Australia-USA Engineering Recognition

[ASBailey]

Hello Fellow Engineers,

I'm seeking some advice here.

I recently graduated from a US university with my bachelors in Civil Eng. I am now working for a private civil consultant in Western Australia (WA). I plan to continue working here in WA for the next few years (or until the coal runs out) but I do wish to return home to the US afterwards.

As I understand it, in the US in order to be considered a licensed professional engineer you must first pass the Principles and Practice in Engineering (PE) Exam. To be qualified to sit for this exam you must first be an Engineer-in-Training (EIT) then gain 4 years experience working under a licensed PE.

My predicament is, the company where I am working now there are no "PE's" to work under as it is a US license and this is Australia.

Will the experience I an gaining now count towards the PE exam?

In Australia licensed professional engineers are called "Chartered Professional Engineers". Does this recognition translate to that of Professional Engineer in the US?


If anyone has any knowledge on this subject I would greatly appreciate some advice. I've done a fair bit of research but I cannot seem to find much information. I am hoping I'm not the first person in the world to have this problem.

Thanks,

Alex

 

[patprimmer]

I don't know the answer, but I am sure your not the first.

What does the organization that controls the issue of PE status say on the matter?

Regards
Pat
See FAQ731-376 for tips on use of eng-tips by professional engineers &

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm

for site rules

 

[zdas04]

First you have to understand that licensure is not national (although it seems to get closer every year), it is state by state with most states taking direction to greater or lesser extents from NCEES. Your situation is no different from the Engineers in the U.S. who work in exempt industries (I didn't even know a single P.E. when I took the F.E. exam. I didn't know very many when I took the P.E. exam. All of my references were non-P.E.'s. To accomplish this I had a conversation with my local board, explained the situation, and followed their advice. I also spent some time on the NCEES web site reviewing their standard-form regulation that most states start with.

I don't believe you are correct about requirements to work under an P.E. prior to taking the F.E. exam. In my University all Engineering students were encouraged to take it in their senior year (and there was talk that passing it would eventually become a prerequisite for graduation, I don't know if that happened or not, probably not since it takes most of 6 months to get results).

Where I you I'd figure out what state I was going to try to get licensed in and study their web site enough to be able to converse with a person who works there on their terms and then I'd call them (they probably only work 9:00 to 4:00, Monday thru Friday so you'll have to make the call outside of your working hours in WA). Then I'd register for the Spring exam (no one ever starts studying for the exam until they've registered) and take it. After that you need to get work experience before you can qualify for the P.E. exam.

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

"Belief" is the acceptance of an hypotheses in the absence of data.
"Prejudice" is having an opinion not supported by the preponderance of the data.
"Knowledge" is only found through the accumulation and analysis of data.

 

[juleselec]

Disclaimer: I'm am a Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) with Engineers Australia.

A couple of years ago, Engineers Australia made a big deal about how they were making progress in setting up mutual recognition agreements with US states, citing Texas as an example of a success. Several years on and I think Texas is still the only state that has a mutual agreement with Engineers Australia, so I wouldn't hold my breath about this.

 

[MiketheEngineer]

Good advice above. Get with the state you want and the NCEES. Also, cultivate some ties with AU PE's who can give you references. You will probably need them regardless.

 

[patprimmer]

Mike

Australia does not have PEs as such. We have Charted Engineers which is kinda a similar thing.

Regards
Pat
See FAQ731-376 for tips on use of eng-tips by professional engineers &

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm

for site rules

 

[MintJulep]

So take the test in Texas and then apply for reciprocity in other states.

 

[zdas04]

Texas was a big problem 15 years ago when they said "We don't need no stinking NCEES" and their P.E. was not able to transfer anywhere. They have since joined the family of man and a Texas P.E. has the same standing as any other state. I bring this up because many people remember that the rules were really different from anyone else's and people don't always look for current info.

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

"Belief" is the acceptance of an hypotheses in the absence of data.
"Prejudice" is having an opinion not supported by the preponderance of the data.
"Knowledge" is only found through the accumulation and analysis of data.

 

[hokie66]

The CPEng (Chartered Professional Engineer) title in Australia is not a license, but rather a title granted by Engineers Australia, a professional group, similar in a lot of ways to the American Society of Civil Engineers and others. The only Australian state with required licensure is Queensland, where the designation is RPEQ (Registered Professional Engineer Queensland). Licensure in other states and nationally has been discussed for many years by many groups and committees, but is still not a fact. CPEng can be a requirement for some projects, but is not law.

Experience working under the supervision of a CPEng in Australia should be transferrable to US States, but only the boards there can say for sure. Even then, these things change with time.

 

[EngAddict]

hokie66, it is a title based on a Royal Charter, not just a professional group like ASCE or ASME membership. The post nominal granted by EA would be MIEAust or FIEAust, CPEng is different. Queensland is no different, RPEQ is equivalent to NPER, which chartered members are eligible to join. Nominations on NPER automatically gives eligibility for RPEQ. The requirement to conduct individual practice is the same, the only difference is in QLD you must always work in direct supervision of a registered engineer. Therefore only at large companies does the requirements between the states deviate slightly. There is no specific 'licence', just registered professional engineers (in all states). Compulsory registration wont be far off nation wide.

I agree with those who said check the specific state. I believe a CPEng is recognised as a PE in 'many' states (more than one at least), so it is more than likely your experience (if under a CPEng) would count. To become CPEng in Australia it is preferred that the experience is gained while working under a CPEng but it is not mandatory like it is in the US for PE.

 

[hokie66]

My point was that in all states other than Queensland, Engineering is a self-regulated profession. In Queensland, registration is mandated by law, and is enforced (to some extent, at least).

http://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/nerb/introduction-2

 

[FreddyNurk]

Chances are that at least some of the problem can be resolved at:

http://www.ieagreements.com/APEC/APECApply.cfm

in terms of using CPEng as a stepping stone for PE registration in US. That said, it would likely still come down to the relevant state that you'd be seeking registration in.

As for CPEng / RPEQ, hokie66 is right, RPEQ is mandated by law in QLD, whereas its self regulated in the rest of Australia. CPEng is accepted in certain locales as evidence of competence (such as for registration with the Building Practitioners Board in NT) but its certainly not legislated as being required to practice engineering, unlike RPEQ in Queensland. The fact that EA is the assessment body for both just clouds the issue somewhat.

 

[EngAddict]

Mobility of Engineers in Australia and the United States:

http://www.engineersaustralia.org.a...do/Member Services/International/ea_trade.pdf