Structural PDHs and Certifications

[2jdevine]

I'm a relatively new PE and am looking into what classes/seminars I can take to fulfill my professional development hours. Many of the engineering societies offer classes for different certifications that also count for PDHs. So I figure I might as well earn a certification while getting them.
My question is what are some of the more useful (or interesting) certifications you have related to structures?

 

[Maui]

You need to be wary of whether or not the state recognizes the credits you earn. If they won't view them as valid, you might want to reconsider spending your money and time in taking the course.

Maui

 

[2jdevine]

Thanks for the tip Maui.
I already looked through my state's (MD) requirements and I believe any professional/technical engineering society is a pre-approved PDH provider. But I'll be sure to double check the fine print before I pony up any money.

 

[TehMightyEngineer]

I'm in the same situation and am looking for some good ideas on PDH activities.

Here's a good article for the OP:

http://www.structuremag.org/?p=686

Maine Professional and Structural Engineer.
(Just passed the 16-hour SE exam, woohoo!)

 

[SLTA]

I go to meetings with the local ASCE and SEA groups, and sometimes go to their conferences. Once you've been licensed a while, you'll start getting bombarded with mail and emails from companies about PDH opportunities. I've been to a couple good seminars with those places - as you said, read the fine print first (about the presenters as well). I will say that the online ASCE webinars have not proven worth their money, at least for me. Simpson Strong-Tie and the American Wood Council often do local presentations for PDHs, and they're usually useful as well.

Please remember: we're not all guys!

 

[PEFLWI]

AISC (steel) has excellent online courses you can take for about $25 per PDH if you are a member. You can watch the videos for free and you pay to take a quiz.

http://www.aisc.org/content.aspx?id=32580

 

[JedClampett]

Most states treat this as routine. I've been audited twice, by different states, and had no problem. I use internal "lunch and learns" (Brown Bags, etc.) done by a combination of either company employees on something technical or vendor representatives. I fill in with occasional ACI or AISC Seminars or sometimes Red Vector courses.
I create records every time I renew a license. I have about ten licenses, so the records are a little bit of a chore. If audited, I usually have a bit of panic, but eventually I pull together the certificates, attendance sheets or other materials.
The reason I say the states treat this as routine is that I've never been challenged concerning my records. And they weren't that great. I don't think the states are trying to fail anyone, but they just want engineers to take it seriously. Basically, if you don't flip them off, they'll probably accept it.

 

[2jdevine]

Thanks for all the comments (and the article). But, maybe I wasn't quite clear in what I was looking for.
I would like to find certification training programs which will also count towards my PDHs.
For example the ACI offers a Concrete Field Testing Grade I Certification, it counts for 4.75 PDHs and at the end of it I'll take a test and be certified to perform concrete testing. Link
I'm sure folks on here have all kinds of specialized certifications, some of which I've never even heard of. I would just prefer to go to a class geared towards one of those certifications than just watch a whole lot of webinars.

 

[BUGGAR]

Where I used to work, when we had a new project, there were always design alternatives to be studied - moment frames vs braced frames, etc. Of course there is never budget to play around with this so I made a deal with the boss to do a formal write-up of an alternative on my own time, and then submitted the report for my continuing ed. I tried to pre-approv this with the State first. They neither approved nor objected but they accepted it in the end.