With all of the great advice in this forum I hope that I can get some more! I have a BS in ME from an ABET accredited program, passed the EIT in 1995, and have been working for the same company since I was an intern there in 1994, then started full time in 1996 after graduation. I have been doing structural engineering for the past 13 years. It seems from what I have learned from these forums that so far, this is no big deal. I hope to be able to take the civil/structural PE this fall and have started studying already.
Here is where it may get tricky. I work at a company that is involved in providing structures for the entertainment industry and the company does not have a PE on staff. Some of the events last year included structures that supported many tons of equipment over the President and the Pope, which I would consider high profile structures (the wind is not my friend!). The company provides a mix of temporary custom structures and permanent structures. I do the design and engineering for these projects, compile the reports and submit them to various PE's that we use in the state where our project is located for review and stamp. There is always supervision provided from the PE's when working on these projects, and I believe I have been well guided by them. Five of these PE's are willing to be references on my application (PA requires 3 of 5 refs be PE's).
My fear is that the PA board will not accept my experience since I do not have a PE as my immediate supervisor. The board not accepting all 13 years is fine, as long as they can accept 4 of those years. I first thought of applying in CT which does not seem to focus on "direct supervisor being a PE". Then if I was able to take and pass the exam I would just apply for reciprocity in PA. But then I still have to fill out the same apps to get reciprocity in PA, so why not just try PA first? Do I have a chance in PA to sit for the PE?? Passing is a different story, but at least I have some control over that! Any thoughts?
Thanks!
Here is where it may get tricky. I work at a company that is involved in providing structures for the entertainment industry and the company does not have a PE on staff. Some of the events last year included structures that supported many tons of equipment over the President and the Pope, which I would consider high profile structures (the wind is not my friend!). The company provides a mix of temporary custom structures and permanent structures. I do the design and engineering for these projects, compile the reports and submit them to various PE's that we use in the state where our project is located for review and stamp. There is always supervision provided from the PE's when working on these projects, and I believe I have been well guided by them. Five of these PE's are willing to be references on my application (PA requires 3 of 5 refs be PE's).
My fear is that the PA board will not accept my experience since I do not have a PE as my immediate supervisor. The board not accepting all 13 years is fine, as long as they can accept 4 of those years. I first thought of applying in CT which does not seem to focus on "direct supervisor being a PE". Then if I was able to take and pass the exam I would just apply for reciprocity in PA. But then I still have to fill out the same apps to get reciprocity in PA, so why not just try PA first? Do I have a chance in PA to sit for the PE?? Passing is a different story, but at least I have some control over that! Any thoughts?
Thanks!
