# Experience Verification Nightmare!



## sam314159 (Jun 17, 2010)

I am hoping to sit for the PE in April of 2011 but I am having trouble verifying my experience even though I have over 6 years of engineering experience. Here's a summary of my situation:

1. Graduated in 2005 with a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from an ABET accredited school.

2. Was offered a job as a software engineer right out of school with company A and worked there for a year and a half. I did a good bit of software design, implementation, test, review and specification writing while I was there.

3. Left company A and started working with company B as an electrical engineer starting on 01/22/2007.

4. Been at company B ever since.

You can probably see from my hire date at company B that I will be 1 week short of 4 years the day the PE application is due for the April exam. (Application due 01/15/2011 and I hired with company B on 01/22/2007)

Company B has plenty of PEs who will be happy to verify my engineering experience so 3 years, 11 months and 3 weeks of experience are covered! That's of course not enough though! I am still missing 1 week which means I have to go back to company A and get a PE to verify that in my year and a half of employment as a software engineer, I did at least 1 week's worth of engineering work 

Here's where things get interesting. I am having a very hard time finding PEs at company A. They had plenty of engineers but don't know of any PEs.

Can ya'll think of any solutions please? I sent this question to my state board and didn't really get a clear answer on alternatives.

If I miss the April exam, I would fall out of the lock-step program in my company and 14 other engineers would be taking it before me. I would also miss out on the review course that my company is offering for students taking the April exam which is only offered every 3 years.

Thanks in advance guys.


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## chaocl (Jun 17, 2010)

sam314159 said:


> I am hoping to sit for the PE in April of 2011 but I am having trouble verifying my experience even though I have over 6 years of engineering experience. Here's a summary of my situation:
> 1. Graduated in 2005 with a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from an ABET accredited school.
> 
> 2. Was offered a job as a software engineer right out of school with company A and worked there for a year and a half. I did a good bit of software design, implementation, test, review and specification writing while I was there.
> ...


I will submit both experiences from Company A and company B. If you only submit experience for company B only that should be ok as well. My friend had 3 years, 11 month and 2 weeks when he submit his application (due date) and he got approve from NY.But it will be better if you put your company A and company B in the application.


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## benbo (Jun 17, 2010)

What state are you in? Some states have exceptions for certain industries where your esxperience does not necessarily have to be under a PE. California is one.


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## sam314159 (Jun 17, 2010)

I am in Alabama.

I have absolutely no problem traveling to California to take the test as long as I can still get a PE license recognized in Alabama.

The lady with the Alabama State Board told me that even if I submit company A and B, it would still be "risky" and I just can not afford missing the April exam.


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## Dexman PE (Jun 17, 2010)

When I filled out my application, I was required to show ALL jobs from the day I graduated highschool. The experience was listed in a time-frame of months, not days or weeks. So if you worked from July 20, 2005 till June 5th 2010, it would be listed as 7/05 - 6/10, thus eliminating the 1 week hole without mis-representing yourself.

So in your case, I would also still show Company A's experience* in full*. I understand none of your supervisors at A have a PE, so I would recommend using 1 of 2 people to verify your experience: either the one with the most experience/credentials or the one who knows your experience the best. In the job duties/description area, I would also be very elaborate as to showing that experience as quality experience.

I would then sit in the review course your company offers regardless of the outcome of your application. Take a ton of notes if you won't need it until October.

And honestly, if you miss the steps program it won't be the end of the world. You can assume that 30% of them (at least 4) won't pass (since the pass rate is ~70%) and would be in the same boat as you because they would have to retake in October.


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## Paul S (Jun 17, 2010)

If the only requirement that is holding you back from Alabama is the 1 month, then I would try a neighboring state that doesn't require a PE to endorse company A. Take the exam there, and if you pass you can apply for your license in Alabama easily since you will have the required time by then.


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## Bean PE (Jun 17, 2010)

My first employer had no PEs whatsoever and made up 2.5 out of 4.5 years of experience. It was accepted.


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## chaocl (Jun 17, 2010)

I just search the Alabama state website, and

"I won’t have the experience by the deadline date but will have it by the test date. Can I still send in my application for that test?

No. Administrative Code 330-X-6-.01(l) states you cannot anticipate experience. You must have the experience prior to the deadline.

[Top|Experience]"

and

"I cannot have all of my experience verified. Is this acceptable?

Yes if you have at least the minimum experience verified."

I think you better put both company in the application if you can. In the same time you can try other sates such as NY or CA also.


