Cost Engineer - An Engineer of a Different Mold?

The blog covers:

1. Background

2. Traditional Engineering vs. the Adjunct Term: "Cost Engineering"

3. Should We Use the Term "Engineer" When Referring to a Cost Professional?

4. What Are the Professional Titles for Practitioners of Cost Engineering?

5. Discussion

6. Conclusion

1. Background

I was five years into my employment with an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) company. As part of a job rotation tied to career development, I joined a proposal development team tasked with preparing a competitive bid for a federal government project. We had a mix of technical and managerial staff on this team, and I noticed in the team roster there was a "cost engineer." I was a new face on this type of assignment and was curious to find out what "engineering" tasks a cost engineer does. I, as a chemical engineer on the roster, knew what my day-to-day work was - preparing engineering analysis aided by detailed calculations, drawings, modeling, and simulation. What type of "engineering" deliverables did the cost engineer produce?

My "engineering inquisitiveness" goaded me to find it out. Read on...

2. Traditional Engineering vs. the Adjunct Term: "Cost Engineering"

A traditional engineer, for example, a degreed and licensed structural engineer, is responsible for creating strategic physical assets (a bridge, for example) using calculations and analysis to support the design of that asset.

The creation of this physical asset involves the technical aspects furnished by the structural engineer and duly supported by the critical, yet non-physical aspects of money (cost), time (schedule) and other resources (specialty skills) that are expended to build the subject asset.

These critical expenditures are collectively referred to as "cost," which is initially estimated and continually monitored to assess progress as the design is implemented and the bridge structure (in this case) takes form. In other words, the structural design of the physical asset cannot be brought on to the field without the adjunct, yet critical role of the cost.

Just like the field of Structural Engineering involves scientific calculations and analysis to arrive at a safe design, the cost dimension also requires cost estimating, financial analysis, project planning, and control to execute the design. The approaches are different. From this difference, Cost Engineering as a field of engineering practice was born in 1950. Cost Engineering is commonly considered as an adjunct to traditional engineering, which plays an integral role in getting the engineering design hitherto on paper to stand up.

3. Should We Use the Term "Engineer" When Referring to a Cost Professional?

"In the United States, the practice of professional engineering is highly regulated, and the title 'professional engineer' is legally protected. It is unlawful to use it to offer engineering services to the public unless formally endorsed by the state through a professional engineering license." (The Historical Evolution of Professional Engineering Licensure).

Because the title "engineer" has legal implications in certain United States jurisdictions (e.g., Texas), the Cost Engineering discipline refrains from using the term "engineer" or "engineering," instead refers to the profession as "Project Controls."

However, the American Association of Cost Engineers (AACE) International ¹ authorizes the use of the following terminologies:

"COST ENGINEER - A professional whose judgement and experience are used in the application of scientific principles and techniques to the areas of business planning and management science, profitability analysis, estimating, decision and risk management, cost control, planning, scheduling, and dispute resolution, etc. to support asset, project, program, and portfolio management. (April 2019)

COST ENGINEERING - The application of scientific principles and techniques to the areas of business planning and management science, profitability analysis, estimating, decision and risk management, cost control, planning, scheduling, and dispute resolution, etc. to support asset, project, program, and portfolio management."

Distilling the import from the above two terminologies, it can be stated that the discipline of "COST ENGINEERING" encompasses the entire gamut of the cost-related aspects representing the confluence of engineering, program management, and business management. In fact, Cost Engineering establishes the relationship between the physical and fiscal dimensions of assets that are "engineered."

Given the salience Cost Engineering brings to the engineering profession, it is required as the core curricula of Construction Engineering, Engineering Management, and Civil Engineering. Furthermore, the licensing examination for professional engineers considers the knowledge of Engineering Economics foundational and essential.

4. What Are the Professional Titles for Practitioners of Cost Engineering?

According to the AACE^® International ², cost engineering practitioners can specialize in areas like cost estimating, planning, scheduling, and asset management. They are employed by the business owners and operators where their financial analysis skills are utilized and by the project managers who use their expertise in project planning and control. Depending on their specific roles, cost engineers may report professional titles like cost estimator, project controls engineer, cost analyst, claims specialist, pre-construction manager, etc.

