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The Foundation for Your Future
by Mary Detloff, Assistant Executive Director of the Consulting
Engineers Council of Minnesota
Becoming a registered professional engineer is by far the most beneficial move I could have ever made to advance my career," says Stephanie Cross, PE, a project engineer with Mattson/Macdonald, a Minneapolis structural consulting engineering firm. "Having the PE designation behind my name provides me with more credibility and responsibility within the profession than anything else I could have done."
Although professional registration is optional, each engineering student should seriously consider it. Professional registration is necessary for anyone practicing as a consulting engineer and is highly recommended in many other arenas, including state agencies and some industries. "Once an engineer becomes registered, they are able to do their own work and sign their own plans," states Wally Ouse, president of mechanical/electrical consulting engineering firm Cain Ouse Associates in White Bear Lake. "We hire registered professionals because no one has to look over their shoulder. We want someone who knows what they're doing, and hiring a PE assures us of that."
The road to becoming a registered professional engineer begins, for most, in college. Twice each year, the Minnesota Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture, Geoscience, and Interior Design (the Board of Registration), the body which licenses and regulates Minnesota's design professionals, offers the opportunity to take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam. This eight-hour test, proctored only in the Twin Cities each fall and at several locations throughout Minnesota in the spring, covers all engineering disciplines. Those who pass the exam earn the designation of EIT: engineer-in-training. Those who do not pass are welcome to re-take the test as many times as they wish.
"I strongly encourage every IT student to take the FE exam, and take it before graduation," states Bob Rosene, PE, vice president of alumni services for the IT Alumni Board. "You may not need registration now, and might think you may never need it. But if you run into the requirement down the road, you will likely have a very difficult time passing the FE exam. I would suggest you take it now, while your education is fresh in your mind, and get it out of the way. Passing the FE exam puts one more arrow in your quiver and shows your peers and potential employers your pride and competence in your chosen profession."
Matt Ruble, an EIT currently working for consulting engineering firm Braun Intertec, took the FE exam in the spring of 1995 and felt it was similar to taking the SATs in high school. "There's no question the exam is tough," notes Ruble. "I took it because I want to become registered and work in the consulting field, which offers greater responsibility and more of a variety of projects than industry."
Arranging to take the exam is simple. Once a student has entered the senior year in or has graduated from an engineering curriculum, he or she must request an application packet from the Board of Registration. After returning the application and a $40 nonrefundable exam fee to the board, each applicant will receive a letter either approving or denying the request to sit for the exam. Approved applicants will be sent a Reference Handbook containing formulas, graphs, and other information of use on the exam, along with a Typical Questions book. Denied applicants will receive an exam fee refund.
Deadlines are extremely important. Students wishing to take the spring exam, always held on a Saturday in mid-April, must register by February 1. Similarly, students taking the fall exam, generally the last Saturday in October, must register by August 1.
The exam itself is divided into two four-hour sessions, according to Janet Skowronek, FE examination coordinator with the Board of Registration. The morning general session, in which all exam takers participate, consists of approximately 120 multiple choice questions. First introduced in 1996 was the new afternoon session, which consists of six different exams concentrating on different engineering disciplines. "Applicants now have a choice and can take the afternoon portion of the exam based on their educational background," says Skowronek. "They can choose from civil, chemical, mechanical, electrical, industrial, or general engineering for the afternoon exam, which provides an additional measure of familiarity for the exam takers and concentrates on the areas with which they are most experienced."
With the FE exam under their belts, EITs must accumulate four years of work experience before they become eligible to sit for the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam. "This four years of work experience starts to accrue the day a student graduates," notes Gayle Bjornberg, PE exam coordinator with the Board of Registration. "Minnesota's board may consider internships students had while in college as counting towards this required four years, but this is not the case in all states. We highly recommend that anyone wanting to take the PE wait until they have a full four years of post-college work behind them."
As with the FE exam, individuals should request an application packet from the Board of Registration, to be completed and returned with an $80 exam fee ($70 for those re-taking the test). Offered twice each year, the PE is proctored in both the Twin Cities and in Hibbing and includes multiple choice and essay questions. Each discipline has its own exam, but not all exams are offered on both the spring and fall dates. The civil, electrical, mechanical, environmental, structural, and chemical exams are offered in both April and October, while the agricultural, fire protection, control systems, industrial, manufacturing, metallurgical, mining/mineral, nuclear, and petroleum exams are only offered in the spring.
For students considering whether or not to pursue professional registration, it is important to remember the reasons for becoming a registered PE. Practicing as an engineer is an awesome responsibility. These professionals design a multitude of structures, systems, products, and processes that impact the lives of people around the world every day, and professional registration allows for the protection of the public's health and safety.
Consulting engineering is one option for those looking for a career offering responsibility, challenge and variety. "Rumor has it that consultants have it easy, with long lunches and big money," chuckles Ouse. "On the contrary, the work that we do is challenging because we are directly impacting the public. Everyone from state agencies to corporations to individual homeowners utilizes the services of consultants for projects of every type and size. No two projects are ever alike, so we have to stay sharp and keep our skills in shape."
One source that engineers can use for this purpose is the Consulting Engineers Council of Minnesota (CEC/M). This trade association, comprised of over 160 of Minnesota's consulting engineering firms, provides its members with many opportunities to refine their professional skills. CEC/M's nearly 7,000-person membership base can participate in a variety of educational programs, committee activities, legislative and agency liaisons, and other programs. Members meet frequently, both formally and informally, to discuss issues of concern to the consulting engineering community and work together to promote and protect the industry's interests.
CEC/M also provides resources for future engineers, including a membership directory, speaker's bureau, and annual scholarships. The annual directory includes descriptions of all member firms, including field(s) of practice, key principals, size of firm, and location. In addition, volunteers within the association are available throughout the year to speak to student groups, classes and other interested persons on the field of consulting engineering. Finally, CEC/M sponsors an annual scholarship program for engineering students. Applications are available through all student organizations and through IT Career Services beginning each November, with an application deadline near the end of January. Students interested in receiving a copy of the membership directory, securing a speaker, or applying for consulting engineering scholarships can contact CEC/M.