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## txaggie04PE (Jun 17, 2010)

chaocl said:


> I just search the Alabama state website, and
> "I won’t have the experience by the deadline date but will have it by the test date. Can I still send in my application for that test?
> 
> No. Administrative Code 330-X-6-.01(l) states you cannot anticipate experience. You must have the experience prior to the deadline.
> ...



Texas doesn't require that a PE that you worked with endorse your application. They will take any PE who knowingly submits a reference of your character. Basically saying that he or she believes that your aren't lying about your experience at company A. I got my father in law to endorse my application even though I have never worked with him.


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## bbrams (Jun 17, 2010)

I'll echo the opinions that you have to cite all your experience. I put everything down. Even though my current job is the only one I've held since I got my masters. I think if you put your previous work experience down and have someone verify it, it should work out. I think you are lucky to begin with. In Florida, applications for April 2010 were due in October 2010. I had to have all my experience by October.

It will also help if you emphasize the engineering aspects (however slim they may have been) in the description of your job at Company A. It will help if engineer was part of your job title too. Also check the box that says it was engineering related experience.


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## HokieGirl (Jun 17, 2010)

You should definitely submit experience verification from both A and B. For A, get someone who is not licensed. Then, have them also fill out the following form:

http://www.bels.state.al.us/pdfs/BackgroundInformation.pdf

This is what they call a "substantially equivalent" PE. So, they look at it as if that person had applied to be PE, would they have been able to become a PE. And, you should be good to go. It's a pain in the neck, though, to have the person fill out that whole form in addition to verifying your experience.

You should look into the comity requirements for Alabama and see if the new NCEES method of reporting who takes it in what state will affect you at all. Come to Virginia. You just need 3 PE letters of recommendation and 4 years of experience, none of which needs to be verified by a licensed PE. The only downside is, you'll be one of the last states to receive your results.


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## wilheldp_PE (Jun 17, 2010)

bbrams said:


> In Florida, applications for April 2010 were due in October 2010. I had to have all my experience by October.


Do they provide the time travel back to April once your application process is done, or do you have to find your own way back?


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## bbrams (Jun 18, 2010)

wilheldp_PE said:


> bbrams said:
> 
> 
> > In Florida, applications for April 2010 were due in October 2010. I had to have all my experience by October.
> ...


What do you think this PE exam is all about? For my exam I had to design and build a time machine.


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## sam314159 (Jun 21, 2010)

Thanks so much for all the replies guys, I feel much better about my options now.



HokieGirl said:


> Come to Virginia. You just need 3 PE letters of recommendation and 4 years of experience, none of which needs to be verified by a licensed PE. The only downside is, you'll be one of the last states to receive your results.


HokieGirl,

Taking the exam in Virginia sounds great! I have no problem with traveling or receiving my results later than everyone else. I sent an email to someone with the Alabama Board asking if it would be OK if I took the test in a state where they don't require the experience verified and this is the reply I got back:



' date= said:


> If you took and passed the exam in Puerto Rico, the exam would be accepted since it is a National exam. You would still be required to meet the 4 years experience requirement. Not really sure if the board will have an issue that you took the exam in PR prior to getting the experience.


That reply is a little vague to me. I don't understand what "not sure if the board would have an issue" means. I would have thought that these rules have been established and pretty much set in stone just like everything else with this exam. Is there a possibility that I could take the test and pass it in Virginia and then find out that I can not get my license in Alabama unless I retake the test?

Thanks again for all replies and suggestions.


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## momech (Jul 15, 2010)

sam314159 said:


> Thanks so much for all the replies guys, I feel much better about my options now.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


From http://www.ncees.org/Licensing_boards.php?...00&amp;show=all

which is specific to Alabama, you should be good.

If a comity applicant took the PE examination in another jurisdiction before obtaining the experience required in your jurisdiction, would your statutes require that the applicant retake the PE examination, even if the applicant has the experience required by your jurisdiction at the time of comity application?

No


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## miloc (Mar 14, 2011)

Guys, I'm in a "similar" situation. I used to work in a very small minority company, I was there for almost 4 years. Now, my former boss doesn't return my calls nor my emails. I moved to other state. Any ideas what to do? Can I ask a draftman to sign my paperwork?


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## envirotex (Mar 14, 2011)

miloc said:


> Guys, I'm in a "similar" situation. I used to work in a very small minority company, I was there for almost 4 years. Now, my former boss doesn't return my calls nor my emails. I moved to other state. Any ideas what to do? Can I ask a draftman to sign my paperwork?


I'm mot sure what state you are in, but in Texas verification of your experience doesn't have to be by your employer. It only has to be done by a PE. In my case, my experience was verified by two PEs that I worked with at the time, and a college professor who also holds a PE license. Contact your board, they'll let you know what you need.


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