2020 Model Law and career advice

[allenmd07]

I graduated last year with a BS in Building Science and got a job with a structural engineer in North Carolina. I love my job, I primarily draft but since I took physics and statics classes for my bachelors degree my boss lets me do some calculations under his supervision. I've been there for 7 months now and I am continually given more opportunities to perform calculations as I gain experience. I also recently discovered if I work for him for 4 years I can sit for the FE and 4 additional more the PE since NC has many paths to the PE. This is very exciting because it means I don't have to go into more student loan debt to get a professional license.

However NCEES will implement their new Model Law in 2020. If it is passed on Jan 1, 2020 it means I reach this critical 8 years of experience 7 months to late. I've contacted the NC engineering board but the person I talked to didn't know anything about the 2020 Model Law, she had not heard of it and was surprised you would potentially need a masters degree to get a PE license. I am awaiting a call back from a PE on the board.

So my question is would you work or plan to go back to school? How would you approach this dilemma? With 2020 being 7 years away any new policies could be passed up to my final year of experience needed which concerns me. I would hate to work for 8 years just to have it revoked 7 months away from completing the experience requirements.

I don't know much about the NCEES Model Law system or how local jurisdictions implement it so any input into that would be appreciated as well.

 

[GregLocock]

Your plan sounds good. Talk to the board, so that you become known to them, and even if they track NCEES and implement it within a year (which is ahem unlikely), if the board know of your intentions and have discussed it with them, you'll get grandfathered in.

FWIW somewhere I have a piece of paper saying that I have passed all academic requirements for CEng in the UK, in perpetuity. That's a 3 year BA degree in my case.

Cheers

Greg Locock


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[SnTMan]

allenmd07, are you sure you have to practice four years to take the FE? I took it in senior year of college, and I think that is pretty much the practice in the US. Check into this, it could save you four years.

Regards,

Mike

 

[fegenbush]

SnTMan,

I don't think the allenmd07 has an engineering degree from an ABET accredited program. That is why he is required to work for 4 years before taking the FE.

 

[RobertHale]

The requirements for licensing in the US is haphazard at best. Each state has a separate law to govern the practice of professional engineering. NCEES really has no power to determine the requirements for licensing outside of formulating the tests. In order for this model law to be adopted, it will need to find a sponsor in your statehouse to modify the statute and then pass. In my estimation it is going to be unlikely that any state on the east coast will pass such a restrictive practice act. I think there will be too much push back from practicing professionals in the pipeline.

 

[SnTMan]

fegenbush, ahhh, could be. I don't know what a Building Science degree consists of.

Regards,

Mike

 

[77JQX]

In my state they phased out the non-degree path to a PE (it was a 10-year experience requirement) but did it so that anyone who had already embarked on the path could qualify before the new requirement took effect - that is, they adopted the new requirement 10 years in advance of it becoming effective. Perhaps the NC board could be persuaded to take a similar approach.

 

[dicksewerrat]

Why not look at taking a few courses at night/online to upgrade your existing degree? Maybe the boss will pop for a few. Also look at transfering all your existing credit to an ABET school in NC and see what you need to finish up a CE degree? If it takes you 4 years part time and then 3 more to get the CE you beat the Master's degree. issue.

Richard A. Cornelius, P.E.

http://WWW.amlinereast.com