March 10, 08

I am also licensed as a Real Estate Broker and must satisfy continuing education requirements every two years, which I usually satisfy via a correspondence program and test.  The material consists in large part of a review of recent changes in the law or new developments in this rather specific activity of real estate brokerage and sales.   The material is pertinent and useful.

In contrast to the real estate requirements, continuing education for PEs, architects, etc. would seem to be of limited benefit and use.  I can think of several reasons.  Laws regarding the practice of engineering or architecture as opposed to real estate sales are not subject to frequent changes.  And architects and engineers have to meet much more stringent requirements to practice than real estate brokers or salespeople, including a four to five-year degree program, four years of practice as an engineer and passing EIT and PE all-day test requirements.  The practice of engineering and architecture covers a very wide range of specialties, as opposed to only the one specialty of real estate sales, thus making it difficult to impossible to design a continuing education program of any use to most practitioners.  Finally, the costs to administer such a program including the time spent by licensees to prepare and attend would not seem to justfiy such limited benefit .

So is the public any less protected if engineers and architects are not required to meet any continuing education requirements?  Again, I contrast this to the continuing education requirements for real estate salespeople and brokers.  Real estate practitioners' jobs are much more ethics related and who work mostly with the public at large.  These people are generally much less educated and lack the professional training of engineers and architects.  When I read and contrast with engineers all of the disiplininary actions taken by the Real Estate Board, it becomes much easier to understand the differences between the fields of real estate sales and the practice of engineering and architecture.  I have been licensed for more than thirty years and I don't honestly remember when I last read of an engineer or architect being disiplined.  But not to say that it doesn't happen.