5. Discussion

As we have now established the expertise involved in dealing with the costs of an undertaking is markedly different from those required to design and build it - in other words, "engineer" it. The engineering designer, however, will have to engage with the cost professionals, as peers, to install the hitherto "paper" design in the ground. This intimate association of the cost professional with the engineering professional in developing and erecting a project engenders a collective understanding of "scientific principles and techniques," hence justifies the use of the term "engineer" for the cost professional.

To summarize, a cost engineer contributes in the following ways to an engineering project from start to finish:

Before the Start:

• Feasibility Studies and Risk Analysis - whether the project will be a viable one.
• Provides input on engineering and architectural plans - only include value-added aspects.
• Establish the budget using benchmarks - so that there is an "apples-to-apples" comparison.

During Execution:

• Controls cost and manage schedule - stem the cost and schedule overrun.
• Resolves scope creep - through active communication with project manager and client.
• Reviews and assesses the project milestones.

Post Completion:

• Documents lessons learned for use in future endeavor.
• Archives the as-built cost data for future use on similar projects.
• Communicates the areas for improvement.

In fact, the cost engineer keeps all the moving parts of the project lubricated and working till we reach the destination, before running out of fuel!

6. Conclusion

An experienced cost engineer can foresee problems and challenges in a project with regards to debilitating cost-overruns and grinding schedule slow-downs. Because of the value they bring to an engineering project, it is not an exaggeration to say that a skilled cost engineer makes the (traditional) engineer's vision a reality - he/she is justified to be an engineer's peer and a bona fide engineer!

Interested in becoming an engineer? Check out School of PE's engineering exam review courses to get a leg up on the competition!

References

¹ American Association of Cost Engineers (AACE)^® International Recommended Practice 10S-90; Cost Engineering Terminology, Rev. February 18, 2022.

² American Association of Cost Engineers (AACE)^® International Recommended Practice 11R-88; Required Skills and Knowledge of Cost Engineering, Rev. June 18, 2013.

About the Author: Surajit Amrit

Surajit Amrit received his graduate degree from Vanderbilt University and his undergraduate degree from Indian Institute of Technology in Chemical Engineering. He has a 30+ year career as a practicing engineer at Engineering News Record (ENR)-ranked engineering firms. He is a licensed PE in multiple states, a Certified Energy Manager (CEM^®) and a LEED^® AP. He is currently pursuing his CVS certification (Value Engineering - SAVE International). In his spare-time he enjoys reading books, listening to political satire, trail walking, and dabbling in trivia, jigsaw puzzles and numismatics.

5 Tips to Crush Your PE Exam Prep

In this blog post, I'm going to give you the top five tips to crush the PE exam preparation. Following these helpful tips prepared me to pass the PE Civil: Structural exam on my very first try. If you follow these five tips, I have no doubt that you will pass on your first try as well.

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1. Tip 1: Create a personalized three-month, week-by-week study schedule.

2. Tip 2: Make a personal budget for test preparation materials.

3. Tip 3: Simulate real tests on the last two to three of weeks leading up to the exam.

4. Tip 4: Familiarize yourself with exam and center rules in advance.

5. Tip 5: Get plenty of rest on the week leading up to the exam.

1. Tip 1: Create a personalized three-month, week-by-week study schedule.

Some people will tell you that you need to set aside six months to study before taking the PE exam. I've also met people on the other side of the spectrum who only give themselves one month to study (or in reality, cram). But let me tell you that both methods are risky. Chances are, if you start studying 6 months in advance, you will probably forget what you studied 6 months ago. And I get it, as a busy professional, you may feel like you don't have enough time in your day or year to prepare for one exam for a full three months. But trust me, cramming an eight-hour exam into one month is not a smart method as you will be overwhelmed with the sheer number of topics that need to be covered in such a short period. My advice is to create a three-month study schedule that outlines study topics on a week-by-week basis. Prior to setting up this schedule, make sure to review the topics that are covered in your PE exam on the NCEES website for both the breadth and depth sections for your chosen exam type, and include all topics in your study schedule. How you plan out the weeks is entirely up to you, whether you want to tackle breadth topics before tackling the depth ones or vice versa. Setting up a personalized study schedule will help you to eliminate procrastinating and account for any weeks that you know you will not be able to study; just make sure that if you find yourself falling behind on the set schedule, make it up to yourself to get yourself back on track quickly.

