Below is a list of articles on this page written about Engineering Business.

• Engineering Continuing Education – What are Professional Development Hours?
• Engineering Continuing Education – What is the Future of Engineering?
• Engineering Continuing Education - The Benefits of Online PDH Courses

Author: Joe Alvin Haun, PE, MSE
Date: September 16, 2010

Suppose in a few months you will be renewing your Professional Engineering license. Going through the checklist, you notice that you need a few more engineering continuing education credits. Oh no, there is not enough time left to register for a college class or find a convention or seminar in your local area. What are you going to do? What about online? Are there any websites offering engineering continuing education courses? Yes there are. You have found several websites, but will your State Licensure Board accept the courses? And what is the difference between a Continuing Education Unit (CEU) and Professional Development Hour (PDH)?

Many engineers with a Professional Engineer license obtain their techcal and managerial skills by mostly attending professional monthly meetings, which generally accumulate 0.5 PDH per meeting, and either attending conferences or seminars, where 1 or more PDHs are offered for each presentation. At least 30 states require continuing education units with the minimum requirement usually 15 PDHs per year or 30 PDHs every two years. The courses have to be related to engineering and can be on topics that are technical, ethical, or managerial. According to the National Society of Professional Engineers, one acceptable activity to earn PDHs is attending continuing education courses. Online courses are usually acceptable in all states, but a few states do limit the number of online courses. Five states (New York, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Oklahoma) require the State Licensure Board to pre-approval of PDH sponsors. Licensees should look into their state's requirements.

Licensed engineers, on a voluntary or mandated basis, attend continuing education courses not only for licensure renewal but also to ensure competency. These engineers earn Professional Development Hours (PDH) for attending these courses. A Professional Development Hour is considered one contact hour of course work of either instruction or presentation. The licensee is responsible for maintaining records to be used to support credits claimed. Currently, 30 of the 50 states mandate ongoing education to maintain competency for licensed engineers.

1 Continuing Education Unit (CEU) = 10 Professional Development Hours (PDH)

Examples:

1 hour luncheon with presentation 0.05 CEUs = 0.5 PDHs

1 day seminar granting 0.7 CEUs = 7 PDHs

1.5 day seminar granting 1 CEU = 10 PDHs

2 day seminar granting 1.3 CEUs = 13 PDHs

3 day seminar granting 2 CEUs = 20 PDHs

In this article we have discussed what a professional development hour is for engineers. Many states are requiring that engineers attend these courses to stay current in their area of expertise. For the most part engineers are required to qualify and document the course they have completed each renewal period. In our rapidly changing industry completing the appropriate course can be the difference between an employed and an unemployed engineer.

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Engineering Continuing Education – What is the Future of Engineering?

Author: Joe Alvin Haun, PE, MSE
Date: September 13, 2010

With the current down turn in the economy many engineers have loss their jobs or worried that they maybe losing their job soon. Budget constraints both in the public and private sector are forcing to think about how secure the jobs really are. But as we all know this recession will not last forever. Sooner or later the promised recovery will begin. The question is what engineering will benefit from the renewed economy and which ones will not fair so well? There is no real crystal ball, but there are clear indicators that every engineer should be aware of and make preparations accordingly.

Engineers will need to continue their education to stay up with the latest technologies to offer their clients the best solutions. Most of the State Licensing Boards require Professional Engineers to renew their professional licenses periodically with a minimum number of continuing education units. These units are usually Professional Development Hours (PDH) or Continuing Education Units (CEU). One PDH is equivalent to one hour of course education, and one CEU is equivalent to ten PDH or ten hours of course education. Some engineers may find that their profession is not growing or trailing behind may need to change careers or strength their technical knowledge.

