The rules for activities that satisfy the continuing education (CE) requirements are generally so broad that the requirements rarely achieve their stated goals of (1) keeping engineers abreast of changes and advances in engineering and (2) protecting the public.  While I agree with both of these goals, my experience with CE courses is that they provide very little benefit and are much less effective than simply doing my job!  The best way to stay up-to-date is to continue to practice the profession, not take classes.  If the CE requirement could be satisfied by demonstrating active practice of engineering, that might be acceptable.  For those who are not actively practicing, CE classes which are actually useful could be required.  Otherwise, the Virginia CE requirements will be just like the rest of the states - mickey-mouse seminars that satisfy the law but don't do anything to improve the practice of engineering or improve the public safety.

Rick Vollmer, P.E.