Required experience for PE test 1

[AlmostThere]

Hello all,
As I was browsing the web for some tips on applying for the N.Y. PE, I came across this wonderful website which allows me to do something 10x better than just surfing the web- talking with real people! I am getting ready to apply for the principles and practice portion of the exam and I am becoming intimidated with reporting my experience in the application. I've worked in the construction industry in NYC for the last 4 years so my experience is not strictly designed-related. Will I be rejected and all my 4 years not count? That is the worse! Can anybody offer some tips on how to present construction related experience in a way that would help me to qualify? After all, I would like to pursue the construction engineering section of the exam. Any help is much appreciated!
-Michael

 

[GoldDredger]

Hello,

I think you'll need to check the bylaws of NY regarding what qualifies as professional experience. It doesn't necessarily have to be design experience. My first year I was an inspector and onsite construction observer, and that qualified just fine.

The states that I am familiar with usually require you to be an E.I.T. AND worked under the direct supervision of a PE. That PE will likely have to fill out a form attesting to your experience under him/her.

I would go directly to the source for your information, I'm sure NY has a Board of Professional Licensing that should lay it out for you.

Good luck.

 

[moon161]

http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/pels/pelic.htm

 

[TheTick]

Wisconsin publishes a very detailed list of qualifying experience. Since New York is ever so much more sophisticated than us hayseeds, I can only imagine that they have a similar list, only better because it's New York's.

 

[Ron]

AlmostThere...your experience will likely count, assuming you had a licensed engineer under whom you received training, overview, supervision and mentorship. If you did not work under the tutelage of a licensed engineer, it will be hard to validate your experience and it might not count.

 

[MiketheEngineer]

NCEES.org or .com might be somewhat helpful

 

[ShaggyPE]

AlmostThere,
There are a couple other great websites specifically geared towards the PE exams.

http://www.engineerboards.com

http://www.ppi2pass.com

I can't offer suggestions for the Civil in NY. I am Mechanical in CA and the requirements differ by state. The NCEES information is simply the test creators recommendation. The state can decide to adopt whatever they want.

Good Luck.

-Dustin
Professional Engineer
Pretty good with SolidWorks

 

[jfpe]

Write up your experience and send it in to the board. Specify how you use engineering principles in your daily work. 3 years of my qualifying experience for the PE Exam was as an I&C Technician in a NYC power plant. The NYS board accepted it.

-John

 

[mvsubstation]

I applied to sit for the New York P.E. test and was accepted first try. My boss applied for the New York P.E. license through reciprocity and was rejected even though he had been a registered P.E. in pennsylvaniafor 30 years!! He was finally accepeted when he wrote several more pages describing his experience in more detail.

It seems like they want to see two things with your application: 1) There is a minimum weight the application must meet 2) It must have lots of engineering buz words in it like, calculations, specifications, etc.

They don't want to see non engineering buzwords like managing, drafting, tec. unless you have engineering buz words attached to them.

A word of advice on drafting. I would not use that term at all.

If you design in CAD instead of marking up a drawing, you are designing, not drafting in my opinion. To me, drafting would be somebody else doing the design on paper and giving the design to you to simply input into the computer (no design thought is required, only thinking required is to follow the company CAD standards). If you were hired at some point during your work experience to only draft, then this experience wouldn't count and you need to work longer as a designer. If you were hired as a design engineer who designs in CAD, then all of your experience should count.

I don't think some of the people who review P.E. applications understand how real world design firms work in regards to the use of CAD, which is why I would not recommend mentioning CAD or drafting.

 

[desnov74]

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PE experience must be not only supervised & of high quality but also be progressive in complexity. So if you did inspection, technician, or drafting work it could qualify if it shows progress.

 

[AlmostThere]

Thank you all for the great tips. I'm going to start the outline this week and brainstorm the engineering buzz words and try to think of ways to elaborate on what I've accomplished. It sounds like it is more important on HOW to present summary of experience.
-Michael

 

[desnov74]

http://www.nspe.org/Licensure/Resources/LandQP.html