CPESC anyone?

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Anyone have a CPESC certification? Anyone planning on taking the test? Anyone have an opinion on this certification?

I am tempted to take the exam and get the certification. I know one engineer who has that certification, and his ESC plans now are awesome. But I also know another, very experienced PE who thinks the CPESC certification is "meaningless" and puts little value on it.

Seeing how the Civil and Env. PE exams do not cover ESC, I can see some value to this. I am also working on new stormwater regulations that include a certification program for designers and contractors, but the CPESC might be a good thing to incorporate to ensure better ESC plans - our new regs and manuals are mostly focused on post-construction stormwater design.

Comments and opinions welcome.

 
I have my certification. It seems like a good thing to have even if it is not your core business. Also, in GA, the class you take before the exam is cheap and worth something like 12 PDHs. As for the exam itself, don't sweat it. It was more of an exam to make sure you knew how to use a pencil, IMO.

 
I've been on the fence with this one. It'd be a nice notch in my belt, but as an envl PE I'm more than qualified to do an erosion control plan.

I think it's a good thing to encourage your field inspectors and technicians to get. Often times here, and in NY when I worked there as well, one of the requirements of erosion control and stormwater permits is periodic inspections by a PE or "qualified environmental professional" - aka a CPESC or CPSWQ. We've got one job now with serious biweekly reporting requirements.

This way your regular field guy can do the inspections and you don't have to bill the client for 3 hours of a PE's time.

 
Wow, check this new one out from CPESC.org:

INTERNATIONAL CERTIFIED EROSION, SEDIMENT AND STORM WATER INSPECTOR CERTIFICATION PROGRAM (CESSWI) LAUNCHED
Marion, N.C -- The Certified Professionals in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC) Inc. is excited to announce the development of it's Certified Erosion, Sediment and Storm Water Inspector Certification Program (CESSWI). This new program will be available to all qualified technicians and inspectors who wish to demonstrate their proficiencies in construction and post construction inspection skills and abilities. This new designation for certified specialists was created by CPESC, Inc., in conjunction with a national oversight committee of erosion and sediment control and storm water management professionals. Registrants will be expected to understand minimum requirements for inspections of erosion, sediment, and storm water management practices, activities, and sites as set forth by the United States Environmental Protection Agency's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) storm water permitting program and/or Canada's Department of Fisheries and Ocean's Requirements.

This unique program will make it possible for both the regulators and the regulated community to employ qualified inspection staff to observe and report the adequacy of erosion and sediment controls and storm water management for construction, industrial and municipal operations. CESSWIs will be recognized throughout the United States and Canada as candidates who have demonstrated the minimum proficiencies needed to inspect construction and post construction Best Management Practices (BMPs). Specific state requirements may be added to the certification process.

To apply, a candidate will provide information on education and applicable work experience, along with references of those who can verity their experiences with inspection related activities. The candidate's application will be reviewed by a qualifications committee and notified of his/her eligibility to sit for an examination. An Inspector Study Course will be available if the candidate chooses to sharpen his/her skills prior to the examination.

A candidate must submit his application and fee and successfully complete a written examination to demonstrate his/her knowledge of the basic inspection skills for erosion and sediment controls and storm water management. The candidate must also subscribe to a code of ethics for inspectors. An annual renewal fee is required to obtain registration status along with documentation of continuing education credits. Applications may be obtained at the International Erosion Control Association's (IECA) Environmental Connection 07 (EC-07) in Reno, Nevada on February 15, 2007 or downloaded after February 15th at www.cpesc.org

"We are excited about the opportunity to provide a North American continent-wide certification program for inspectors involved in construction and post construction activities," said David Ward, Executive Director of CPESC, Inc. "Many states and governmental bodies have been anticipating the advent of this program for quite some time and now we can offer it to them."

Nearly 3000 professionals in Erosion and Sediment Control and Storm Water Quality have been certified by CPESC, Inc in the past quarter century. CPESC, Inc. plans to continue its certification expertise and excellence over the next quarter century.
 
yeah I did the GA one, GA DOT requires at least one person in each firm do it and I got stuck with it last year.

sad thing is all the EC "stuff" was really more about finding a way for the contractor to get paid for maintenance of EC devices and less about actually caring about "erosion control)

IMHO

 
^^Like I said, we have only one guy out here with a CPESC, and his plans are awesome. But then again, when all other plans are terrible, I guess it might not take much to look awesome - but his plans really are good, and I know they weren't like that until he got his certification. I suppose it may be just a simple case of "yikes, now that I have this certificaiton I'd better make sure my plans are up to snuff" but that's fine by me.

