Structural PDHs
Structural PDHs
(OP)
It's (once again) that time of year where I am scrambling for PDH hours. (Along with a lot of other people.)
I was wondering: any good sources out there for PDH hours? As it stands now, I typically get mine from pdhonline.com, ASCE, and AISC. But I am always looking for new (and cheap) sources. Someone who gives live webinars would be good too.
I was wondering: any good sources out there for PDH hours? As it stands now, I typically get mine from pdhonline.com, ASCE, and AISC. But I am always looking for new (and cheap) sources. Someone who gives live webinars would be good too.






RE: Structural PDHs
Cheapest one we've really seen is SE University, costs $800/year and gets you 12 new live webinars a month plus access to the entire catalog of recordings. We also use NCSEA which is $900/year if you're an SEA member. SE University doesn't sell individual webinars, NCSEA does for like $250 each.
The other place to check is with vendors. I know Hilti and Simpson fairly frequently offer webinars. Usually free, though don't know if they make you pay for cert or not. Would assume other vendors do the same.
RE: Structural PDHs
ASCE members have access to five free on-demand webinars per year. Take and pass a quiz here for the PDH, too.
There are hundreds of free, sponsored webinars (which earn PDHs) at AECDaily.
I have not paid for PDH's in years.
www.SlideRuleEra.net
www.VacuumTubeEra.net
RE: Structural PDHs
RE: Structural PDHs
Here is a live one tomorrow (December 5). I just signed up for a earlier today:
The Engineering Behind Fabric Buildings. For the live ones, just watch the video... one PDH certificate at the end of the presentation.
www.SlideRuleEra.net
www.VacuumTubeEra.net
RE: Structural PDHs
RE: Structural PDHs
They have new moment bases for wood columns.
Link
https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobb...
RE: Structural PDHs
Where do you need your PDH's? I recall putting together the training courses for RISA some years ago (3 days / 24 PDH's). There were a lot of hoops we had to jump through for New York and Florida certification. But, the other states seemed to be pretty accepting by default. So, webinars and trade shows and such can count.
Not sure if the current folks over at RISA are keeping up with the New York and Florida certification or not. You could call and ask, of course. If you are interested in RISA training already, getting PDH's for them is pretty good. And, the price isn't bad either... especially if you consider that you're increasing your RISA efficiency and getting your PDH's at the same time. There is "regional training" in New Orleans, Dallas, Boston and Chicago scheduled for 2018. Therefore, you don't have to make your way all the way out to California to take the classes.
You could even have someone fly out to your office to teach the training course as well. Even though I'm no longer a RISA employee, I would be available to do that as well.
RE: Structural PDHs
RE: Structural PDHs
@ JoshPlum: NY and Ill. are the toughest ones I have to satisfy. Although NY won't be up again for quite sometime....Illinois is due in November. I typically build around satisfying those two....taking care of the rest is (then) typically no problem. I've done the ASCE (face to face) seminars in the past....but they can be a bit pricey.
RE: Structural PDHs
In addition, this rule below seems to allow for some flexibility if you're also satisfying another states PDH requirements:
Professional Engineer (ME, NH, MA) Structural Engineer (IL)
American Concrete Industries
https://www.facebook.com/AmericanConcrete/
RE: Structural PDHs
My interpretation of that is that at least 20 Hrs must be from a live instructor and cannot be self-administered (forgetting about teaching, writing journal articles, etc for a moment).
I asked them specifically about webinars once and they said it still qualifies as live hours if there is a instructor (presenting) that you can ask questions/interact with.
RE: Structural PDHs
I also interpreted as webinars with Q&A are "live hours" and not subject to that rule good to know you got that confirmation.
Professional Engineer (ME, NH, MA) Structural Engineer (IL)
American Concrete Industries
https://www.facebook.com/AmericanConcrete/
RE: Structural PDHs
RE: Structural PDHs
AECDaily,mentioned by SRE is a good resource, Free.
Hilton, Skyline Steel offer free webinars on a regular basis.
RE: Structural PDHs
I do prefer live sit-down-in-a-room-together classes, though.
