Credit for work experience gained overseas? 4

[Moebius85]

I'm trying to get a PE license in Ohio. After I got my master's in structural engineering from U of Michigan in Dec of 2008, I've been working overseas. Then I got a job last april here in Ohio and I agreed with my Boss that I'd be working towards getting my professional license. I just took the October FE exam and I'm looking to take the PE exam in April. I called the Ohio board to ask them about my foreign experience, and they said they didn't accept foreign experience!!! even though it didn't say on their website that the experience had to be specifically in the U.S.

Is this true? or is it because the person answering my call just interpreted it that way?
Is there anything I can do or do? Should I just try to apply for the exam and see if they would accept my experience or do I have to wait 3.5 more years to take the PE exam???

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[MiketheEngineer]

Just get your recommendations and send them in. You might be surprised.. OR got to another state that is a bit more relaxed.. IMHO - Ohio can be a PITA!!

 

[JedClampett]

Does Ohio allow licenses to U. of M. grads? Or maybe they don't consider Michigan as part of the US?

 

[MiketheEngineer]

OHIO is plain PITA!! as are a few other states!!

 

[fel3]

Moebius85…

When you worked overseas, was your supervisor(s) licensed in the US, specifically Ohio? If not, that could be problem, not the fact that you worked overseas. The general requirement in the US is that you work under a licensed professional engineer and a foreign license probably doesn't count. I suggest you look into this aspect of it more closely and maybe talk to the licensing board again once you can answer these questions. You may also want to look at this article from NSPE:

http://www.nspe.org/resources/pdfs/...ngineering-Licensure-in-the-United-States.pdf

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"Is it the only lesson of history that mankind is unteachable?"
--Winston S. Churchill

 

[Moebius85]

Fel3

Unfortunately, my supervisor wasn't licensed in the US. I told that to the lady who answered my call and I also said that I could get him to sign off on my experience, to which she replied "we don't accept foreign experience."

 

[Medeski]

Hello Moebius85,

I had asked a similar question via email two years ago. I have been working in Japan for the past six years. Below is the question/response.

Me-
"I am currently working in an engineering position in an engineering firm in Japan. I am sure many factors come in into play, but is there a possibility that the time spent working here will count towards the four years of experience required to sit the PE exam?"

Licensure Examiner-
"As for your experience, generally the Board does not accept experience earned outside of the U.S. The Board is looking for engineering experience gained under a U.S. licensed engineer using practices, standards, and procedures used/required in the U.S. However, all experience is evaluated on a case-by-case basis by an expert panel of Board appointed licensed engineers, who then make recommendations to the Board members and Board director. When you decide to take the PE exam, if you would like the Board to consider your work experience earned in Japan, you may submit the information with your application. The Board would let your know if they would accept any or all of your experience gained outside of the U.S."

This was a conversation with a Miss. Amanda Ault, who is a licensure examiner on the State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Surveyors in February of 2010. So it is possible to get your experience transferred, but it's done on a case-by-case basis. Was the company you worked for overseas an international company or highly recognized in the country you worked for? I'm not exactly sure what they're looking for, but you might as well try. Hope this helps clear some things up.

Best,
Medeski

 

[Medeski]

I'll also add this was concerning an Ohio PE.