2. Tip 2: Make a personal budget for test preparation materials.

Preparing for the PE exam can be a very costly endeavor. Some people end up spending up to a couple thousand dollars just on test preparation materials or courses. And if you start to purchase materials one by one as studying progresses without a solid plan in place, you may not even realize how quickly costs will start to add up. To avoid such a surprise, I suggest you create a personal budget for all test preparation materials and courses before you start studying.

Your first line of action should be to check with your employer if they offer any reimbursements for professional exams and licensure. If they do, that is fantastic! This could give you a larger spending limit for purchasing study materials or prep courses. If your employer doesn't offer such benefits, that's even more reason to budget thoughtfully.

I'll also give you some practical advice when it comes to budgeting for the exam. Consider purchasing the official PE practice exam book from the NCEES website. This book will give you the best bang for your buck, and the problems are similar to the questions that you will find on the actual exam. Also, prioritize buying practice problems from publishers or authors with a good reputation, rather than selecting books based on their lower price tags. I found that the phrase "quality over quantity" is a very relevant and helpful rule of thumb for the PE exam. From personal experience, I noticed that the less reputable books I purchased either had a lot of errors in the solutions, or the level of difficulty in the problems was not on par with what the actual exam was like.

3. Tip 3: Simulate real tests on the last two to three weeks leading up to the exam.

Do not jump straight into taking practice exams when you first start studying. This will probably lead you to go straight to the solutions to solve the problem since you have not studied how to solve it yet, so this is not an effective method of preparing for the PE exam. Rather, follow your study schedule diligently and cover all test topics before taking any practice exams. Leave the last couple of weeks prior to your test date to take full-length practice exams in a simulation test environment. Remember to time yourself, skip the tough questions that are taking longer to solve, take a break between the breadth and depth sessions, and avoid flipping to the solutions section until after the entire exam is over. Don't forget to score yourself at the end of the exam to get a grasp of your understanding of the test materials and to revisit the difficult questions that you skipped over. If you don't do so well on your first simulation, don't panic. Just remember that you have a full two to three weeks left in your study schedule to take additional full-length tests, improve your score, and get yourself to a place where you feel comfortable that you will pass the exam.

Tip 4: Familiarize yourself with exam and center rules in advance.

Do not wait until the day before exam day to familiarize yourself with the test center and the exam! A week before the exam, get to know the test center and its rules. If you are able, you can even visit the test location to make sure you know the directions to the center, parking availability if applicable, and the exact location of the testing room. You should also familiarize yourself with what is allowed and not allowed at the exam center. For example, is a water bottle allowed in the testing room? A watch or cell phone perhaps? In the case that you accidentally bring prohibited items with you, does the facility have lockers where you will be able to store your belongings, or will you have to leave them in your car? And most importantly, are you allowed to bring any reference material or is your exam strictly computer-based? These are all important questions that you should have the answers to so that your test day can go smoothly without any surprises. Finding yourself flustered right before taking the exam is not the best way to start off the morning.

Tip 5: Get plenty of rest on the week leading up to the exam.

I advise you to get plenty of rest on the week of the exam (and don't forget to account for this week of rest in your study schedule!). Put your pencils down and put a hard stop to studying. You've studied hard for the last three months, so give your brain some time to relax and decompress. If you diligently followed your three-month study schedule, which should've included all exam topics, you should have finished all your exam preparation by the week before. So let yourself get enough rest and take a few days off work if you can! Test anxiety is real; don't mess up your sleep schedule by staying up studying or find that you can't fall asleep the night before the exam.

Looking to become a professional engineer? Consider partnering with School of PE to prepare for your PE exam! Our subject-matter expert instructors and comprehensive courses provide what you need to succeed on exam day-register now!

About the Author: Susie Hwang

Susie Hwang, P.E., is a licensed engineer in the State of California. She received her BS in Civil Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University and her MS in Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics with a focus in structural engineering at Columbia University. Since attending graduate school in New York City, she has been living and working in the city, contributing to projects that helped shape the city's skyline. When she isn't designing concrete structures, she enjoys spending her time hiking with her dog Tori and watching the latest Netflix original shows.

Managing Staff That Work from Home

Recently, working from home seems to have become the standard rather than the exception. Managers had a tough enough time managing people when they were a few cubicles away, now they need to trust their management skills as well as their team members doing the job at their home office. Remote offices have been in practice for quite some time. However, those specific company cultures ensured the tools provided were designed for remote working success. When managing people who work from home, your management style should remain consistent; it is the management process that may need some adjustments. These 5 areas will help give you a roadmap to ensure your remote team will have clarity, collaboration, and commitment while they are working from home.

