Industry exempts: how can they find PEs for recommendations? 2

[leanne]

Consider the case of many industry exempts:

No RPEs in an engineer's current realm of influence.

How can an engineer in an industry exempt job make connections with RPEs who would be willing to become familiar with the engineer's work to vouch for them on an RPE application? Without the engineer being required to leave current job.

How about a little brainstorming?

 

[electricpete]

Quick comment on the original question. Texas has an on-line search for active PE's

http://www.tbpe.state.tx.us/cgi-bin/NewSearch/get.cgi?db=rpe

You can search by city, branch (discipline), employer etc... and you can apply two search criteria at the same time.

Maybe if you search for PE's in your city you will see a name you recognize. Or if large company search your company and maybe some are hiding there.

 

[electricpete]

... and search the companies that your company interfaces with.

 

[BML]

PSE - I called the Michigan licensing office a few months ago when I was considering applying this year. There was a specific clause in the law that was posted on their site that seemed a bit odd. When I called, I asked what it meant. The person indicated that the law was written such that as long as your work experience and references were from people who could hold a PE license, then they would be valid. She went on to add that this was implemented for the benefit of the many automotive engineers in this state. Perhaps they have changed the law or its interpretation since the last time I checked?

 

[BML]

PSE - More info.

I checked the Michigan licensing board website, and there was a clear statement that the experience must be verified by three professional engineers. However, as part of the department's policy (a portion of which follows), it clearly states that the experience and verification does NOT need to be from a professional engineer.

DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AND INDUSTRY SERVICES
DIRECTOR'S OFFICE, PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS

(By authority conferred on the director of the department of consumer and industry services by 1980 PA 299, MCL 339.308 and Executive Reorganization Order No. 1996-2, MCL 445.2001)

PART 2. LICENSURE

R 339.16022 Professional engineering experience.

(3) Acceptable experience, as defined in subrule (1) of this rule, shall be performed by the applicant under the direction of a licensed professional engineer or a person of equivalent professional standing.

(4) An applicant shall provide the department with a description of work experience with the examination application and shall cause verification of work experience to be filed with the department by persons familiar with the nature of the work performed by the applicant.

History: 1985 MR 8, Eff. Sept. 12, 1985.

 

[buzzp]

Havent been on in a while. I only have one additional comment in reference to Bobs last comment for me about driving up wages for all engineers.

"If industry exempt employers were required to use PE's for engineering, do you really think they would find them overseas? I think it would stop the current trent to outsource engineering and would reverse the process making the prospects for engineers even better. I work in consulting and our EE PE's make in the low 6 figures, maybe this is less than industry....."

I do not believe this would do anything to keep jobs here, still only need one PE signature. Keep the PE in the US for signing papers and let the real engineering work happen over-seas. This is what is happening now and will continue to happen. Although, I do not think all engineering positions will be moved over-seas. We just have to adapt. I think the manufacturing engineers (whatever discipline) should be concerned though. (save this for the other thread)

 

[buzzp]

Oh, I don't think we can compare any wages unless we also name a location and experience. I know design engineers who make six figures as well.

Also, I checked my state licensing board real quick, and I need 3 PE signatures (5 references total). I have not checked into any special cases but I will. If I have to have 3 PE's sign then it will take a while to find some. We only have one in my new position.

 

[electricpete]

If your state is like Texas, you don't actually have to have worked with the PE's. They can just verify your experience by review of your experience report.

have to have?

 

[imagitec]

I work in industry. I was fortunate to have worked for one PE. My second reference was a college professor that I did a published research paper with. The third was someone a manager knew who I, in turn, got to know.

I've read (including, IIRC, on the PPI web site) that state boards may turn a blind eye if you don't have enough PE references but at least have the requested total.

Rob Campbell