One of the best indicators of upcoming markets is to know what the baby boomer generation needs and wants. The baby boomers, the individuals born between 1945 and 1964, are now approaching retirement age. Many will be retiring and will require some medical and health assistance. They will also want medication to appear young as long as possible. Obviously fields that support this industry will do very well. The most likely profession to benefit is Biomedical Engineers. They are necessary to improve new medical devices and equipment. In addition, new facilities will be required for the aging population. Independent Living Facilities and senior communities will rise in demand. This will definitely improve prospects for Civil and Mechanical Engineers.

Another field that will continue to have a high demand for engineers is the environmental fields, which includes new green products, renewable energy, water resources, and wastewater management. The United States will continue to encourage renewable energy including wind and solar power with government grants and other types of funding. These projects will generate numerous jobs for Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. As the population continues to expand a greater demand will be placed on housing and our water resources and wastewater management. These increased demands will increase jobs for Civil and Environmental Engineers.

Due to the increasing population and aging facilities, the government will also need to expand and improve the country’s infrastructure. Roads, bridges, dams, railways, airports, and utilities throughout the country will need greater attention. These improvements will also increase the demand for Civil Engineers.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Occupational Outlook Handbook”, 2010-11 Edition, over the next decade, 2008 to 2018, the engineering field should grow by 11%. In 2008 engineers held 1.6 million jobs in the United States. A little more than 45% of all engineers are employed by the three leading professions; Civil, Mechanical, and Industrial engineers. As expected the three smallest engineering professions are highly specialized; Agricultural, Mining and Safety, and Marine and Naval Engineers.

Another surprise was that about 3 percent of engineers in 2008 were self-employed, many as consultants. This means that 97% of engineers are employed by the government or private firms.

One would think that most engineers are employed by the government, but according to the report about 12 percent of engineers in 2008 were employed by the Federal, State, and local governments, and about half of them were in the Federal Government, mainly in the U.S. Departments of Defense, Transportation, Agriculture, Interior, and Energy, and in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Many engineers in State and local government agencies worked in highway and public works departments.

Approximately 45% of all engineers are employed in three professions; Civil, Mechanical, and Industrial engineering.

Three leading employed engineering professions

1. Civil Engineers - 278,400
2. Mechanical Engineers - 238,700
3. Industrial Engineers - 214,800

Three lowest employed engineering professions

1. Agricultural engineers - 2,700
2. Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers - 7,100
3. Marine engineers and naval architects - 8,500

The three engineering professions expecting the highest growth rate over the decade are Biomedical, Environmental, and Civil engineering. These professions provide professional services in the industries which are expected to have the most significant growth. These fields include Health and Medical, Environmental Technologies, Infrastructure including transportation and utilities, and Water Resources and Waste Management. These industries also require the engineers to be local to provide the necessary services.

In addition to openings from job growth, many openings will be created by the need to replace current engineers who retire; transfer to management, sales, or other occupations; or leave engineering for other reasons.

The three slowest growing engineering professions are Chemical, Electrical and Electronics, and Computer Hardware engineers. These particular professions are receiving extreme competition from outside of the United States. Also note that these professions are not required for the most part to hold a Professional Engineering license. Companies are finding that engineers in other countries in electrical, computer, and chemical industries can provide the same service for a far lower salary or fee.

Three leading Job Growth rate engineering professions

1. Biomedical Engineers - 72%
2. Environmental Engineers - 31%
3. Civil Engineers - 24%

Three laggards in Job Growth rate

1. Chemical Engineers - (-2%)
2. Electrical and Electronics Engineers - 1%
3. Computer Hardware Engineers - 4%

The three engineering professions with highest initial salary are in petroleum, chemical, and mining industries. Petroleum and Mining Engineers are expected to have a growth rate of 18% and 15% respectively over the decade, while Chemical Engineering is expected to decline by 2%.

The three engineering professions with the lowest starting salaries are Civil Biomedical, and Agricultural. Civil, Biomedical and Agricultural Engineers are expected to have a growth rate of 24%, 72% and 12% respectively over the decade.

