How to be a Professional Engineer (PE)

written by Yiran Li

If you have the license of a professional engineer; to a client it means you've got the credentials to earn their trust, to an employer it signals your ability to take on a higher level of responsibility, among your colleagues it demands respect, to yourself it's a symbol of pride and measure of your own hard-won achievement.

To use the PE seal, engineers must complete several steps to ensure their competency.

1.      Earn a four-year degree in engineering from an accredited engineering program

2.      Pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam

3.      Complete four years of progressive engineering experience under a PE

4.      Pass the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam

Professional Engineers must maintain and improve their skills by fulfilling continuing education requirements depending on the state in which they are licensed. They need to take authorized courses regularly. Many higher level and responsible positions must be filled by licensed professional engineers. In the future, an increasing number of professions need Professional Engineering licenses to support their career requirements, like education. Many states start to ask for individual teaching engineering license.

References: https://www.nspe.org/resources/licensure
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