Requiring professional engineers to obtain continuing education credits every two years is a bad idea in my mind that will result in two things: a smaller number of licensed engineers in Virginia, and padding the pockets of the companies that put on these training seminars.

Professional engineers already get continuing education on a daily basis.....it's called working.  I don't know of any practicing professional engineer that doesn't learn something new on a daily basis.  We are constantly bombarded with policy changes, code changes, etc.

I have attended a few of these seminars in the past that offer continuing education credits.  They are a huge waste of time and money in my experience.  Most of the seminars that I'm aware of are offered during the day.  Many engineering companies out there either won't pay for their employees to attend these, won't give them time off to attend them, or both.  This proposed regulation will be doing nothing but taking away from time engineers could be actually learning something while working.  I for one do not want to spend my own money and personal time to attend any more of these "trainings".

I would like the powers that be to ask themselves the following questions when considering this proposed regulation:

1.  What is this proposal actually accomplishing?

2.  What entity is behind proposing this regulation, and what is their motive?

3.  Has the overall quality of professional engineering dropped recently to show additional training is needed for lisenced engineers?

4.  Who is really benefiting from this requirement?