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PE Application Reference Choice

PE Application Reference Choice

PE Application Reference Choice

(OP)
Greetings - Quick question regarding the choice of a reference for my PE exam application in the state of Colorado.

For a previous employer, I have a choice between the following options for a reference:
1) My direct supervisor who is not a licensed engineer
2) A coworker who did not oversee my work, but is licensed.

Does anyone know who would be a more appropriate choice as a reference in this situation?

Thanks for your help!

RE: PE Application Reference Choice

Why not both?

Peter Stockhausen
Senior Design Analyst (Checker)
Infotech Aerospace Services

RE: PE Application Reference Choice

I agree with PeterStock. I would ask both.

Does your application say to choose only one from each place of employment?

V

RE: PE Application Reference Choice

In Mass you have to have a reference from your manager...

Tobalcane
"If you avoid failure, you also avoid success."  

RE: PE Application Reference Choice

In Wisconsin you need I think 4 ref.  When I got my ref I had two of my former direct supervisor both PE's but EE'e not ME's the other two people that I picked were both ME's but did not have there PE's.

Chris

"In this house, we obey the laws of thermodynamics." Homer Simpson

RE: PE Application Reference Choice

Look at the wording on the form.  Some state's forms sound like they're wanting a personal reference to your integrity.  Some states want a reference to your competence.  That's not necessarily the same person.  Also, in the state rules, it should say whether they have to be a PE, or how many of your references have to be PE's.

RE: PE Application Reference Choice

Things may have changed in CT since the early 80's but my application required three PE's all of whom had to have knowledge of your work.

RE: PE Application Reference Choice

All of them should know of you work in WI also.

"In this house, we obey the laws of thermodynamics." Homer Simpson

RE: PE Application Reference Choice

I believe in Texas a PE in charge of supervising your work, or with technical knoweledge of your work, can give competence references.  Others may offer character references and do not have weight as competence wittnesses.  In order not to lose valuable time and delay your application process, please be sure of the precise requirements.  (It might also help to not use unusual words.  Mine was delayed because somebody did not know the definition of "renumeration".)

**********************
"Pumping accounts for 20% of the world's energy used by electric motors and 25-50% of the total electrical energy usage in certain industrial facilities."-DOE statistic (Note: Make that 99% for pipeline companies) http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/

RE: PE Application Reference Choice

Badger2003,
I did both for Colorado.  It was the same situation you just described.
There were no problems.

RE: PE Application Reference Choice

BigInch : I'm not surprised that "somebody" didn't know the meaning of "renumeration" - it's not in our big office dictionary. I suppose it could mean "The process of renumbering" (grin).

RE: PE Application Reference Choice

It probably did "renumerate" my registration # by a few hundred or so.  Just goes to show you how even the tiniest things can really screw you around sometimes.

**********************
"Pumping accounts for 20% of the world's energy used by electric motors and 25-50% of the total electrical energy usage in certain industrial facilities."-DOE statistic (Note: Make that 99% for pipeline companies) http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/

RE: PE Application Reference Choice

When I got my nuke PE from TX back in the early 80's, you needed a PE reference from at least one Texas-registered PE in that field directly supervising your work, plus other references from degreed engineers who "should be" PE's (but didn't explicitly have to be PE's), but who had to be knowledgeable of your work.  

GA rules were similar.  You had to be directly supervised by at least one of your references.

Today's rules - and rules for other states?  

Dunno.  Read the state's rule book.  

RE: PE Application Reference Choice

(OP)
Thanks everyone for your suggestions!  Although the preference is unclear in Colorado statute, I'm going to ask both of them to vouch for me, in the interest of being overly thorough.

Cheers!

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