[masraum]

Originally Posted by TimT

Its an issue of semantics. You cannot call yourself a Professional Engineer unless you have your states licensing regimens and tests. Then you can use the title "I.m. Engineer. P.E."

You can then sign off on plans and documents giving certain legal cache, and submit them to usually approving agencies... I.E. DOT, Building/Planning Depts, really anyone who requires a P.E. Stamp

The 16 hour exam is broken into the EIT (engineer in traing) and PE sections.. The EIT covers the core, the PE is more core and theory, the second half if the PE is in your specialty (civil, mech, elec.)

EIT is usually taken as a Senior in university.. 5 or so years as an Engineering intern is required before you can sit for the PE exam... Creative application writing helps here...

Lets look at my Uncle... Masters degree in engineering from Cornell, not bad a masters at an Ivy.. He worked for GE in the '60s for the space program... after leaving GE he bounced around finally landing at Sikorsky.. leading a number of projects he could and could not talk about.... I once asked him if he was a licensed engineer, he told me no... because it wasn't worth the trouble in his line of work..

GE... space program... Sikorsky ….whirlybirds secret and not secret..

I think he has a right to call himself an engineer

And my Dad, again a masters in engineering from Cornell...He went to work in the public sector... initially with NYSDOT until he got sick of the malaise which is evident still... He then went to work for Consulting firms which contracted with NYSDOT (Immediately increasing his salary bigly) His path required being a licensed professional engineer....

Given the resumes of both of them... I think both earned being able to tell a date “I'm an Engineer”

BTW I went to SUNY schools.... no Ivy for me

Also you have no ideas of how much design work is done by intern engineers (the ones just breaking into the game) then passed up ,checked and given a once over by the guy who has the stamp...

Another anecdote, my brother, who's licensed in NY,CT,FLA,PA,MASS,ME has never used his stamp.. and he has been in the game for 35 years..

Cool and interesting stuff, thanks for posting.

I started college to be an EE, but it sounded boring. I never talked to anyone about what I should do, and I had no idea what I wanted to do. I think I might have enjoyed getting an ME degree. I didn't finish my degree because I had no motivation "I want to get this degree so I can go be a _____".

I don't regret my path. I consider the college that I did experience (about 60% of a BS) a valuable education. I enjoy what I do. There was no degree when I went to school for the work that I do now. I don't think there were any certifications either. There are certifications for what I do now. I had a few back in the beginning when they were useful to demonstrate my knowledge on the subject or get my resume looked at or put on the top of the pile. All of my certs have expired and my bosses don't care if I go get any. My knowledge, experience, and ability to learn new stuff makes me valuable.