Structural Engineer Certification 7

[lkjh345]

I am interested in members thoughts on the drive by the Structural Engineering Certifcation Board (

http://www.secertboard.org

) to get structural engineers 'certified'.

I am not asking about being liscensed, but being 'Certified'.

The benefits seem vague at best, where as the cost ($450 Application Fee, $100 per year there after) seems a little steep.

The idea has not exactly caught fire in our part of the country (Nebraska), but I am curious if it has in other parts of the country and/or other countries.

 

[Lutfi]

Isn’t a medical "board certified" doctor is equal in our profession to certified engineer such as PE? They pay their dues through education, residency and then examinations.

I am ignorant in the case if there are further board certifications for each sociality.


Regards,
Lutfi

 

[whyun]

SECB certification is above and beyond state licensure. Licensed S.E.'s (in most cases licensed P.E. also) meeting additional criteria may apply and obtain this additional certification.

In my part of the country, licensed S.E.'s in general don't see a direct benefit to be certified. I don't know of many who are pursuing this certification.

 

[henri2]

Lutfi, IMO, medical board speciality is somewhat analogous to a GE or SE license. From what I understand, the doctor would first have to obtain a medical license to pursue board certification. Medical board certification requires highly sructured, documented, rigorous post-professional degree/medical license training, coupled with exams.

Most SEs I know in CA, are very happy with the state's SE licensing program..but do not see any value in obtaining board certification.

 

[archeng59]

it is my understanding that a board certified physician is certified in a specialty field, which is in addition to a medical license. if you are a PE, being certified thru the SECB would mean you are "qualified" to practice structural engineering. at least that's what "certified" means to me with regards to structural engineering.

it's somewhat amazing to me that NCSEA discussions were held about certification for 5 years without some of you having heard about those discussions. how many of you are a member of a state chapter of NCSEA? I wonder if the SECB would have been created if this much discussion had been made available to the NCSEA during the 1998-2003 period? unless I'm misreading things, appears to me like many of the posters in this thread are not much in favor of certification for structural engineers, mainly because it serves no purpose.

 

[prost]

archeng59 and others:
What is the purpose of certification, SECB originated or from some other organization? You can't use it to approve drawings, etc., all the stuff you use your PE/SE for, clients don't ask for it and your boss probably doesn't even know it exists. You can list the tangible benefits of PE/SE registration; what about listing tangible benefits (for instance, public safety, puts money in your pocket, etc.) to SECB certification?

What purpose does even NCSEA serve? If you are structural engineer, you can benefit from being involved in ASCE, NSPE and your state's SPE. I could tell you purpose of these 3 organizations; what other prof. organizations benefit you in your structural engineering career? My take on these organizations is that many of them are dying slow deaths, some because of shrinking candidate pool, some because of perceived irrelevance by the candidate pool.

 

[EddyC]

Board Certification in Medicine requires a 2nd examination beyond the 1st examination done to obtain a state license. Periodic reexamination is also required to keep the Medical Board Certification. My Doctor friend says that his certification reexamination cycle occurs every 5 years.

 

[whyun]

archeng59, someone with an S.E. license from his/her state is "qualified" to practice structural engineering in that state. Certification by SECB and licensing by each state are completely separate. License is required to practice but certification, to me, seems voluntary. I really don't see the added value to the certification other than having bragging rights for the rest of one's career.

 

[archeng59]

I passed the SE1 exam but my state does not have an SE designation of any kind. I am a licensed PE and the only type of engineering I practice is structural engineering. am I less qualified to practice structural engineering than someone in another state who has an SE designation? being certified as a structural engineer would allow people to know I specialize in structural engineering as opposed to civil, mechanical, electrical. but only if people know what "SECB" means behind my name. otherwise, I don't know what purpose being certified would serve except as "bragging rights."

 

[Taro]

My understanding is that the ultimate goal of certification is to eventually bring about separate licensing of structural engineers in all states. Most states do not have a separate structural license and those that do have often had differing licensure requirements.

It is almost impossible to independently lobby every state to bring about a uniform nationwide structural licensing system. So they decided to start with the baby step of certification. Then if that catches on, they can just ask each state to adopt this system for their structural licensing. But there is a lot of inertia to overcome before it can take flight.

 

[whyun]

archeng69, my previous post was for states that do offer an S.E. license. I do see your point about states that do not have an S.E. license.

Even here in California, P.E. in Civil has authority to sign practically most projects. Only Educational (K-12 and junior colleges) and Healthcare Facilities require an S.E. license.

California used to require a 16 hour SE exam pass/fail. Now, it has a national and a state specific (8 hours each). I heard that other states that offer S.E. license have SEI, SEII and SEIII exams. I was under the impression that state-portion of the S.E. exam in California was roughly equivalent to SEIII, someone can correct me if I am off.

Until SECB certification is recognized by considerable number of states, obtaining your SE license from the closest state seems to be a better option.

For some interesting reading:

http://www.seaonc.org/public/about/origin.html

 

[HgTX]

Most states offer the Structural I & II exams without having a separate SE license. They could choose to have a separate license based on those exams without any further requirements.

What's the point of having a separate certification beyond taking those exams which already exist?

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[RARWOOD]

I have a question considering several people have compared PE and SE registration to medical registration.

Will a future requirement that engineers hold a SE,increase fees that those engineers receive in their practice?

Specialist in medicnie receive higher fees, but will SEs?

 

[whyun]

Unfortunately, engineering fees are often based on percentage of total cost of a project. Regardless of whether a PE or SE signs off on a project, difference in fee is negligible.