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1. Create Trust

2. Set Clear and Realistic Expectations

3. Stay in Touch

4. Balance and Prioritize

5. Encourage Independence

1. Create Trust

You hired or inherited your team members for a reason, because you believe they are capable of doing what is expected of them. Great leaders and managers earn the trust and respect of others, but that trust factor must run both ways. A manager's focus needs to be spent developing, teaching, and supporting their team members rather than policing and wondering what their team is doing (or not doing) during the workday. The confidence to encourage autonomy knowing that what is expected will be the team's focus is a level of trust that needs to become part of the team culture. Team members that recognize and feel their management has complete faith, trust, and confidence will work hard, make good decisions, and do the right thing, which creates a successful roadmap in remote empowerment.

2. Set Clear and Realistic Expectations

Working remotely can create several benefits and challenges depending on the employees' ability to manage their newfound autonomy. A manager's guide to ensure a level of consistency, clarity, and confidence is to provide clear and realistic expectations. Although every employee and working environment is different, it is important to recognize the role that not only the employee needs to play, but also the role of the manager. Establishing expectations needs to be mutually defined rather than a "I told you so" mentality, whereas the employee feels a lack of control while not clearly understanding their daily, weekly, and monthly responsibilities. A simple management method is to use "M²O/T" which is defined as Mutually Defined Measurable Objectives over a period of Time. In other words, the expectation/objective should be mutually discussed between the manager and employees with a specific timeframe attached to the objective. Lastly, the expectation must be measurable. Otherwise, how can management coach and develop without any measurable indicator supporting the effort?

An example of M²O/T is:

"Mary will initiate the project planning with her team by April 1, 2022. The team will then begin the planning process implementation and complete stage 3 by August 31, 2022. Finally, Mary's team will complete the review process and ongoing monitoring of the project no later than December 31, 2022."

Setting clear and realistic expectations doesn't seem too difficult. However, ensuring that all relevant parties are involved when creating the specific roles and expectations is crucial to both you and the employees' ultimate success.

3. Stay in Touch

In many ways, working from home can be very rewarding. You feel the joy of independence, freedom, and working at your own pace without someone always looking over your shoulder, and at times, you get the opportunity to mix your personal activities (taking/picking up the kids from school, laundry, meeting friends for lunch) with your professional life. That said, it can also be a very lonely experience working from home. You need the constant self-motivation to begin each day ready to make an impact as well as the motivation to know when it's time to end the day since your "work" is always right in front of you. Not to mention, dressing appropriately, managing your time efficiently, and meeting your daily goals can always be an ongoing challenge, which is why management must continually stay in touch with their team members. Monday morning meetings, 1-on-1's, check-ins, conference calls, off-site gatherings, etc. are excellent ways to ensure your employees know you are consistently there for them. Too often does management seem to reach out or pay attention to their team members only when something goes wrong. However, staying in touch to support, develop, assist, train, and coach makes it clear to your employees that your primary responsibility is focused on their success.

4. Balance and Prioritize

Whether your team members are working from home or in an office, the importance of balance and prioritization is vital. Part of a manager's role is to encourage a healthy work/life balance. A happy and healthy employee is a productive one and will inevitably reduce your turnover rate. Trusting in your team members to work on tasks before them while exceeding overall expectations and promoting flexibility, so they are balancing between their professional and personal life can be viewed as a game changer.

5. Encourage Independence

Due to the recent changes and acceptance in the remote working environment, many employees are not comfortable or perhaps just not sure how to adjust to working remotely. Encouraging independence and providing "best practices" while working from home gives your employees a sense of certainty rather than having them feel like they are riding solo. Also, providing or suggesting a peer-to-peer mentor program so to share what's working and what's not can be a confidence builder as well as an excellent team-building activity that can have a number of positive effects.

Working remotely is not for everyone. Some will excel almost immediately where others will need a much-needed ramp-up period. No matter the team member, be prepared to manage a process that is consistent for every team member as well as manage each individual taking into account their specific strengths and weaknesses when it comes to working remotely. Patience and understanding are a great way to begin your journey in managing your staff working from home.

Are you an engineer seeking professional licensure? Consider partnering with School of PE to gain access to our exclusive, expert-prepared course materials and study tools! Sign up for a Live Online or Ondemand course now.

