Since the first professional engineer license was issued in 1907, the profession and licensure itself have expanded with hundreds of thousands of licensed professional engineers across the United States. NSPE first launched Professional Engineers Day back in 2016, making this year it’s 5th anniversary! The idea of PE Day is to celebrate and raise public awareness of what professional engineers do for the world on a daily basis. As Tim Austin, PE, creator of PE Day and past president of NSPE said, “being a licensed professional engineer means more than just holding a certificate and possessing technical competence. It is a commitment to hold the public health, safety, and welfare above all other considerations”. Holding Professional Engineer status is something special, not just anyone in the STEM field can say they’re a PE. On August 5, 2020, we encourage you to join the virtual celebration of PEs across the country!
Use the hashtag
What better way to connect with your peers and celebrate PE Day virtually than with a hashtag? On August 5, use the hashtag #LicensedPEDay on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn to:
Click the links here to follow the PE hashtag on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook!
Celebrate at Virtual PECon
The virtual Professional Engineers Conference will be held from August 3 to 7 with PE Day falling right in the middle of the conference. August 5 will be focusing on Innovation in Engineering. Not only will you get to learn about the latest innovations in engineering but you’ll be able to connect with your fellow professional engineers in real-time during the conference. Register for the day to earn PDHs or purchase an all-access pass for the entire conference! Learn more about the sessions on August 5 here.
Check out the PE Day logo store
Now you can sport some PE Day merch to show your spirit! Check out the online store. If you order, be sure to post photos with the hashtag #LicensedPEDay to show your professional engineer pride!
Still need to become licensed?
Learn more about licensure and what it takes to qualify here.
The landscape of the Engineering profession is ever changing, but the demand for Engineering as a whole remains constant. These facets cultivate a highly desirable career path fostering job security, creative problem solving, and professional evolvement. As the field progresses certain concentrations prove better suited for the future of engineering. The question being “which ones?”
Software Engineering:
Our everyday lives revolve around technology from the handheld computers in our pockets to the laptops and tablets that occupy our desks. Software developers have the skill set and innovation to impact the devices we use the most frequently. The demand for the concentration of software engineering grows in relation to the advancement of technology itself. The more advanced technology becomes the greater the need for the Engineers to advance it. The median income of a Software Engineer is $103,560 and the current projected employment change is +24%.
Solar Photovoltaic Installers:
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, solar photovoltaic installing is the fastest-growing occupation. With a projected employment concentration of +105 percent It is safe to say that Solar Photovoltaic Installers have a secure placement in the future of engineering. As the severity of the energy crisis escalates and the desire to lower carbon emissions rises the need for solar energy increases.
Biomedical engineering:
The improvement of modern medicine is continuous. Especially today, in the turmoil of a pandemic, the development of new medical technology is in high demand. Biomedical Engineers create new systems and equipment that push the advancement of modern medicine. The projected employment change in this concentration is +7 percent.
Civil engineering:
Civil engineering is the design, construction, and maintenance of our physical and naturally built environment. It impacts our daily lives on a multitude of levels. From the water in our pipes to the streets beneath our cars civil engineering surrounds us. As our population continues to grow and evolve the requirement for new structures is just as prominent as the need to repair or replace existing structures. The projected employment change for this industry is +11 percent.
These four highlighted concentrations are only a fraction of what the engineering industry has to offer. In truth embarking on almost any Engineering career path would be a wise decision. As the engineering field continues to grow and progress so does the job security and fulfillment that accompanies it. Luckily, Engineers that are NJSPE members have the resources at their fingertips to continue education and stay ahead of the curve within the industry.
NJSPE offers a variety of memberships for licensed engineers, enterprises, students, and engineers-in-training. Learn more about NJSPE and find a membership that fits your needs here.
Professional engineers are often looking for ways to increase their professional knowledge within the industry. With technology becoming more and more integrated into the profession, there are ways to learn more and increase your status as an engineer. The National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET), a division of the National Society of Professional Engineers, promotes excellence in engineering technologies via certification services. Each of NICET’s nationally recognized certification programs are designed by industry experts and practitioners to ensure a qualified workforce. Certification levels lay out a career path for advancement from entry to senior-level responsibilities.
This year, a new certification program is being offered under the Electrical and Mechanical Systems Engineering Technology category!
NICET in cooperation with the Safer Buildings Coalition is developing a new engineering technician certification program for IB-ERCES. Emergency Responder Radio Communication Systems (ERRCS) is set to go live in 2020. The new program comes as a response to the need for qualified individuals to design, install, test, inspect, and maintain in-building radio communication systems. Looking at the success of credentialing programs for fire sprinklers and fire alarms, a program for in-building communication systems just made sense. This credentialing will make a difference to building owners, code officials, and the industry that provides these systems. A credentialing program like this will ensure that the systems are safe, effective, and compliant to regulatory requirements.
In the program’s inception, a group of industry leaders and practitioners met to establish the general framework for the certification program. It is currently comprised of three levels for inspection, testing, and maintenance, and one level for design. Now the program creators are asking for the industry’s help to validate the knowledge and skills needed to be considered minimally competent for the program. If you have any experience with IB-ERCES, please participate in these surveys:
Learn more about the program in NICET’s press release.
Registration is open for this year’s professional engineers conference held from August 3 to August 7! To ensure the health and safety of all attendants and speakers, PECon will be presented virtually. Professional engineers will be able to earn PDHs as usual and will even be able to join networking roundtable discussions! Each day of the conference kicks off with a daily coffee talk session to connect with fellow professional engineers from across the country and to discuss the topics important to you.
* Student memberships gain FREE access to PECon
If you’re interested in a certain track but are unable to attend that day, don’t worry! A recording of the sessions will be available for viewing immediately following the conclusion of the session. For this reason, there are NO refunds.
Day 1:
Day 2:
Day 3 (PE Day!):
Day 4:
Day 5:
Click here to register for the conference!
Take advantage of member rates by becoming an NJSPE member today.
