PE Exam - Electrical Discipline

[KnowledgeAcquirer]

Anyone out there that can shed some insight on the afternoon-specific session for the PE Exam - Electrical Discipline?

The PE Exam for the afternoon sessions allows one to concentrate in 1 of 3 areas: Computers; Electronics, Communications, and Control; or Power.

The few PEs that I personally know took the Power area simply because that is the area that they work in and that is where the jobs were when they took the exam.

Most of my working experience has been in the industry-exempt areas of space/ground architecture, satellite system design, VLSI design, WAN/LAN, space/ground communications, etc.

My question basically is: How does a PE designation helps if a person took the Computers or Electronics, Communications, and Control afternoon exam?

It seems all the PE positions in the EE discipline are in Power.

 

[benbo]

Anyone out there that can shed some insight on the afternoon-specific session for the PE Exam - Electrical Discipline?
The PE Exam for the afternoon sessions allows one to concentrate in 1 of 3 areas: Computers; Electronics, Communications, and Control; or Power.

The few PEs that I personally know took the Power area simply because that is the area that they work in and that is where the jobs were when they took the exam.

Most of my working experience has been in the industry-exempt areas of space/ground architecture, satellite system design, VLSI design, WAN/LAN, space/ground communications, etc.

My question basically is: How does a PE designation helps if a person took the Computers or Electronics, Communications, and Control afternoon exam?

It seems all the PE positions in the EE discipline are in Power.

The question is not so much which Afternoon module you take, but where you intend to work in the future. Nobody will ever know which module you took unless they make a point of asking you. If you intend to continue working in the fields you describe, the PE would probably be of minimal help to your career, although it may add to personal satisfaction and be another credential for the resume. I suspect that significant experience in any of the areas you describe will not leave you unemployed for long, as they are all highly sought after and well compensated areas of expertise.

In my case, I currently work for government and it was required for any advancement, and gave me a salary bump. . But most of my experience is in aerospace is in exempt areas as well. Although my work is power related, I took ECC because that was whre my knowledge was.

 

[KnowledgeAcquirer]

The question is not so much which Afternoon module you take, but where you intend to work in the future. Nobody will ever know which module you took unless they make a point of asking you. If you intend to continue working in the fields you describe, the PE would probably be of minimal help to your career, although it may add to personal satisfaction and be another credential for the resume. I suspect that significant experience in any of the areas you describe will not leave you unemployed for long, as they are all highly sought after and well compensated areas of expertise.
In my case, I currently work for government and it was required for any advancement, and gave me a salary bump. . But most of my experience is in aerospace is in exempt areas as well. Although my work is power related, I took ECC because that was whre my knowledge was.

 

[KnowledgeAcquirer]

Thank you for your input and prompt response.

I passed the April 2008 FE Exam (1st time I've taken such an exam though I have been working for over 25 years).

Next question that I would seek input is respect to the requirement of the State that I reside in, requiring verification of having performed work under a licensed engineer in the same discipline.

None of the engineers that I worked for, or managers for that matter, much less the engineers under me, had taken the FE or PE exam (i.e., unlicensed engineers in so-called industry-exempt areas).

At this point, this would require me to apply and take the PE Exam in another jurisdiction.

Yes, circuit design for electronics for medical equipment did not require a "Plan Stamp" or review/approval of a PE. Neither did satellite or WAN/LAN designs and installations.

I am pursuing the PE designation since the State that I reside in requires it for any position titled Engineer, even for work that is primarily entry using AutoCAD.

Any insight or advice that you or anyone else could provide would be greatly appreciated.

From what I can surmise from the NCEES Sample Exams, my background and experience has me best prepared for Computers and ECC. However, I am seriously looking at the Power section since all the jobs in this State are in this area, and the reason that they require a PE.

The question is not so much which Afternoon module you take, but where you intend to work in the future. Nobody will ever know which module you took unless they make a point of asking you. If you intend to continue working in the fields you describe, the PE would probably be of minimal help to your career, although it may add to personal satisfaction and be another credential for the resume. I suspect that significant experience in any of the areas you describe will not leave you unemployed for long, as they are all highly sought after and well compensated areas of expertise.
In my case, I currently work for government and it was required for any advancement, and gave me a salary bump. . But most of my experience is in aerospace is in exempt areas as well. Although my work is power related, I took ECC because that was whre my knowledge was.

 

[UTKSPARKHEAD]

My experience has primarily been in controls (PLC's and DCS implementation and maintenance.) I looked at the three afternoon options and the last time I used a Laplace transform was in 1982 in collage. Most of the information that I found recommended the power module. I started studying in December worked all the examples and companion problems in the EE review manual. Then worked all the problems in the six minute solutions (I found this very helpful in getting timing down) then worked a sample test. I did some additional reading on rotating machines, transmission systems and fault analysis (PU calc's) collage JR level courses. I passed the April exam (first attempt after being out of school for 25 years).

 

[KnowledgeAcquirer]

Thanks UTKSPARKHEAD.

I did the same approach (looked at the different modules for the FE Afternoon Exam) and decided on the Electrical discipline and managed to pass the FE exam on my first try after being out of school for eons (26 years).

One thing that really concerns me is that the rapid changes that occur in EE, especially with respect to Computers and ECC. Other PEs have told me that at least Power hasn't changed that much (but then again, they are Power EEs). As one of the PEs have stated, "Yeah, but power doesn't follow Moore's Law but Computers and ECC do."

I'll prepare for all 3 areas and check out the 3 modules before actually deciding on which one to take that afternoon.

My experience has primarily been in controls (PLC's and DCS implementation and maintenance.) I looked at the three afternoon options and the last time I used a Laplace transform was in 1982 in collage. Most of the information that I found recommended the power module. I started studying in December worked all the examples and companion problems in the EE review manual. Then worked all the problems in the six minute solutions (I found this very helpful in getting timing down) then worked a sample test. I did some additional reading on rotating machines, transmission systems and fault analysis (PU calc's) collage JR level courses. I passed the April exam (first attempt after being out of school for 25 years).