Overcoming Test Anxiety

The FE/PE exam is one of the most important tests that an engineer will take in his or her career, so, it is natural to be a bit anxious while preparing for and taking this exam. The anxiety or nervousness that one feels before and during the exam is known as test anxiety. 

According to www.verywellmind.com [1], "test anxiety is a physiological condition in which people experience some distress and anxiety in testing situations." To some degree, most people experience performance anxiety, especially if they are in situations where the pressure is on and good performance counts. This can happen before, during, and after the exam. In some instances, the anxiety levels are so high that people become completely impaired resulting in poor performance and even failure of the exam. 

Test anxiety can be caused by a combination of things. Typically, it may be caused by past poor performance, not being prepared, poor study habits, or an underlying anxiety problem. Test anxiety can affect anyone-both those who are prepared and those who are ill prepared. If you have experienced an increase in your stress levels on an exam that resulted in failure, you must first recognize what is happening and use these tips to help you combat this problem. 

Test anxiety symptoms affect everyone differently. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, symptoms of test anxiety can be physical, behavioral, cognitive, and emotional [2]. Headaches, upset stomach, rapid heart rate and breathing, and lightheadedness are common symptoms of physical test anxiety. In severe cases, people can become nauseous and short of breath. Common behavioral and cognitive symptoms include negative thinking, difficulty focusing, and test avoidance. This happens often when students compare themselves with other students. Emotional symptoms include feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, fear, anger, disappointment, and low self-esteem. 

According to the Mayo Clinic [3], it is possible to reduce test anxiety and increase performance by adapting certain strategies. Study efficiently by taking advantage of study techniques and test-taking strategies. It is better to study a little at a time over a longer period of time rather than cramming for the exam at the last minute. Try keeping a study schedule and sticking with it. Make sure you are in communication with your teacher, especially for concepts that you do not fully understand. Focus on staying calm and being confident. Learn to redirect your thoughts and feelings of negativity when they arise. Drink plenty of water and eat a balanced, brain-fueling diet. Regular exercise is known to produce positive endorphins. Finally, if these self-help techniques are not working, you can always seek professional guidance for other strategies to help you. Incorporate test-taking strategies. On the day of the exam, remember that each exam question is scored the same, so it is recommended to read through the exam booklet and label each problem in increasing order of difficulty (for example, easier problems first, allowing additional time for more difficult problems). 

References:

[1] https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-test-anxiety-2795368

[2] https://www.princetonreview.com/college-advice/test-anxiety

[3] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/generalized-anxiety-disorder/expert-answers/test-anxiety/faq-20058195

Reducing Utility Cuts

If you've ever driven in an urban or residential area, you've probably encountered a utility cut. A utility cut is a section of pavement that has been removed to perform maintenance or repair on some part of the underground infrastructure-telecommunications, gas, water, power, storm and sanitary sewer, and so on. The condition of underground infrastructure is very difficult to monitor and maintain. In fact, some of the pipe infrastructures may be at least 150 years old with little to no maintenance. Failures and repairs are a common occurrence and cause great concern for agencies trying to maintain roadways. The Manual for Controlling and Reducing the Frequency of Pavement Utility Cuts by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) was developed to provide information to state and local agencies as they attempt to protect their infrastructure and maintain control of access to the public right of way. This is accomplished in two ways: develop a policy to regulate the frequency of utility cuts; and offer incentives to use more up-to-date technologies during utility construction. 

State and local agencies know the effects of excessive pavement utility cuts on their highways and streets. These problems include excessive delays in traffic due to lane closures, increased traffic congestion and air quality concerns, damage to tires and vehicles caused by pavement roughness, increased deterioration of the pavement structure, and an increase in the funding needed to maintain, rehabilitate, and reconstruct pavements. 

Utility cuts increase the roughness and rideability of the pavement surface resulting in both structural failures where the pavement cannot carry the traffic load and functional failure where the pavement surface does not provide a smooth ride for drivers. Left unattended, functional failures can become structural failures. For example, stormwater can undermine a utility cut and saturate the base causing failure. As urbanization and demand continue to increase, these effects will become more frequent if traditional trenching remains the standard of practice. 