I like the inspector program - thanks for clueing me into that one VTE. I'll be pushing for that for our inspectors and maybe also for our contractors around here. The problem with the CPESC for inspectors, from what I recall, is that you have to have several years of experience to get the certification if you're not an engineer. Maybe the CESSWI addresses that - I personally don't think an inspector certification should require that many years.

 
So we just got an RFP for a job. Site work and improvements at a state police training center.

One of the requirements on the RFP is that there is a CPESC on hand to prepare and inspect the erosion control plan.

Anyone ever heard of this before? It seems like they got something mixed up. I've always seen ESC stuff as prepared by a PE or certified erosion control professional. We're going under the assumption it was prepared by some clueless bureaucrat, but if it were true that'd be interesting.

 
Anyone have a CPESC certification? Anyone planning on taking the test? Anyone have an opinion on this certification?
I am tempted to take the exam and get the certification. I know one engineer who has that certification, and his ESC plans now are awesome. But I also know another, very experienced PE who thinks the CPESC certification is "meaningless" and puts little value on it.

Seeing how the Civil and Env. PE exams do not cover ESC, I can see some value to this. I am also working on new stormwater regulations that include a certification program for designers and contractors, but the CPESC might be a good thing to incorporate to ensure better ESC plans - our new regs and manuals are mostly focused on post-construction stormwater design.

Comments and opinions welcome.

I am taking the exam in a few weeks. I have my PE...but we have a specific client who is requiring their consultants to have someone on staff who is certified.

GTScott....you feel that the test was pretty easy and straight forward then? I guess I was just concerned about the legal portion of the exam...it is hard to find much info from anyone about the actual difficulty of the exam...since so few individuals have taken it.

 
Yeah - I'm eager to hear about it too, though I have heard a little from the guy I know who took it. He thought it was "tough". I would like to go and take both tests sometime during the next year.

 
I'll be sure to make a post after the test to give everyone interested my feelings. I think it would be wise for anyone who is planning on taking it...to take the review course always offered the day before the exam. I took the course back in November...but not the exam. I thought the course gave you a pretty good idea of the topics that will show on the exam.

 
ferryg,

My wife is going to work for an erosion control company starting next week. She is going to be responsible for drawing up the erosion control plans for submittal. I'm going to ask and see if she can get any info about the test from the guys there that draft the control plans. Maybe I can some info that you can use...

ktulu

 
ferryg,
My wife is going to work for an erosion control company starting next week. She is going to be responsible for drawing up the erosion control plans for submittal. I'm going to ask and see if she can get any info about the test from the guys there that draft the control plans. Maybe I can some info that you can use...

ktulu

ktulu...

Thanks a lot...that would be great! The test does not seem like it will be that hard...but it would just be nice to know what it is like. I think as it currently stands...there are 35 people in Pennsylvania that have passed the exam...so it is not like you can just walk across the hall and ask somebody what it is like.

Thanks again...

 
I just had to suffer through the 2 day Level II (design Professional) course & exam here in GA.

does the CSEPC cover you in all 50 states or do you still have to sit through each states own specific test also?

I hate seminars like that , but it was one of the better ones I have been in lately, especially since I am now in construction, plus I got to bank 15 pdh's..

 
Well...I took the exam today...and I must admit...I think it DEMOLISHED me. The exam literally took my blaster rifle...and smashed it over my head. I could not believe the depth of some of the questions on there. One REALLY needs to be prepared for this test. I went in thinking I would have little problem...not the case.

There were several topics on there I have never dealt with. The review course is a joke. You absolutely MUST have the review manual to study though. I really didn't study as intently as I should have...and that is my fault. I think it is a reasonable, and passable exam. However...it was more difficult then I had ever envisioned. Kudos to all of you who passed it.

Not having experience in some of the topic areas really sunk me. I will take the exam again...and now knowing what it is like...I plan to pass. However...if you plan I doing it yourself...I suggest getting the manual early...and memorize everything in there that you do not already know.

 
I hate to hear that, and I apologize for not getting you any information that might have helped; my wife's colleague basically said what you already THOUGHT you needed to know. I'll leave it at that.

Good luck next time (hopefully luck is on your side and will be no next time...)

ktulu

 
I hate to hear that, and I apologize for not getting you any information that might have helped; my wife's colleague basically said what you already THOUGHT you needed to know. I'll leave it at that.
Good luck next time (hopefully luck is on your side and will be no next time...)

ktulu
No apologies necessary!...I was the one who was not adequately prepared. I'll get it next time...I guess I was just really stunned at the level of depth on the exam. I've already gone through the PE nightmare...so I figured this was a piece of cake. I was wrong. They put together a pretty tough test....not tough if you know what you are doing. I guess I just realized I didn't know as much as I thought I did...I will eat my crow and humble pie...and I will take another crack at it.

 
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