

Yeah, you're right. But I like having that piece of paper. Boss seems to tout it to the Clients, too, so maybe it's just a sales tool.

Actually, I almost considered it. My first instinct when I realized there was a "race" was to speed up. But then I tried to ignore here and became quite deliberate in my actions. OTOH, I had no desired to "hang about" so when I got all my stuff together I took by leisurely walk to the front of the room.

Most of the tast takers (myself not being an exception) had LOTS and LOTS of reference material. It was an "open book" test, after all. Before she noticed me, I'm sure I had been getting ready to leave for several minutes.

During that era I first read some material put out of Irwin Fierst (spelling?) who formed something called the Committe of Concerned EEs. He was a big fan of registration and pushed for laws that would set high standards for engineers even in an industrial situation. When I met in in an IEEE meeting sometime in the early 80s, I gave him a contribution.

I have mixed emotions about registration and about essentially having a "union" for EEs. I don't think the public interest is all that well served by registration. Personally, as I am a good "test taker" I would have been better off if many jobs required the PE but the PITA factor has made me a non-believer.

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