About the Author: Scott Bush

Scott Bush received his bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in business from California State University, Pomona. He is President of Bredison and Associates, a global training and coaching company specializing in maximizing performance, increasing productivity, and making each individual's best even better!

Don't Waste Your Time: Why You Should Take a Review Course for Your Engineering Exam

If you plan on taking the FE or PE exam, chances are you've at least considered a review course. There's also a chance that you have written courses off because you feel confident in your engineering knowledge or ability to study alone. You may also have concerns about the pricing of a review course. These are valid factors to account for, but consider this: you can't be too sure when preparing for a FE/PE exam-it's a big exam-and the benefits of a good review course far outweigh cost concerns (especially considering the potential for reimbursement). But don't just take my word for it; let's get into exactly why a review course is so useful for optimal exam prep.

Why You Should Take a Review Course for Your Engineering Exam

1. Studying Is Key

2. Having a Study Plan Is Crucial

3. Studying with Others is Beneficial

4. A Good Review Course Increases Your Chance of Passing

1. Studying Is Key

That may seem like the most obvious statement for any exam-it is. But when it comes to FE/PE exams, many aspiring engineers underestimate exactly how much studying they'll need to do. Some people come out of graduation and believe that their school knowledge mixed with a minimal amount of studying will get them by. Others may cram weeks before the exam. For some, this may work, but success with these methods is rare. Being prepared for these exams takes a hefty amount of study time. Engineers who have passed the PE exam report putting in an average of 215-230 hours of study time, with the max (and probably optimal) time being around 300 hours. (You may not need quite as much time for the FE exam but probably still close to the same amount-you can never be too prepared!) So, if you want to pass your FE/PE exam, you should probably mimic these successful engineers, but there's still more to it than just studying a lot. This leads to my main point:

You absolutely do not want to waste up to 300 hours of study time before your exam.

What you do want is to make the most of that time and pass your exam. So, the quality of your studying matters just as much as the quantity of hours. This is where a review course is useful. A good review course gives you the information you need in a concise manner so you're not wasting valuable time studying irrelevant content. Additionally, courses often come with study materials like flashcards, practice quizzes, and other online resources to make sure you're as prepared as possible for exam day. Flashcards and practice quizzes are both proven to be especially useful study tools: flashcards are a convenient way to enhance memory while revealing gaps in knowledge, and practice quizzes do the same while also increasing exam-taking confidence. Luckily, School of PE's FE/PE exam review courses feature both of these materials and more to help you make the most of your study time.

2. Having a Study Plan Is Crucial

One of the most important ways to avoid wasting valuable study time is to have a plan. If you're going to shoot for the necessary 200+ hours of study time, you will need to establish what you're studying and when you're studying it. For the chronic procrastinators, having Live Online classes at set times creates a rigid schedule while establishing what you'll be studying during those times-the plan is lined up for you. If you don't have set class times, like with an Ondemand course, you will still have access to tools that will help you create a study schedule and keep you accountable along the way. School of PE's Ondemand review courses utilize a Personalized Study Plan that does just that. No matter what, your plan will be airtight-you will know exactly what you're studying and when you're studying it. Additionally, study plans help create motivation. For many, going into heavy studying without a plan is overwhelming and leads to more procrastination because their attention is focused on figuring out what to study and how to study it. During this time, you need that focus on the studying itself. A study plan is a great way to keep that focus and ensure that you are studying as efficiently as possible.

3. Studying with Others is Beneficial

Whether it is a live class (online or in person) or Ondemand, there are advantages to both learning from a professor and studying with peers. It's helpful to have an expert instructor guide the focus of your studying while being able to ask questions any time along the way. It also helps to hear/see questions and comments from peers during a class. You don't know what you don't know, so you may receive answers to questions you didn't know you had or gain unexpected additional insight on a concept. Also, studies show that studying with peers often enhances learning; being able to ask questions and discuss concepts with peers is a useful tool to increase your understanding of difficult concepts. This can also apply to Ondemand courses with peer-focused resources like School of PE's Study Hub and discussion forums. Teaching others in a discussion forum is especially effective because it solidifies your knowledge and retention as found by Nobel prize-winning physicist, Richard Feynman. (Side tip: Feynman's technique is the most effective when you give a simple explanation, so even though you're talking to other engineers, avoid using too much jargon, and keep it detailed yet simple.)

