The Professional Engineer System: Pros and Cons

Becoming a Professional Engineer is vital in one’s civil engineering career, but what are the steps?

First, one must complete the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam (FE). After passing, the engineer must complete 4 years of qualifying engineering experience (this may differ depending on the state). Finally, after many months of preparation, the engineer can take the Principals of Engineering Exam (PE), and become a Professional Engineers.

But why do civil engineers need this license? The PE license allows engineers to verify and stamp projects, which makes final plans official. This implicates the engineer in any mishaps that may have occurred in planning. Because of this, the PE was put into place that makes sure that only experienced engineers with an understanding of a project could verify a project.

What limits does this put in civil engineering? Despite the PE system providing stability and safety for engineers, it still has its flaws. Limiting the body of engineers that can verify a project may lead to bureaucracy, which can prevent a productive discussion of creating solutions. Also, the time that it takes to get a PE may hurt the innovation in this field. Preventing new engineers from leading projects may shun away any innovative ideas they have. And by the time they receive their PE, their ideas may have been suppressed even further after working under older engineers who are less inclined toward education.

The PE system provides stability, yes, but it may need to be restructured. If civil engineering wants to be a field that promotes efficiency and sustainability, engineers must create a system that allows young minds to innovate and create new practices and solutions.