okay, Dr. T-Dub...

i'm kind of having an existential crisis here, on the order of "I don't know what I want to be when I grow up" ... and yeah, i know that's pretty fucked up since i graduated college in 2003 at age 30.

i've just realized I'm not making any progress on requirements for a PE (Professional Engineer license)... and I'm thinking that (unless i wind up going to grad school for an MS in EE, or similar) I should maybe consider refocusing towards that goal.

I dont think ill be going for a grad degree any time soon, if ever. my wife has started pursuing an advanced degree, and we have a kid who's almost 3... I wasn't that great of a student (~3.0 GPA) so I'd have to jump through a bunch of hoops to even get in to a good school like Univ. of Washington where I live.

I have my BSEE and my EIT, and I hadn't been thinking about the PE too much, but assumed if i was working as an engineer, in an engineering job, under the direct supervision of an engineer, that it would be counted towards the required 4 years experience needed to be allowed to sit for the PE exam. I just discovered this is not the case.

most of my experience has been in the embedded electronics design and test, in the manufacturing industry. turns out that in order for this type of experience to count, there must be a PE working for the company. my last 3+ years of work have not had this. my first 1 year of work was at a traditional AE (architecture & engineering) firm that was loaded with PEs. I wound up getting out of that because i wanted out of the construction related industry and into something more high tech.

well, i'm kind of disillusioned with the so-called high tech industry now, and also having a child has changed priorities in my life, and i'm thinking that getting back into the civil arena (building systems and power distribution) might be a better fit for me. Also, I have a number of years as a Journeyman commercial/industrial electrician, so i'd stand out a little bit more in the AE industry than I do currently as just another EE who can hack his way through C-code.

theres so many variables to consider, the tech industry initially pays more, but also a lot of these software-oriented jobs (and even some circuit design jobs) do not "require" an engineering degree, and theres always the danger of getting your job outsourced overseas. the construction industry will always need bodies on site, and though its not glamourous or high tech, becoming a PE in this arena makes a person sought after and respected. tag an MBA or an MSEE onto a PE, and you can definitely pull some big $$, though even the PE + experience will get good money.

for me, i think i'm getting burned out on what i'm doing now (embedded device, circuit design, production automation and test, etc) and i kind of am idealizing the idea of going back to the blueprints and hardhats and being involved in big building projects.

what do y'all think about this? i'm especially interested to hear from people who have their EIT or PE, or are in a similar situation in some other industry.





[Edited on October 17, 2007 at 4:13 AM. Reason : ]

10/17/2007 4:02:00 AM

I don't understand why you're so fixated on getting a PE. Particularly for an EE, what use will it be? Although you would have the authority to sign off on civil engineering things, would you really want to?

10/17/2007 7:41:37 AM

virtually all power systems and public utilities engineering requires a PE; it's also a big deal if you work for an engineering firm (e.g. jacobs, parsons, URS)

10/17/2007 8:19:16 AM

in large corporations outside the power industry a pe ee is a pretty much worthless certification

in my experience.

[Edited on October 17, 2007 at 8:50 AM. Reason : e]

10/17/2007 8:50:30 AM

peee

that made me chuckle

10/17/2007 8:52:55 AM

10/17/2007 8:57:37 AM

Quote :

"in large corporations outside the power industry a pe ee is a pretty much worthless certification in my experience."

agreed. some interviewers i dealt with when i was looking for a job didnt even know what EIT/PE was.

i dont know a single person at my job now who is a PE.

10/17/2007 9:16:57 AM

It's also a big deal if you want to start your own company.

The consulting firm I work for got shaken down by the NC engineering board for not having any PE's in the ownership and either calling it an engineering company or doing engineering work. Whether or not you are doing something that PE's stamp, a company that does engineering or calls itself an engineering firm must have PE's for at least 50% of the company's owners.

10/17/2007 10:08:50 AM

soberann, pilgrimshoes, solinari ...

thanks for the input. ive thought those same sentiments, myself.

but what experience are you drawing this from? looking at job postings I see a LOT of engineering jobs that require a PE or the ability to get one. granted, these are typically in the "civil-arena"... meaning EE jobs that interface with the public and are regulated by the state for a variety of issues.

10/17/2007 11:16:43 AM

notice i mentioned large corporations outside the power side.

my experience is in the chemical/science industry.

10/17/2007 11:26:35 AM

my main experience is with the defense industry, but when i was looking for a job, i was also lookng at larger commerical technology companies.

