PE in certain states with Bachelor of Engineering Technology degree

[mshields]

I have the aforementioned degree from Temple University. I also have about 30 years of experience, am a PE via the FE and PE exams in MA and I happen to have one in NH as well but I will apparently never be licensed in the state of RI or for that matter other states who do not accept the BET degree. This is, in my humble opinion, insane and no doubt governed by a small group of people on their board looking to maintain their exclusivity. I have a young engineer who works under me who recently graduated with BS in Engineering 5 years ago and just passed his PE in Rhode Island. That he has his PE in RI is fine with me but that I can not speaks volumes to who this policy serves and does not serve.

My question is, do I have any recourse where these kinds of policies are literally limiting my value (by design I am certain) given my considerable experience and the fact that I passed the same test as everyone else?

Has anyone got any experience with this?

 

[gadfly56]

I have the aforementioned degree from Temple University. I also have about 30 years of experience, am a PE via the FE and PE exams in MA and I happen to have one in NH as well but I will apparently never be licensed in the state of RI or for that matter other states who do not accept the BET degree. This is, in my humble opinion, insane and no doubt governed by a small group of people on their board looking to maintain their exclusivity. I have a young engineer who works under me who recently graduated with BS in Engineering 5 years ago and just passed his PE in Rhode Island. That he has his PE in RI is fine with me but that I can not speaks volumes to who this policy serves and does not serve.

My question is, do I have any recourse where these kinds of policies are literally limiting my value (by design I am certain) given my considerable experience and the fact that I passed the same test as everyone else?

Has anyone got any experience with this?

Mike, please see here for the actual statute. As I read it, you can be registered under 5-8-11.b.1.iii as you have WAY more than the additional needed experience.

 

[petersonra]

I have the aforementioned degree from Temple University. I also have about 30 years of experience, am a PE via the FE and PE exams in MA and I happen to have one in NH as well but I will apparently never be licensed in the state of RI or for that matter other states who do not accept the BET degree. This is, in my humble opinion, insane and no doubt governed by a small group of people on their board looking to maintain their exclusivity. I have a young engineer who works under me who recently graduated with BS in Engineering 5 years ago and just passed his PE in Rhode Island. That he has his PE in RI is fine with me but that I can not speaks volumes to who this policy serves and does not serve.

My question is, do I have any recourse where these kinds of policies are literally limiting my value (by design I am certain) given my considerable experience and the fact that I passed the same test as everyone else?

Has anyone got any experience with this?

One could say the same thing about virtually all government run licensing schemes. I forget what state it was that recently changed their law so that one did not require a hair stylist license to braid hair. The hair stylist license required no training at all in braiding hair but it was forbidden to engage in the business of hair braiding without the license.

It is all but impossible no matter how skilled or experienced you are to get an electrician license in most states unless one has gone through an accredited electrician apprenticeship program.

I also have a technology degree so am generally not eligible for a PE license. it is just the way things are these days.

 

[gadfly56]

One could say the same thing about virtually all government run licensing schemes. I forget what state it was that recently changed their law so that one did not require a hair stylist license to braid hair. The hair stylist license required no training at all in braiding hair but it was forbidden to engage in the business of hair braiding without the license.

It is all but impossible no matter how skilled or experienced you are to get an electrician license in most states unless one has gone through an accredited electrician apprenticeship program.

I also have a technology degree so am generally not eligible for a PE license. it is just the way things are these days.

Come to NJ. You can get one here if your program was ABET accredited.

The Board requires graduation from an approved (ABET‐accredited) undergraduate curriculum
in engineering or engineering technology of four years or more.

Even if it wasn't, you might still be able to by having the school's curriculum vetted by a third party

 

[mayanees]

I have the aforementioned degree from Temple University. I also have about 30 years of experience, am a PE via the FE and PE exams in MA and I happen to have one in NH as well but I will apparently never be licensed in the state of RI or for that matter other states who do not accept the BET degree. This is, in my humble opinion, insane and no doubt governed by a small group of people on their board looking to maintain their exclusivity. I have a young engineer who works under me who recently graduated with BS in Engineering 5 years ago and just passed his PE in Rhode Island. That he has his PE in RI is fine with me but that I can not speaks volumes to who this policy serves and does not serve.

My question is, do I have any recourse where these kinds of policies are literally limiting my value (by design I am certain) given my considerable experience and the fact that I passed the same test as everyone else?