That said, I've taken courses by ASCE and ASME that were fairly good. I've used API conferences- the main drawback being that you have to track the hours yourself there. Long ago, I took short courses at the local junior college on AutoCAD and Visual Basic. I've taken the weeklong course for CWI certification in the past. I've attended a few local ASME meetings, but for the most part, the topics discussed are completely unrelated to my work, so they fall into the "killing time" category.
Texas and New Mexico both require an hour or two in Ethics, so I've taken several Ethics courses, and have yet to find one that was worthwhile. The Texas ethics webinar mentioned above, I think last year, it was "update on TX rules" type of stuff, which is somewhat informative, although the rules don't actually change that much.
I have learned that with any topic, regardless of how interesting, if it's material you don't actually use, in a year or two, you'll forget it all anyway. That's the problem with the "related to what I do" courses.
I'm registered in a number of states, and I do keep track of hours for each, and more importantly, how many hours I will need and when. That way, I know I need 12 hours by September, etc., and that lets me plan ahead for the most worthwhile item, instead of scrambling and just killing time at the last minute to get it down.
RE: Structural PDHs
My jurisdiction just has a box you tick: "Declared PDH compliant" yes, no, or prefer not to say.
An old boss of mine, who's design manuals were from the 1980's, who never attended a single seminar, and who threw his hands up at seismic design methods outlined in the building codes and called it "the fancy stuff you younger guys are doing" would tick "prefer not to say", and enclose a cheque for a few hundred bucks to the benevolent fund. He never had any issues.
Not sure what happens if you tick "no" though.
RE: Structural PDHs
It's occurred to me that "Continuing Ed" might be a good name for a Dilbert character.
RE: Structural PDHs
Somehow its a revenue stream, so everyone bought into it.
RE: Structural PDHs
Professional Engineer (ME, NH, MA) Structural Engineer (IL)
American Concrete Industries
https://www.facebook.com/AmericanConcrete/
RE: Structural PDHs
and New York has a free online ethics PDH at their site
RE: Structural PDHs
Some states I am in randomly audit.
Most of the states I am in have something similar. Except there is no "prefer not to say".
In the states I am in....you will be looking at issues at renewal. Eventually your license will be suspended if you fail to fulfill the CEU requirement.
RE: Structural PDHs
So the engineering profession has come up with a somewhat non intrusive way to say we're advancing our technical knowledge. Basically, they pretend to ask for further education, and we pretend to get it. I've used lunchtime presentations by vendors (I actually learn quite a bit from them), discipline group meetings and preparing presentations to the office for PDH credits. On rare occasions, I go to 8 hour ACI seminars. I work for a pretty big company, but I understand that not everyone has access to as many opportunities to earn PDH's as I do. But that doesn't stop me from attending Hilti or Skyline free webinars.
I've been audited several times, so ignore this at your own risk. I have to keep records, which is a pain, but try going through an audit without them.
RE: Structural PDHs
RE: Structural PDHs
Obviously this can't be practically achieved every 2 years but I'm sure many times you can find PDHs that the lost time can be made up with seminars that provide greater efficiency and general self-improvement in your field. As a younger engineer I have a number of topics I've thought of that I want to audit a university course on or take a seminar on that would greatly improve my value to my company and simultaneously fulfill much of my PDH requirements in the near or far future.
Professional Engineer (ME, NH, MA) Structural Engineer (IL)
American Concrete Industries
https://www.facebook.com/AmericanConcrete/
RE: Structural PDHs
I appreciate the advice.
RE: Structural PDHs
My impression is that the more mainstream your work is, the easier it is to find courses related to it; it's not uniform in all topics.
RE: Structural PDHs
To review your Bentley Transcript/Learning History, go to http://learn.bentley.com/app/Public. There, you can self-report your professional development efforts to the respective organization, licensing board, or professional association. Requirements may vary and acceptance of Bentley Institute PDHs is ultimately at the discretion of the those organizations. Bentley recommends that you confirm board or association terms and conditions.
Also agree with MrHershey that SE University is good.
RE: Structural PDHs
All I know is P/A and Mc/I