Local governments are now trying to implement public policy and initiatives to improve the quality of street repairs. These initiatives fall into three categories: incentives, fees, and regulations. Some examples of incentive-based fees are performing higher quality pavement cuts (such as infrared asphalt repair), using trenchless technology, and coordinating with other utilities to share trench repairs. Examples of fee-based policies are assessing permit fees, penalties for failed repairs within a certain period, implementing rental fees, and assessing pavement degradation fees. Examples of regulation-based policies include establishing a moratorium period that restricts trench construction on new pavement surfaces, requiring a larger area of repair (such as paving at least one lane), requiring utility owners to meet or exceed repair standards, and enhancing inspection requirements. 

Although offering incentives and affecting public policy are effective, state and local agencies must still maintain the order in how these utility cuts are performed by integrating technology. Agencies must be open to emerging technologies-such as horizontal direction drilling, pipe bursting, and augur and slurry boring-and be fully supportive of changing the norm. Overall, this twofold method has been proven effective in helping agencies reduce the frequency of utility cuts and ultimately the deteriorate of the pavement surface. 

Reference Link:

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/utilities/utilitycuts/mantoc.cfm

Full Depth Reclamation: Sustainable Pavement Rehabilitation

According to the 2017 ASCE Infrastructure Report Card, our nation's roadway infrastructure is in poor condition. There is an ever-increasing backlog of rehabilitation needs with minimal resources. In fact, this underfunded system needs approximately $420 billion to repair roadways. As our nation's infrastructure continues to decline, agencies are tasked with maintaining and rehabilitating roads with shrinking budgets and costly construction. With that, engineers must explore cost-effective, sustainable techniques to maintain and rehabilitate pavement. 

One such technique is full-depth reclamation (FDR). It is typically 25% to 50% less expensive than removal and replacement and could be an answer to help improve our nation's roadways. The FDR method involves using a road reclaimer to pulverize the existing base and asphalt, mixing the material with cement and water and compacting it in place with rollers. Asphalt or concrete is used as the surface material. The results are a stronger, more uniform and moisture-resistant pavement system. 

FDR is known to increase the structural capacity and durability of the pavement structure, decrease the construction schedule, reduce impacts on the public due to construction, reduce the carbon footprint, and increase the life expectancy of the pavement. The materials used are reduced since the existing pavement remains in place unless some portion of material is removed to maintain a specific elevation. The stiffer base exhibits characteristics of a slab, and there is a reduction in deflections caused by traffic loading, thus extending the pavement life. 

There are three types of FDR stabilization methods: mechanical, chemical, and bituminous. Mechanical stabilization is when the existing pavement and base are pulverized, mixed with granular aggregate, crushed concrete, or recycled asphalt pavement (RAP), and compacted. This method relies on particles of the granular aggregate and pulverized mixture to interlock. Chemical stabilization is the most common method. This is when the existing material is pulverized, and a chemical is added with water and compacted. The most common materials added are Portland cement, lime, and Class C of F fly ash. Bituminous stabilization is achieved when the pulverized asphalt and base are mixed with an emulsified asphalt or foamed asphalt. 

Most roadway systems are good candidates for FDR. Roads that have excessive rutting, patching or alligator cracking in the wheel path, or show signs of base failure are all good reasons to consider FDR. However, there are some instances when FDR alone will not fix the issue, such as projects that have drainage problems (like saturated subgrade). FDR can still be done, but geotextile fabric should be incorporated into the design. All in all, agencies must perform extensive pavement condition surveys and try to determine the causes of distress before FDR is chosen. Other factors to consider are future traffic loads and the location of existing utilities. The FDR process and pulverizing equipment can exceed 18 inches in depth, so having a clear picture of where these utilities are prior to design is important. 

Reference Links:

https://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Roads-Final.pdf

https://www.cement.org/docs/default-source/fdr/guide_to_fdr_with_cement_jan_2019.pdf

Taking the FE Exam While You're Still in College

As an NCEES exam prep provider, we are often asked by potential students when they should take the FE exam. Should they take it after gaining some experience after college? Should they take it in college? Every student is different, but we believe there are benefits to taking the FE exam while in college. 

