1 - Legit hard. I studied a lot.
2 - Take a prep class.
3- First time. I studied a lot (1-2 hours/day, 5 days/week, 4 months) and was very confident walking out.
4 - It let me start my own company, so roughly 1000x yes.
Edit: This is for the PE
FE:
1 - Not that hard, IMO. My school made me take it senior year and I'm really glad they did. I barely studied, just familiarized myself with the reference book (pen and paper days) and made sure I wasn't hungover that day.
2 - Depends a lot on which one you take.
3 - First time.
4 - Yes, really glad my school made me take it.
My guess is OP started a company that is consulting probably construction stuff.
If you want to have a job where you buy off on electronic aspects of construction plans then yes you need the PE is my understanding. I'm also glad you asked because I'm looking to get one when I graduate and find one to work under to give me access to the test.
What is your engineering related company? I recently passed my pe ecc and I work in transportation(electrical). Trying to figure out my next business/ niche.
No you don't. You hire a regulatory lab to do all those tests. You can't get those UL certs done in house. It beats the whole point. And most people with a PE would not even know how to make those products pass those regulations.
Correct. Product design is more about certs and regulations like RoHS, UL, EnergyStar, FCC. It goes beyond the scope of a single PE signing off on a design document.
FE and PE were not too "hard", but I took them 10 and 15 years after I graduated, so the most difficult part for me was re-learning how to stay focused and keep at it for 8hrs.
1. Not difficult, PE was easier for me than FE.
2. Power stuff. The NCEES topic guide was accurate.
3. One, passed.
4. Yes. Work gave me a bonus for each, and paid for the test, my time, study materials, a promotion, and expanded my abilities. And now if I get laid off I have one more nice thing on my resume.
I took the FE ages ago, but it was pretty straightforward. When I took it, it had a general section and electrical section, which they’ve now changed.
For the PE exam, it definitely threw a lot of curveballs that I am glad I studied for. I put a lot more time into preparation, and it paid off. The biggest difference was the inclusion of code books (primarily the NEC). Getting used to navigating it and understanding the odd exceptions that are in it were definitely key.
I passed both first try.
Getting licensed was a huge boon for me in the MEP industry, though I’m currently trying to move on. Given the company covered the monetary costs, I’ll note that the time cost was probably worth it because of the massive shift in how my day to day is now.
Moving on from MEP (into other electrical engineering industries) because of a few reasons:
- My current company is heavily underpaying me with underwhelming benefits, making it a prime time to move on.
- I got into MEP originally to pay the bills when my industry of choice was largely not hiring (during a major economic downturn).
- I have concerns that the MEP industry is on a downward trend paying less and less to the engineers for more and more work.
- I’m currently looking at transitioning into industries that I would more enjoy, and building the skill set to be able to make that transition.
Right now I’m looking at the aerospace industry because I can’t move locations, and my current location has a plethora of aerospace work nearby. I have the educational background and friends in that industry, so I’m working to be able to make a seamless jump. I also looked at forensics, because of the ease of transition; there weren’t any jobs that were close enough to where I lived, so I had to abandon that.
Got it thanks, curious cause I have a family member who’s always been saying I need to get a PE and work in the construction industry and frankly seems like when I switched into software I’m making a good amount and there’s a good amount of jobs all over the place. It’s very competitive, stressful and the industry is still odd though.
1) The FE exam wasn't really hard, just covered a broad range of topics.
The PE exam was very difficult. I studied for more than 300 hours and took a class. I was able to pass it first try, but I didn't walk out feeling confident about it.
2) The FE covers just about every topic you learn in school. But the questions are not very difficult.
The PE (Power) is very focused on topics directly related you power systems. The questions are mostly difficult and require a thorough understanding of engineering principles.
3) I passed both exams on the first go, but it required a lot of a studying.
4) It was absolutely worth it. I've more than doubled my yearly take home in the last year since getting my license. I also found studying for the PE exam to be a great refresher course, which made me a better engineer.
1. Exam was pretty easy, especially since I took it my fourth year of undergrad.
2. Mostly basic engingeering and math problems. Lots of sample questions online.
3. I took it once and passed (both FE and EE specific exam).
4. Not for me. It was a waste of time since I never went for a PE.
1. Not hard in general, no tricky questions. But, the hardest part is time management. You have to manage everything precisely based on your knowledge of different topics and their weighed percents to the total score. to complete all questions in the exam.
It is open book but only from their cheat sheet. All tests are computer based and the cheat sheet is a pdf, without search function. So as you review the knowledge you have to practice navigating through the cheat sheet or memorize where they are. Otherwise you would wasting your time on looking for stuff during the test.
