Engineering Inc. - January/February 2008 - 25

e ngineering programs have been pressured to reduce the number of credit hours for graduation. Craig MuSSeLMaN CMa eNgiNeerS, iNC. elor’s Plus 30 still faces its share of hurdles—more then 50 of them, in fact— when state and territorial licensing boards bring the Model Law before their respective legislatures for approval. “The change will be difficult to explain to legislators, especially why a 2015 engineering graduate must meet a different set of criteria than a 2014 graduate,” explains Farrow. Reciprocity also might complicate the process. “No state wants to be the first to approve a model law like this,” he says. “[Legislators] prefer to wait until after other states have acted and see how things work out.” The task of reviewing and verifying student transcripts also could create a problem. “Right now, all we have to do is make sure the applicant received a degree from an accredited school,” says Farrow. “With the new requirement, we’ll have to examine the transcripts one by one to see what the 30 hours are and where they came from. And it’s almost certain that we’ll face an increase in appeals from people whose applications are rejected.” As for interstate reciprocity, Carter says that while the lack of uniform adoption could pose a potential problem, “it also presents a potential opportunity to bring more conformity to comity licensure as a whole, which has always been a primary concern of NCEES.” Knowledge Channels educational requirements of the law. “Engineering firms will have to be flexible, and allow interns alternative ways to achieve added education,” Musselman says. “That will enable them to pursue the requirements while still working and being productive.” Dreyer-Hadley believes that the emergence of online and other distance learning technologies to complement the conventional channels of conferences, seminars and coursework will make continuing education an easier proposition for firms, especially those that lack in-house professional development programs or have offices in rural areas. “ACEC and other organizations are leveraging technology for high-quality programs,” she says. “This makes a huge difference for younger, tech-savvy staff members who are very comfortable with these types of learning tools.” Meeting the continuing education requirement is not hard to do, says DreyerHadley. “It just requires commitment.” Addressing concerns that the added cost of helping interns meet the Bachelor’s Plus 30 requirements might compromise firms’ ability to compete, Ewing says, “It’s already costing me as a CEO when graduate engineers don’t have the basic geometry to do advanced highways or the hydraulics to perform floodplain studies. That means having to pair them with other engineers to help develop that knowledge.” Besides, he adds, “most firms already provide support and incentives for graduate engineers to pursue their PE license. Bachelor’s Plus 30 is simply raising the bar.” Lesson Planning T he additional education will give graduates a better understanding of the field. roN ewiNg DewBerry The one constant amid these uncertainties is that Bachelor’s Plus 30 is here to stay—at least as a proposal. In the final analysis, the states—not NCEES— will determine on a state-by-state basis whether to change the requirements governing PE licensure. An attempt to rescind the requirement at NCEES’s most recent conference was defeated by a larger margin than the original vote to approve it in 2006. “That means support for the concept is there,” Carter says. “We just need to make sure the details are right.” And while the 2015 NCEES implementation date was established so as not to adversely affect engineers already in the education pipeline, it is by no means etched in stone. “People see 2015 as more of a target than it needs to be,” Carter says. “The Model Law won’t go to member boards until we achieve consensus on all the details. We’re proceeding cautiously and will move forward with the Model Law when it’s deemed sensible and fair.” Dreyer-Hadley compares the experience to how architects wrestled with new educational requirements in the mid-1990s. “The requirement caused some initial anxiety, but firms responded beautifully. Rather than hurting the profession, it actually made it stronger.” Musselman agrees. “Years from now, we’ll look back on all this anxiety and debate as a blip. Considering the benefits the profession stands to gain from Bachelor’s Plus 30, the change will be worth it.” n Jim Parsons is a freelance business writer based in Bristow, Va. January / February 2008 enGIneerInG InC. Engineering firms also will be taxed to help their graduate employees meet the 25

Engineering Inc. - January/February 2008

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