Outsiders Just Don't Understand

In Sunday School I shared that I had passed the PE test as a praise report. After class one of the girls said that she never knew engineers were required to have a Physical Examination. Then she asked me if I had to climb the rope like in Middle School gym class.

:f_115m_e45d7af:

DJsigma said:

In Sunday School I shared that I had passed the PE test as a praise report. After class one of the girls said that she never knew engineers were required to have a Physical Examination. Then she asked me if I had to climb the rope like in Middle School gym class.

Click to expand...

My family (medically oriented) were all trying to figure out why I was so happy about getting a Pulmonary Embolism.

DJsigma said:

In Sunday School I shared that I had passed the PE test as a praise report. After class one of the girls said that she never knew engineers were required to have a Physical Examination. Then she asked me if I had to climb the rope like in Middle School gym class.

Click to expand...

That's funny.

However, you should always 'know your audience'. Unless you are speaking to a group of known engineers, I'd recommend not using acronyms - or define any acronym you use.

I was congratulated in our Company Newsletter for passing my Project Engineer's Examination.

The irony tastes bitter though, because Project Engineer is the next step in the promotion ladder for me. One which I have yet to see. Grr...

cableguy said:

I was congratulated in our Company Newsletter for passing my Project Engineer's Examination.
The irony tastes bitter though, because Project Engineer is the next step in the promotion ladder for me. One which I have yet to see. Grr...

Click to expand...

What's your current title? The small business I work for only has a few (Principal, Engineer, Project Manager, Sr. Designer, Designer, Drafter).

People where I work now think I'm in an entirely different department - PE stands for Process Engineer at my company, not Professional Engineer. A far cry from the compliance role I'm currently in.

DJsigma said:

In Sunday School I shared that I had passed the PE test as a praise report. After class one of the girls said that she never knew engineers were required to have a Physical Examination. Then she asked me if I had to climb the rope like in Middle School gym class.

Click to expand...

I wrote on facebook that I had passed the PE. One guy wrote, "didn't know you were studying to be a gym teacher." UGH. Of course, I was forced to explain (on my wall) what the PE entailed. Then I just sounded like an a$$. I never win I tell you.

But I still think of it and do my little dance secretly...

Karen S. P.E. said:

What's your current title? The small business I work for only has a few (Principal, Engineer, Project Manager, Sr. Designer, Designer, Drafter).

Click to expand...

I'm currently Engineer III. Been that since I hired on 9 years ago. Haven't really been focused on upward progression until the last year or so . But was told that I could not be promoted without my PE, and was told that when I got my PE that I would be promoted. Well, I have my PE... still waiting...

DJsigma, do you DJ as a hobby? The next Armin or Tiesto?

I always play up the PE exam to outsiders who are clueless. I just tell them that some people bring suitcases full of reference books (and still fail) and the exam is 8 hours long. Their imagination does the rest and they connect the dots themselves. Passing is a huge accomplishment!

cableguy said:

Karen S. P.E. said:

What's your current title? The small business I work for only has a few (Principal, Engineer, Project Manager, Sr. Designer, Designer, Drafter).

Click to expand...

I'm currently Engineer III. Been that since I hired on 9 years ago. Haven't really been focused on upward progression until the last year or so . But was told that I could not be promoted without my PE, and was told that when I got my PE that I would be promoted. Well, I have my PE... still waiting...

Click to expand...

That's OK, I was told in 2007 that when I got my E.I. I'd get a raise - and then, that I'd get one with my P.E....

I passed the Oct 2008 FE, and didn't get a raise. Then I passed the April 2009 PE, and didn't get a raise. And yes, only 6 months apart - experience obtained before EIT still counts, and I was pretty confident I could pass the PE even before I passed the FE.

I *finally* got a raise this year, 5% for each year I'd missed one.

In the meantime, my job title changed a few times. Pre-EIT, I was billed as "Drafter". Then "Designer" once i got my EIT. Now that I have my license, it's "Designer II" for projects in OR and "Engineer I" for projects in WA, but my official title (on the cards etc) is Project Manager.

I've tried to not use the acronym PE, rather Professional Engineering License (Exam), and in email or such, I post it with links to either wikipedia, NCEES or the state licensing board pages...

EE_Mike said:

DJsigma, do you DJ as a hobby? The next Armin or Tiesto?
I always play up the PE exam to outsiders who are clueless. I just tell them that some people bring suitcases full of reference books (and still fail) and the exam is 8 hours long. Their imagination does the rest and they connect the dots themselves. Passing is a huge accomplishment!

Click to expand...

Thats funny. I never thought about DJ as Disc Jockey. My initials are DJ and I work for Sigma Engineers.

I have to explain to my relatives and some of my friends the importance of getting this title, so I don't even bother with the acronym. I just tell them that I passed the Professional Engineer licensure exam.

Peele1 said:

I've tried to not use the acronym PE, rather Professional Engineering License (Exam), and in email or such

Click to expand...

That's a good idea. To let people know that you didn't get grandfathered in like the old guys.

When I passed the exam, I put on face book that "I passed PEE"

ngnrd said:

I got promoted to Project Engineer after I sat for the PE exam, but before I got my results. So, when people heard I got promoted, they kept congratulating me on getting my PE. I had to keep explaining the difference between being a Project Engineer and being a registered Professional Engineer. It got really old really quick.

Click to expand...

I still have to tell people that I don't drive the train.

I have vanity plates supporting my alumni association that say "PE 2B". I have been asked what does PE 28 mean and told "I didn't know you were studying petroleum engineering."

I hope I never have to renew this plate again. I hope to change it next year to "PE IB" to reinforce the strong verbal skills of engineers.

What about PESLAVE?