10/17/2007 11:30:37 AM

my thread is failing

10/17/2007 7:02:39 PM

I thought it was possible to apply for a waiver if you couldn't get the PE recommendations due to your employer not having any PEs.

10/17/2007 8:15:08 PM

It helps in the power industry but it's not a requirement. Having a PE helps me get promoted to engineer level a little sooner but that's about it. Of course if you have the opportunity to get it then why not. I know Duke Energy is hiring people. For me the PE was just a personal goal.

10/17/2007 8:43:26 PM

Its worthless in Tech in America today.

You should apply yourself to getting an MBA as you'll end up doing more marketing and project management then engineering.

10/17/2007 9:53:27 PM

somethings odd....

all you people are saying PE licenses are "worthless", yet I'm here looking at a shit ton of PE-required job postings.

what's the disconnect, here?

never mind the fact that digital design and software engineering can be outsourced to the lowest international bidder.

10/17/2007 10:23:21 PM

They may say 'required' but they may mean more like desired. I didn't meet the criteria for either job i've had since graduation. If you explain that you're working towards your PE it may help.

Heres what I'd do. Get a new job that has PE's in the company, go to night school or distance learning to get your MBA or Masters in Engineering (MBA is probably worth more with engineering degree) plus maybe they will pay for the school. Then in 3 years get your PE.

10/18/2007 5:21:26 AM

lord god almighty, whatever you do, do NOT get a masters in engineering!

get an MBA or something if you need to spend money on 2 more years of school

10/18/2007 7:29:43 AM

i disagree with that. theres no reason to get an mba if thats not what you're interested in. a masters in engineering if its applicable to what you're doing on the job can be very useful, and is certainly encouraged in my industry. an undergrad degree really isn't much anymore, particularly in technology.

if you're just getting a general master's degree (straight from school without a job), then i can see your point, but i would say the same about an mba at that point in time as well.

10/18/2007 8:31:21 AM

straight out of undergrad masters is someone who wasn't ready for the real world yet
everyone knows this.

but going back for your masters is a different story....
if i were you i'd get your mba and switch to constuction.

$texas there.

10/18/2007 12:04:31 PM

there sure are a lot of dumbasses in here referring to the PE as worthless. If you are thinking about switching into building design and power distribution, then you will definitely need to look into getting your PE. Companies performing that type of work revolve around the licensed engineers they keep on staff. If you don't get your license in this field, you'll find yourself stuck underneath people who have gotten their license.

If you want to get good advice on what is a good approach to furthering your career in the engineering industry, then relying on the advice on a bunch of kids fresh out of college probably isn't the best idea. Get on some engineering message boards and see what people who have been working for 10-15 years have to say.

if you're thinking about making a career change, then go ahead and do it. if you're scared about having to wait another 3 years to sit for the PE, keep in mind that you'd still be able to possibly have your license before you turn 40. Even if you retired at 55, that's a solid 15 years that you could work as a licensed engineer and making licensed engineer money. while most engineers in the tech industry are washed up well before that time, licensed engineers in more stable industries like building design are still going strong and finding even more opportunities opening up to them every day.

[Edited on October 20, 2007 at 12:56 AM. Reason : job listings that say "PE required" mean "PE required". "ability to get one" means by reciprocity]

10/20/2007 12:52:19 AM

Quote :

"If you want to get good advice on what is a good approach to furthering your career in the engineering industry, then relying on the advice on a bunch of kids fresh out of college probably isn't the best idea."

Quote :

"Get on some engineering message boards and see what people who have been working for 10-15 years have to say."

hmm never though of that. do PEs even do the online message board thing? I looked on Experts Exchange and Slashdot, half the people there don't even know what PE means...

there seems to be a big disconnect between "traditional" engineering and the "high tech" jobs which are often just glorified programmers. out here, anyone can call themselves a "software engineer" -- my favorite is the so-called "software development engineer in test," a real popular microsoft-y type job title. you dont need an engineering degree, half of these clowns dont even have a CS degree. ... and I get the feeling this sort of mentality translates to a lot of the techies on this forum. IT-type people who seem to be the bulk of the people saying "I don' need no stinkin' PE"

so my dilemma is to continue the path I'm on, and I could go right now and get a job making $100K, but it would be a burnout job, id constantly have to worry about getting replaced by some new grad, or even a tech-school guy, or more likely be outsourced to some contract firm in India or China for a fraction of what it costs a lazy overfed white guy like me.

... or i could suck it up for a few more years and work on getting my PE.





[Edited on October 20, 2007 at 2:37 AM. Reason : ]

10/20/2007 2:34:12 AM