4. A Good Review Course Increases Your Chance of Passing

Just in case you want more reasons to go with a review course, let's allow the statistics to speak for themselves. As you may know, the likelihood of passing certain PE exams is pretty low-down to 58% for the PE Electrical and Computer: Power exam as of December 2021, according to the NCEES. And that drops to 47% for repeat attempts. Even with exams that have a much higher pass rate, it's always good to boost your chance so that you can be more likely to pass. Focusing your study time with a good review course significantly increases your chance of passing. After taking School of PE's PE Electrical: Power review course, for example, the average pass rate (based on students who have attended all classes or watched all recordings) is 87%-76% for repeat takers, which is still much better than 47%. Some other examples include the PE Petroleum exam review course at an 84% pass rate (while the current national average is 56%) and the PE Civil Construction review course at 91% (with the current national average being 53%). Staying on the PE Civil Construction exam, the current national average pass rate for repeat takers is 37%, but School of PE's review course raises that to 73%-a 36% increase! This further solidifies how beneficial passing an engineering exam the first time is and how a review course can make that happen. But this also shows that repeat exam takers should not get discouraged. You can still give yourself a solid chance at passing on a repeat attempt if you truly apply yourself in a review course.

There are many reasons to use review courses, some major reasons being that they increase your likelihood of passing and help you use your time efficiently. Still, I recognize that there will still be some who feel like they can study better alone without a course. I encourage those of you that feel that way to at least consider these factors before deciding. This is an important exam, so you'll want to use your time effectively and increase your chance of passing-and your wallet will thank you later when you don't have to pay to retake it.

If you do choose to utilize a review course, School of PE provides comprehensive courses that equip you with everything you need for exam prep while delivering concise content to ensure that you're not wasting any of your study time.

About the Author: Austin Martin

Austin Martin is a content writer from Columbus, Ohio. He has a BA in English from The Ohio State University with experience in English tutoring, marketing, and editing. When he is not writing, Austin enjoys producing music and nerding out over comic book movies.

P.E. Electrical Engineer: What Is It and How to Become One

How do you distinguish yourself in the electrical industry and what does it take to officially stamp a set of engineering drawings?

The term "electrical engineer" can be used to describe an immense range of different professionals in the electrical and electronics industries-from a technician planning computer circuit boards to a designer modeling power distribution transmission lines. An individual engineer can be characterized by their years of experience, participation in different project types, or specific skills/knowledge in their field. The title of Professional Engineer (PE) is reserved for individuals that have met requirements in these categories and completed the necessary steps to become licensed through their state professional licensing board.

A PE license carries different weight in different industries. In some industries, particularly those more closely related to public safety, a PE's ability to certify and stamp engineering designs and drawings is required to do business. In others, a PE certification and licensure may bring greater credibility to an individual but may not be essential to day-to-day business. While becoming a PE will typically advance your career and open new opportunities, it's always important to consider whether the benefits are worth the effort required.

Since PEs are licensed in the state/territory that they practice, they must meet the requirements of that state or territory's particular professional licensing board. Generally, the following is required:

• Graduation from an EAC/ABET-accredited (Engineering Accreditation Commission/Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) engineering program*
• Passing the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam
• 4 years of experience under a professional engineer*
• Passing the NCEES Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam

*In some states, more than 4 years of experience may replace the requirement to graduate from an ABET program. Be sure to check your individual state licensing board requirements

The National Council of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors (NCEES) offers three different exam subjects for electrical engineers, listed below. Click on each of the links to review the official topics that are covered:

• PE Electrical and Computer: Computer Engineering
• PE Electrical and Computer: Electronics, Controls, and Communications
• PE Electrical and Computer: Power

One of the main purposes of becoming licensed is the ability to stamp/seal/certify engineering drawings. Typically, this action is required for any designs that must be approved by a public authority. The PE status denotes that the stamping professional engineer is responsible for all aspects of the drawings and that the design is safe.

If you're interested in learning more about what an electrical is and how to become one, check out these other posts that can provide more detail and insight into the process:

4 STEPS TO GETTING LICENSED IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

ARE YOU READY TO PASS THE ELECTRICAL PE EXAM? HERE IS WHAT IT TAKES

PE ELECTRICAL: ELECTRONICS, CONTROLS, & COMMUNICATION VS POWER

About the Author: Mitch Hanson

Mitch Hanson, P.E. passed his PE exam with help from School of PE in 2019 and currently practices electrical engineering in Colorado.