Three leading Starting Median Salaries engineering professions

1. Petroleum Engineers - $83,121
2. Chemical Engineers - $64,902
3. Mining and Mineral Engineers - $64,404

Three laggards Starting Salaries

1. Civil Engineers - $52,048
2. Biomedical Engineers - $54,158
3. Agricultural Engineers - $54,352

So what is the lesson? The engineering professions that require a local engineer usually with a Professional Engineer license will remain in high demand; especially Civil Engineers. Engineering fields that can be replaced by foreign engineers and do not require a Professional Engineering license will suffer. Engineers who have not kept current in their field may find themselves at a disadvantage when seeking promotions or during layoffs. The best way to stay current is through continuing education courses.

In this article we have discussed the future of engineering. Although for some the future looks bleak right now, the number of new engineering jobs is projected to grow. Many of the new industries will require engineers. The main way to ensure employment is to be aware of the demand for your profession and to stay current with the latest engineering skills; technical, ethical, and managerial. Acquiring the necessary skills can be the difference between an employed and an unemployed engineer.

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Engineering Continuing Education – The Benefits of Online PDH Courses

Author: Joe Alvin Haun, PE, MSE
Date: September 18, 2010

Suppose in a few months you will be renewing your Professional Engineering license. Going through the checklist, you notice that you need continuing education courses. Oh no, there is not enough time left to register for a college class or find a convention or seminar in your local area. What are you going to do? What about online? Are there any websites offering engineering courses? Yes, there are. You have found several websites, but will your State Licensure Board accept these courses? And what is the difference between a Continuing Education Unit (CEU) and Professional Development Hour (PDH)?

For the most part engineers are very conservative when it comes to trying something new. Although online engineering courses have been around for more than a decade, many engineers may not think of obtaining their professional development hours through a course on the internet. There are many advantages to this form of continuing education.

If you are like me, you have paid many thousands of dollars for continuing education over the years. Conventions and seminars can cost $300 to $500 a day for registration, and then there is the cost of meals, lodging and travel expenses. Even if you are lucky and the convention is in your home town, you still will have lost time at the office. There has to be a better way to obtaining continuing education units. Of course, you could take a continuing education course at a college or university. These classes are usually designed to appeal to a mass audience and are rarely specific enough for engineering. The better technique is to take an actually college engineering course, but that can consume a lot of time.

Since much of engineering can be observed or read, online study courses can have some major advantages over the traditional sources of continuing education.

Convenience

• Online courses are available on you own schedule
• Self-paced - You can learn as fast or as slow as you want
• Does not require your physical presence at location of the seminar
• You can study wherever you want to - At home, work, in the library
• Courses are available 24/7
• You can read the material online or download them for reading later

Flexibility

• Online courses are student-centered by accommodating your preferences and needs
• Choose instructor-led or self-study courses
• Skip over material you already know and focus on topics you'd like to learn
• Use the tools best suited to your learning styles

Selection

• Courses available in all engineering disciplines, ethics, and managerial
• Courses are available for the individual as while as the group

Cost

• Some courses are free
• Many courses are available in a wide range of prices
• No travel expenses
• No lodging expenses
• No lost work hours

Accreditation

• Engineering continuing education courses credit the engineer with Professional Development Hours (PDH) or Continuing Education Units (CEU)
• Many courses are accredited, but in most states this is not a requirement
• It is the responsibility of the engineer to ensure the course meets the state requirements

As you can see, online courses have many benefits that are well suited for the engineer. With online courses the engineer can quickly obtain the number of PDH or CEU required for licensing renewal and to gain the necessary knowledge in technical applications.

In this article we have discussed why online continuing education courses are a good benefit for the engineer. Although there are number of other sources, the benefits of online learning are far more convenient and less expensive. Online websites offer many engineering courses; technical, ethical, and managerial. For the most part these courses are acceptable to State Licensure Boards for renewing Professional Engineering licenses.
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