Eligibility questions for the PE, please help.

[NaderShaheen]

I am an electrical engineer, having obtained my degree from Ohio State. I worked for about 2 years with an industrial construction/engineering firm creating designs for new constructions/additions. I have since left that position in favor of working for a utility-scale solar company as an electrical engineer. My first job had me working under multiple PE's however at my new company, they do not employ a PE but rather contract a 3rd party engineering firm for review and signage. Out of curiosity, I contacted the Ohio Board to confirm this experience would be okay when it came time for my exam application, however, a member of the board told me that I'm required to be under "direct supervision" of a PE, and that third-party contracting would not be acceptable.

Considering a PE must be involved with a project from start-to-finish regardless of employer this feels incredibly unfair so I started contacting other states to find one that would accept "third-party" PE supervision as acceptable, but so far every other state has told me they can't confirm or deny, and that I'll have to wait for a decision to be made after I apply and/or I should consider having a lawyer make a case for me when the time comes. This seems super risky considering I may end up wasting two years earning experience that doesn't actually count toward my 4 years and so I feel my next best option is to find a different job which would be really terrible since I just started barely two months ago.

Has anyone ever had a similar experience and successfully made a case for themselves? What state was it in? Any advice, thoughts, or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[snickerd3]

this shouldn't deter you from taking the test, as long as the state you plan on filing for licensure allows the test to be taken before experience is gained. Ohio apparently has to approve before you test? I;d check on Ohio's rules for if you have license in another state.

 

[snickerd3]

IL no longer requires board approval to test. YOu can take the test whenever then apply for a license when you have the needed experience.

 

[NaderShaheen]

I suppose my question is if the experience I would gain through a third-party PE signing my drawings is acceptable for the purposes of me obtaining my license someday.

 

[snickerd3]

if you are wanting an Ohio license since that is what you included in the original post...check their requirements for Comity or Reciprocity licensure. Some just require a NCEES record for accepting other state's Licenses.

Illinois allows for exemptions, but there isn't a guarantee. You have to make you case to the board.

Or you just wait until you do get two more yrs under a PE. Your current company obviously isn't interested in have licensed staff so you would never need it at your current place of employment.

 

[Reverse Polish]

I am an electrical engineer, having obtained my degree from Ohio State. I worked for about 2 years with an industrial construction/engineering firm creating designs for new constructions/additions. I have since left that position in favor of working for a utility-scale solar company as an electrical engineer. My first job had me working under multiple PE's however at my new company, they do not employ a PE but rather contract a 3rd party engineering firm for review and signage. Out of curiosity, I contacted the Ohio Board to confirm this experience would be okay when it came time for my exam application, however, a member of the board told me that I'm required to be under "direct supervision" of a PE, and that third-party contracting would not be acceptable.

Considering a PE must be involved with a project from start-to-finish regardless of employer this feels incredibly unfair so I started contacting other states to find one that would accept "third-party" PE supervision as acceptable, but so far every other state has told me they can't confirm or deny, and that I'll have to wait for a decision to be made after I apply and/or I should consider having a lawyer make a case for me when the time comes. This seems super risky considering I may end up wasting two years earning experience that doesn't actually count toward my 4 years and so I feel my next best option is to find a different job which would be really terrible since I just started barely two months ago.

Has anyone ever had a similar experience and successfully made a case for themselves? What state was it in? Any advice, thoughts, or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

If the ultimate goal is to obtain licensure in Ohio, then you need to follow the Ohio board's rules and regulations. If you take the exam in a different state, as suggested by snickerd3, then Ohio will still want you to have the requisite work experience under a licensed PE prior to granting you a license. I think (someone check me on this) that Ohio also requires you to have this experience *before* sitting for the exam (regardless of where you sit for the exam).

 

[steel]

If the ultimate goal is to obtain licensure in Ohio, then you need to follow the Ohio board's rules and regulations. If you take the exam in a different state, as suggested by snickerd3, then Ohio will still want you to have the requisite work experience under a licensed PE prior to granting you a license. I think (someone check me on this) that Ohio also requires you to have this experience *before* sitting for the exam (regardless of where you sit for the exam).

Correct. Ohio requires board approval to sit for the exam. As does Pennsylvania. West Virginia, however, does not require board approval.