I have been a practicing engineer with a Virginia PE license for approximately 40 years. I have worked for the federal government, the oil industry and at a major university. During this time I have taught and taken many short courses.  Excellence in engineering practice comes from a solid educational foundation coupled with experience. Continuing education can serve a purpose, but I do not see it in the best interest of the Professional Engineer or the public to have a compulsory program for recertification. I am proud of contributions engineers have made to society and the high ethical standard the profession practices.  

 

The board should consider carefully the adverse consequences of making recertification dependent upon taking compulsory courses.   Based on the comments made on the web response, I would expect many certified engineers for practical and economic reasons to drop their renewal if such a requirement were enacted. I am also concerned about what would be the content of the continuing education course(s). There are so many difference engineering disciplines that the program would most likely be general in nature and for this reason would provide minimal benefit. Would there be a number of different courses for different disciplines?    

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A large majority of the comments I read are opposed to the proposed compulsory mandated continuing education program for legitimate reasons. If the board, in spite of opposition, decides to proceed with developing a continuing education program, I recommend it be made optional for a reasonable period of time. If the program proves to have merit; it could be decided at a later time if it should be made mandatory. Preceding the development of the volunteer program the content of the program should be solicited from both practicing professional engineers and educators.