Engineering students may have an advantage over other FE examinees because the information needed to take and pass the exam is fresh in their minds. Think about it: those students are attending engineering classes all day and studying for college exams. The information they are learning in college most likely mimics the information that the FE exam requires examinees to know and understand. 

NCEES actually promotes the FE exam as a test for college students or recent graduates, claiming the exam "is designed for recent graduates and students who are close to finishing an undergraduate engineering degree from an EAC/ABET-accredited program."

In many states, individuals are required to take and pass the FE exam before taking the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam. So, the earlier one takes and passes the FE exam, the earlier in their career they can become a licensed engineer. Engineering licensure has a variety of benefits, including the ability to sign project documents, the ability to open a firm, and so on. 

Those who obtain their professional engineering license will get a jump start on getting a higher salary. Those who are licensed earlier in their career will most likely earn more at a younger age as opposed to those who wait. According to the NCEES website, "Salary studies show that as a PE, you can expect to earn significantly more throughout your career." 

Have we convinced you to take the FE exam while you're still in college? If so, we can help you prepare you for the exam. College courses are a great bonus when studying for an exam but may not cover absolutely everything you need to know for the FE exam. Consider taking an online FE exam review course to ensure that you are completely prepared to take it with confidence.

How to Begin Preparing for Success on the PE Exam

Passing the Principles and Practices (PE) exam is a high achievement for engineers. It represents responsibility-high expectations, priorities, and demands-and operating with an even greater standard of care to protect the health, safety, and welfare of society. The traditional path to achieve this success is to first obtain an undergraduate, graduate, or postgraduate degree from an ABET-accredited institution and successfully pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam. To obtain PE licensure, you must gain at least four years' experience and pass the PE exam. Some states require you to have the experience before you take the exam. Each year, students have two opportunities to prepare for and pass the exam administered through the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). There are many resources available to students to assist them through this process. Selecting the most appropriate study material, developing a study schedule, and implementing test-taking strategies and techniques can present challenges. Many people don't know how to begin to prepare for such an exam. There is an abundance of resources available to examinees, such as publications, refresher courses, and practice exams. Concepts, exam problems, and scoring also change with each exam offering.

To begin preparing for the exam, candidates must submit an application with all requirements and be approved to take the exam by their respective licensing boards. Candidates must also register for examination directly through the NCEES (www.ncees.org). Each exam offered by the NCEES has downloadable specifications that provide concepts examinees will be tested on. The PE exam is an eight-hour, open-book exam containing 40 breadth questions in the morning portion and 40 depth questions in the afternoon portion. The NCEES offers 17 different PE exams that correspond to different engineering disciplines. All exam specifications contain design standards that test the specific knowledge of that depth discipline. 

It is highly recommended that students obtain the correct editions of all design standards required for their respective disciplines. Design standards are undoubtedly expensive, and often candidates must purchase these references with no financial assistance. Although expensive, candidates must adopt the perspective that the PE exam is a worthy career investment. The chances for a successful outcome vary linearly with the amount of resources utilized. Design standards are large and can be overwhelming to examinees, especially if they aren't used in everyday practice.

It is also highly advisable that students opt to take a PE exam preparation course to help them navigate through design publications. Courses such as those offered by School of PE review concepts with students and teach them the most effective way to study. Courses are developed by practicing engineers and past exam data. Another useful tool is for candidates to obtain supplemental publications that will allow them to practice problems. The NCEES and School of PE offer students that opportunity through exam practice problems. The more candidates practice working through problems, the better their chances for success. Candidates should end exam preparation with timed practice exams.

How Offering Corporate Learning Opportunities Benefits an Engineering Firm

Are you an engineering firm? Do you offer corporate learning opportunities to your engineers? 

In the modern work-place industry, companies nationwide are stepping back and reevaluating the benefits they offer to their employees to retain employee retention and to help their employees feel appreciated. One popular benefit many corporations are investing in includes corporate learning opportunities. 

Offering employees learning opportunities provides a wide array of benefits not only for the employee but also for the engineering firm or business itself. 

