Qualifying Experinces / PE a must for Company
Qualifying Experinces / PE a must for Company
(OP)
I Graduated and started working for a Geotechnical Firm. They have me Working under a P.E who does QA on landfill liners. I Put together The reports needed for the permit.
*Putting the reports together involves no Engineering in my opinion. I was not informed this is what they wanted me to do for the far future. I was also not informed The job requires working Weekends very often and working from 40-70 hours a week on salary pay.
QUESTION:
Would this qualify as experince for PE?
Will working here To Long, hurt my ability to get a job latter in Design Side?
My goal is to Start own buisness Some day. Building Underground Houses.
QUESTION:
Is a PE required to build houses,pools?
Is getting a masters Degree more Condusive to my goal, Instead?
*Putting the reports together involves no Engineering in my opinion. I was not informed this is what they wanted me to do for the far future. I was also not informed The job requires working Weekends very often and working from 40-70 hours a week on salary pay.
QUESTION:
Would this qualify as experince for PE?
Will working here To Long, hurt my ability to get a job latter in Design Side?
My goal is to Start own buisness Some day. Building Underground Houses.
QUESTION:
Is a PE required to build houses,pools?
Is getting a masters Degree more Condusive to my goal, Instead?





RE: Qualifying Experinces / PE a must for Company
2) probably won't hurt but Geotechs don't do a lot of design
3) owning residential construction business does not require a PE
4) MBA or construction management might be a better degree for running a construction company
RE: Qualifying Experinces / PE a must for Company
Geotechnical firms may have to provide detailed drawings about laying out liners in different environments and the drawings may require a PE stamp. I would suggest that you should start going after your PE as you are in the realm of civil engineering..
RE: Qualifying Experinces / PE a must for Company
I often work 10 to 20 hours a week OT, but, am paid for it...
Dik
RE: Qualifying Experinces / PE a must for Company
Also, most states require recommendations from 4 PE's -- Right now - you just have one. Need to work that out!!
RE: Qualifying Experinces / PE a must for Company
Go ahead and get your PE before you start your company building underground houses, it will help some.
I would not stay at your current job for four years, but a year or two could be valuable.
Always stay flexible with your career path. You never know what you'll end up doing, and staying fixed on a particular goal might mean you pass up opportunities you didn't originally plan for.
Hydrology, Drainage Analysis, Flood Studies, and Complex Stormwater Litigation for Atlanta and the South East - http://www.campbellcivil.com
RE: Qualifying Experinces / PE a must for Company
B+W Engineering and Design
Los Angeles Civil and Structural Engineering
http://bwengr.com
RE: Qualifying Experinces / PE a must for Company
Everyone has provided some great points and valuable information. No matter what business you are in weather you are working for a design firm or your own business it is all based on relationships. Its important to start building those as soon as possible. Build relationships inside the office and outside as well. With clients as opportunities arise or network with professional organizations.
As engineers we sometimes are so eager to focus on the calculations and design of our projects. But there is also the business and people side. Like brandobw mentioned, I would pay attentionto everything that goes on. Observe your coworkers, team members. See how they interact with each other. See how they interact with you. Pay attention to those aspects that go beyond the design, how was the contract written? how to estimate fees for professional services? Why is the report written in that format? Pay attention to budgets, etc, etc.
Personally, I am currently working my first salary payed position. My concern was the same when I went through the interview process but I raised the question. They told me that their approach was not to over work anyone...that around submittals would require longer hours. So far, there has been only a few times when I have longer hours (around submittal just like I was informed) but my supervisor has also turned around and sent me home early on a friday. They actually keep track of the hours weather salary or not in this company.
Ultimately, I would see how the company culture blends in with who you are. A salary position with working constant 70 hour weeks is certainly not fair. Above all, you have to be where you are happy and where you can contribute both your engineering and non engineering skills.
Good luck!
RE: Qualifying Experinces / PE a must for Company
I do think I am getting paid OT for the weekends. Landfill liner crews work sun up sun down then turn on spot lights, and work 7 days a week. Getting sent out of town for that is not fun. On top of that they want me to inspect concrete pours lol.
A bit overwhelming non the less. I think I shall try to learn all I can that pretains to my interest and once that drys up, Move on 2 years seems about right if nothing changes. Its a good company they did Geo for the Cowboys stadium maybe I will move more to that side altho that doesn't look likely.
I aplogize if this is rambling to non formally:
*I have constructed a pool and started on a fake rock panel construction structure. Is the path to my goal, to contuinue learning building structures untill i feel ethically compitant to start a buisness, not necesarily fullblown comercial just buyland-build-sell. (not sure how this process works)
RE: Qualifying Experinces / PE a must for Company
Working OT in and of itself is not uncommon for professionals, how much is a judgement call. Personally I think 4-5 hours per week is reasonable, to make up for non-productive time we all have. Consistently working you at 50+ hours will burn you out.
Sometimes companies will make it up with a generous bonus, once, twice or quarterly per year. If you are not being rewarded for this extra effort you are being taken. Don't be lured into this trap young engineers fall into thinking this is the norm to gain experience, but that's just my opinion.
In my earlier career I would work for a company for about a year then move on. I always gave ample notice and never left a mess, (don't burn any bridges). I felt it served me well though, not to become 'inbred' with one company culture, and I learned much from various bosses.
There is nothing wrong with asking for what you want either, for more pay, less hours (or comp time for vacation), bonuses, different assignments, training, travel allowance, company car etc (as an example of some things to sweeten the deal, doubt you'd get everything). You can be professional about it and they should respect you for it too. If not, don't hesitate to take it on down the road, don't waste your time. If all you get are excuses move on. A company will try to keep talented and hard working employees, unless they are a sweat shop.
Good luck.
RE: Qualifying Experinces / PE a must for Company