# Part-time work towards PE



## jyeag (May 18, 2011)

Does part-time work count towards your 4 years of experience? I'm guessing it probably depends on the State, but I'm just curious to see if anyone knows anything about this.


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## Peele1 (May 19, 2011)

jyeag said:


> Does part-time work count towards your 4 years of experience? I'm guessing it probably depends on the State, but I'm just curious to see if anyone knows anything about this.


Yes, it depends. I think that in general, experience needs to be for a minimum number of months (3 seems common). Part-time work, at 20 hours per week would count 1/2 as much as FT work.

In my state, there is a section on the experience form for full or part-time work (less than 35 hours per week).

Alternatively, is your job part-time, or is your professional experience only part of your job? If it is say 50% of your job, then if you worked for 8 years, you'd have 4 years of qualifying experience. Check out your state board, laws and forms.


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## civilengineer75 (May 19, 2011)

Peele1 said:


> jyeag said:
> 
> 
> > Does part-time work count towards your 4 years of experience? I'm guessing it probably depends on the State, but I'm just curious to see if anyone knows anything about this.
> ...



Dude, you need to be comfortable with what you are doing. We have large groups of lives in our hands everyday. Think about this. A doctor screws up and one dies. An engineer screws up and all in the hospital die. Don't rush taking the exam. it is a huge responsibility. In our firm I have a policy that no person under 30 stamps anything. Experience and judgement come with time. Please rethink taking the exam until you have four full years of consectutive 40+ hour per week experience. Society is counting on us!


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## jyeag (May 19, 2011)

civilengineer75 said:


> Peele1 said:
> 
> 
> > jyeag said:
> ...


I completely agree and I'm actually asking about a coworker who wants to take the exam after 4 years of part-time work. Our state statutes are vague and only say "4 years of continuous work". I'm encouraging her to ask the board for clarification before applying for the exam and beginning to study.

I don't necessarily agree that someone under 30 is incapable of stamping plans; I do, however, agree that experience and judgment comes with time. Unfortunately, with the variability of work experience available, 4 years at one job might not be enough time where 2 years at another may be more than enough. All we as PE’s can do is understand the responsibility that comes with our stamp and act accordingly.


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## Exception Collection (May 19, 2011)

jyeag said:


> ... All we as PE’s can do is understand the responsibility that comes with our stamp and act accordingly.


Well put.

Our office has a similar policy to the one discussed higher up in the thread, not based on age - No P.E. stamp is used by a new employee (that has experience) for at least 6 months or a new license (just passed the exams) for anything of significance (i.e. letters/inspection reports excepted) without review by another in-office P.E. for at least 2 years. If it's an unusual project (within our general expertise but not exactly "standard" detail-wise), it needs to be discussed with both senior engineers (10-15 years of licensed experience each).


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