Benefits of Corporate Learning for Engineers

Table of Contents

1. Retain Employees

2. Increase Employee Knowledge

3. Stand Out in the Industry for Job Seekers

4. Fill Internal Knowledge Gaps

5. Conclusion: Investing in Corporate Learning Can Greatly Benefit an Engineering Firm

1. Retain Employees

For an organization to stay competitive, they must be able to retain employees and avoid high turnover at all costs. Those organizations that focus on employee engagement tend to have fewer employees quit, therefore saving money by avoiding spending money on hiring and training new employees to replace current employees. 

If an employee does quit, the business could 

• Lose valuable employee knowledge and talent 
• Decrease overall employee engagement 
• Lose overall project productivity 

2. Increase Employee Knowledge

By offering learning opportunities to employees, an engineering firm is, in turn, strengthening the knowledge of its employees. The more employees learn, the more the firm itself is benefited. 

For an engineering firm that lacks in licensed professional engineers, for example, the firm could host a PE exam prep course for its employees to help prepare them for the licensing exam. Employees that participate would have the opportunity to learn more advanced engineering concepts. Also, having a decent amount of licensed engineers would help the reputation of an engineering firm. 

3. Stand Out in the Industry for Job Seekers

As mentioned before, having great benefits can help market a firm in various ways, especially to job seekers. Firms who have good employee benefits typically have an easier time hiring new talent compared to firms that don't. 

4. Fill Internal Knowledge Gaps

Competency gaps are becoming increasingly common in many industries, especially in industries that are rapidly evolving such as the engineering industry. As engineering becomes more technologically advanced, it's important that a firm provides its employees the opportunities to stay up-to-date with the latest processes, tools, etc. One great way of doing this is providing employees the opportunity to take continuing education engineering courses so that employees can stay up-to-date with everything changing in the industry. 

5. Conclusion: Investing in Corporate Learning Can Greatly Benefit an Engineering Firm

Providing learning opportunities is vital for a firm to strive in the competitive engineering world. Engineering employees will benefit from learning opportunities as well as the firm itself. 

If you are an engineering firm looking for ways to offer learning opportunities to your employees, learn about our corporate training packages here.

5 New Year's Resolutions Engineers Should Make in 2020

The New Year has just begun. Have you made a New Year's resolution yet? While it makes sense that many make their resolution to exercise more or eat healthier, for example, have you considered making a professional resolution? 

Why Engineers Should Make a Professional New Year's Resolution

The world of engineering is very competitive, and it's always evolving due to new engineering practices, technology, etc. To help you stand out in the engineering industry, creating goals that will help you stand out as an employee will be extremely beneficial. 

5 New Year's Resolutions for Engineers

Table of Contents

1. Get Licensed

2. If You're Already Licensed, Knock Out Your Continuing Education Early

3. Learn a New Software

4. Create SMART Career Goals

5. Learn Project Management

1. Get Licensed

Getting a professional engineering license is the main to success in engineering. Becoming licensed will not also look good on your resume, but will make you more hirable, prove that you are a subject-matter expert in your chosen field, and will give you more responsibility. 

2. If You're Already Licensed, Knock Out Your Continuing Education Early

Currently, 42 out of the 50 state boards require some sort of continuing education. Depending on the state(s) you are licensed in, it may be a good idea to take some continuing education classes early to obtain your credits. States differ in their due dates for obtaining enough PDH credits for renewal, so don't wait till it's too late! 

3. Learn a New Software

Another resolution to make you more marketable: learn how to use a new piece of software. Like we mentioned before, engineering is constantly evolving. By learning new software, you'll be able to add that skill to your resume and stay ahead of the curve on possible new engineering software trends. 

4. Create SMART Career Goals

Ever heard of SMART goals? SMART goals are a great way to create measurable career goals to work toward. When creating a goal, use the SMART acronym to map out the specifics of that goal. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. 

5. Learn Project Management

Talk about another resume builder! Project management is a key piece in every engineering project. Those who are project managers help keep an engineering project on-budget and on schedule. 

Did you know that engineers can become certified project managers? To become certified, one must take and pass the Project Management Professional, or PMP exam. If you do aim to become an engineer with the added PMP certification, you'll be able to: 

 Become a leader in your engineer firm 

 Use your risk management knowledge to determine any risk a project may present 

 Get extra time to communicate directly with clients 

 And more!

If you're interested in becoming a project manager and don't know where to start, taking an online PMP exam prep course will help you prepare for the certification exam.