Work experience verification form -- PE license in Michigan 5

[LakeMichigan]

Greetings,

I have recently passed FE and PE exams in mechanical engineering. I also meet the edu requirement (BSME, MSME). I work and live in Michigan.

I am trying to fill out the work experience verification form. Unfortunately there is no PE in our office to verify my work experience. PE is not required to do my job. I am a QA engineer in a pretty good company with 5+ year qualified experience.

Can I ask PE from other company to verify my experiecne? Or do I need to change job to work for a new company where I can work with PE to meet the work experience requirement? I want to know what options I have now.

Your advice is greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

LakeMichgan

 

[JStephen]

Okay, it looks like you have two different issues here. First, does your engineering experience qualify you for the PE? Secondly, how to get the references worked to show that?

For the first issue, it looks like on the state site that you have to fill out an experience form and it has to be approved by the Board before you are even allowed to take the PE test. Is this correct? If so, then that issue should be taken care of. From your post above, it's not altogether clear if you would qualify, but if the Board says your experience qualifies, then you do. If there's some doubt, you may need to check into this issue in a lot more detail.

Secondly, is how to show this. The website says the board requires 5 references, of which at least 3 must be PE's. Unless you see something to the contrary, these do NOT all have to be people in your own company. If none of your supervisers are PE's, use them for the 2 non-PE references. For the others, consider consultants that you have worked for or with, or client engineers you have worked for or with, etc.- basically, people that are somewhat familiar with your work. Read the experience forms and see if the information requested is information they could reasonably furnish. Sometimes these forms read like they're looking for personal references, sometimes they're looking for technical experience. The references do not necessarily have to be someone you've actually met face to face for the latter. These could be people from technical societies that know you, as opposed to people you've actually worked with- read the forms and see what's requested. It's not unreasonable to call someone up and ask if they'd mind serving as a reference before sending them the forms.

It might be possible to contact an engineer you hadn't dealt with specifically for the purpose of generating a reference, but this is not the normal way of doing it. I recall reading several years back that California had a system where potential structural engineers could be put in contact with licensed structural engineers specifically for the purpose of reviewing the applicant's work and serving as a reference. But this is not the usual way to do it.

 

[LakeMichigan]

Hi JStephen,

Thank you very much for your reply! There is a lot helpful information for me.

When I registered for PE exam in Michigan, I was not asked to fill out work experience verification forms. I know it's required before taking the PE the exam in some other states. I filled out an application form, had my transcirpt sent, stated that I had 4+ years qualified work experience. That's all. Then I prepared and took the exam. The work experience verification form is required when I apply for the license after passing all the exams.

I believe my work experience is qualified according to NSPE standard.

The PE license process is probably different from state to state. Maybe I should contact our PE board as well to make sure I am following the right process.

Thanks again for your help!

 

[JStephen]

Normally, you'd have reference forms filled out by your references, but you'd also have some sort of experience record that you have to fill out yourself. This could be part of the application itself. Anyway, if the experience shown on that form is accurate, and has been approved by the board, then that takes care of the first item.

 

[metengr]

Your questions should be directed to the LEG Board of Professional Engineers below in Michigan

http://www.ncees.org/licensure/licensing_boards/michigan.php

 

[eric1037]

I am licensed in Michigan. Your experience has to be under the direct supervision of a licensed PE to qualify. If you have a minimum of 4 years under a PE, you qualify. As far as the references, those don't have to be from someone you work with.

So, if you worked for 4 years under a PE for a previous employer, that still counts. You would be wise to get a reference from them.

 

[JStephen]

I notice in the state rules, they don't actually require experience under a PE, they say "...shall be performed by the applicant under the direction of a licensed
professional engineer or a person of equivalent professional standing." I don't know how they interpret "person of equivalent professional standing", I can see that possibly varying quite a bit.

 

[Tark62]

I don't know how they interpret "person of equivalent professional standing", I can see that possibly varying quite a bit.

State boards typically use wording like this to refer to non-PEs who are nonetheless legally allowed to be in responsible charge of engineering work. Examples could include:


- Federal engineers (e.g. Army Corps), who are exempt from state licensing laws.

- Foreign engineers (e.g. a UK Chartered Engineer), if you had work experience overseas

- Unlicensed engineers working legally under the industrial exemption

- Other licensed professionals, like architects, surveyors, or geologists, who sometimes have overlapping responsibilities with engineers

But the only definitive answer you are going to get is from the Michigan Board. Most other states would require you to get your references and work experience sorted out before you take the PE exam, not after.

 

[plasgears]

I had a PE in two states when I applied to Michigan. My boss was not a graduate engr, but his report was acceptable.

 

[LakeMichigan]

Thank you all for your help! I have more ideas and confidence now.