Has anyone got any experience with this?

Mike,

As gadfly56 points out, your apparent course of action is to pass the examination, which is no small task.

I grew up in Delaware and graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology and it was clear then that the Delaware Association of PEs required eight years experience with the BT, and more impactful to me was that DuPont wouldn't hire me without the BSEE degree, so I followed that route.

So I would ask you if the difference in the two degrees was ever emphasized to you when you were planning your school and class choices? I knew the BSEE was harder than the BSEET at RIT, but DuPont's hiring policy drove me to get the BSEE. I actually did go to work for them right out of school, but left after just 2 years.

I've been on the DAPE Law Enforcement and Ethics committee for 15 years now, and based on that tenure with such a bureaucracy, I think the only way to get Rhode Island to change their requirements and reciprocate with one of the states your licensed in now is to get the Board to modify their bylaws accordingly, which would be a daunting task.

I think this all goes back to where a State establishes their initial educational requirements, and then reciprocates with the other states that have the same requirements, so taking the test is likely your only option. I started looking into the Rhode Island PE application after I opened your entry, and it looked like you only needed an NCEES record. But based on gadfly56s reference, I'll bet that the NCEES record differentiates between the States with the BSEE vs BSEET requirements; but perhaps check that out.

Good luck. Fortunately MA is your base so it's not as significant.

John

 

[Jraef]

When I was in Washington State, I could have attained a PE with my BSEET, but I needed 3 recommendations from existing PEs and I couldn’t muster more than one, I wasn’t working for a firm that had other PEs or anything that gave me access to some. Then I moved to California where my BSEET doesn’t qualify from the get-go. Even if I had attained the PE in Washington, it doesn’t carry reciprocity with California. It does with Oregon and Alaska, maybe other states, not not CA. It’s just the way it is...

 

[dkarst]

Mike,

As gadfly56 points out, your apparent course of action is to pass the examination, which is no small task.


John

I think Mike passed both the the FE and PE exams so there are no more exams to be considered.

The issue of "mobility" of licenses is always desired at the national level. Everyone would like this to just be a call to free up your NCEES record and a cursory review and done. Unfortunately, anytime you are out of the "standard" with items like non-ABET degrees, foreign degrees, 4 yr BSEET degrees or even how much experience before taking PE exam, everything gets balled up. I try every time I get an opportunity to push this but of course every state wants every other state to change and we know how that goes.

 

[mshields]

Thanks for all the great input

Thanks for all the great input

I have, just to be clear, passed the EIT and PE exams. So I don't think anyone is asking me to run that gauntlet again. The 4 year program I graduated from was from Temple U and it was accredited. RI doesn't care. I'm told, adding insult to injury that if you have a BET degree from an accredited school in RI, you may pursue your PE via the usual 2 tests. It's just the none RI resident interlopers who are excluded; I'd love to know their rationalization for that!

As for what I should have done when I was 18 and making these decisions. What can I tell you? But again, in whose interest is it to exclude me from being a registered engineer in the state of RI given my experience and the fact that I've passed the same tests as everyone else. To take the additional credits to get the BSEE would involve taking courses that have no real world relevance to what we do. I actually looked into it at one point. I'd have to take, for example, thermodynamics. What a complete waste of time that would be.

Yes, I am aware I could get lots of different states including NJ that DO accept my degree along with my experience. But as it happens, I do a lot of work in RI. I have a colleague who stamps my work (after reviewing it - which is fine) but the truth of the matter is, I am the one ordinarily who checks his work owing to his experience level.

The whole thing is patently absurd. But I guess that's life.

Mike

 

[smoothops10]

As gadfly mentioned the ABET accreditation of the school is the main thing I believe. Even a BSEE is hard to use if it’s from non-ABET school. Take note young engineering students stumbling on this thread.

 

[retirede]

I'm told, adding insult to injury that if you have a BET degree from an accredited school in RI, you may pursue your PE via the usual 2 tests. It's just the none RI resident interlopers who are excluded; I'd love to know their rationalization for that!

I believe that all licensing schemes have an element of protectionism in their blood. Some more than others.

I also have a BSEET degree. I’m just lucky that my career path did not go a direction that would have required me to get a PE license.

 

[mshields]

very tactfully put

very tactfully put

there is little doubt in my mind that maintaining exclusivity is at play here.