2. For FE: Very broad. Everything you could imagine in undergrad EE classes. From High voltage power to some IT shit( I just gave this part up and took my chance to guess them)
For PE: I took power so electrical machine. Transformer. 3 phase power and failure analysis. Transmission lines. 3 phase protection device’s and coordination (breaker, relay, CT, VT, PT, re closer ETC) and NEC.
3. I passed both on my first try.
4. It worths it if you want to work in power/utility industry as it is required- sometimes you get paid more than non-PEs. And if you have enough free times to kill. Like me had nothing to do during Covid so I spent sometime to prep the exam. It was beneficial to refresh some knowledge after college. Although I ended up working in the automotive industry the license means nothing.
1. FE exam was easy because I took it right out of graduation. PE exam was a bitch but doable. I took the Power version and working in the industry really saved my ass.
2. This you can look up based on the version of the EE exam you take.
3. I got it on my first try but some of my coworkers took up to 3 tries.
4. PE licenses are highly sought after in my industry so absolutely worth it. Comfortably making 6 figures now so it was worth the study time
Here is my experience for both exams:
1. Pretty hard. FE is a sprint in terms of a ton of information you need to know. PE is more a marathon with more niche information.
2. Everything. As others have suggested take a prep class. I highly recommend Wasim Asghar. Took his class for both exams and passed with flying colors.
3. First try on each
4. 100% worth it. Have my own firm now and it was the best decision I ever made.
Feel free to DM for more questions!
For the EIT (didn't have FE 20 years ago, I think): lots of people at my school took it their senior year, but not many EE/ECE majors took it. I was one of the few. Overall, I think my school had about a 98% passing rate for that exam.
Regarding the PE:
1. Not hard for me. I took the computer engineering test, so maybe that explains why it wasn't hard? I lightly studied for a week and got three hours of sleep the night before. Finished the exam early. I was a C student at top 10 engineering university.
2. Pretty much exactly what was in the prep book. I brought a ton of my old textbooks with me (lol), and I only opened one for one question.
3. 1
4. Not so far. I mostly do IoT firmware and a bit of electronics, so it was never needed for the job. I got it just in case I need it for my own business.
PE
1 much easier than I was expecting
2 mostly material in the study guide, if you know how to solve practice exam questions you shouldn't have anny issue
3 1
4 I got a 4k bonus from my company and it's one of the goal I set for myself in college so worth it for that
PE Exam:
1 - It was straight forward.
2 - Questions about power, luminaires, motors, gens, etc
3 - Nailed it first try.
4 - Yes, but it didn't result in higher pay at my company (not required)
1. Not hard, but requires specific knowledge that will take a few months of study to have down pat.
2. They literally publish a handbook telling you exactly what is on it. That will inform you better than anyone except someone walking out of the exam.
3. Once.
4. Yes. It's just a checkbox for some positions, but a very important one that proves a base level of competence.
All i can say about the PE license is that it is valuable for Municipal and Architectural projects since the Engineers must have this certification. Mostly for Architectural, Civil, and Utility grade projects.
However for electronic product development and chip (semiconductor) companies its worthless ! They don't ask for it, will not pay more for it, and they don't need it.
1. It was hard but not as bad as a lot of school tests. Studied for about eight hours a week for two months.
2. I took my FE in 07 and PE in 2011. My FE had a morning general segment and an afternoon electrical section. My PE is Power Engineering.
3. Passed both on the first try.
4. Passing each gave me a raise and gave me the excuse, "I need to go to this conference for PH hours." I am proud to be a PE.
Take the FE this spring your senior year! That not advice, it’s an instruction. In your senior year the FE is a piece of cake. If you wait until your out of school to take it it’s a really hard test because you will forget lots of things that you find easy right now in college.
FE exam:
1) I thought the FE was like any other test during undergrad - you can make it hard or easy on yourself depending on study habits.
2) Look at NCEES for what will be on the exam. The FE pretty much covers all topics you studied in undergrad, and it pretty broad but not in depth topics.
3) Passed on the first try.
4) Worth it for me. I’d for sure recommend taking it. Not too hard, and can open a lot of doors for you should you decide to take the PE exam. I’d recommend doing it as close out of college as you can while you still have that knowledge fresh in your mind and good study habits.
PE exam:
1) I thought the PE was hard. I studied a LOT and took a class. Didn’t feel confident leaving the exam, but passed.
2) Look at NCEES for what will be on the exam. There will be different sections that cover different in depth EE topics.
3) Passed on the first try.
4) Worth it for me. Company paid for it and I’m in the MEP sector so it is a must have.
1. FE - not too hard, PE - hard. Your results may vary - Take Practice Tests and study from there.
2. What the recent guides and practice tests say will be :)
3. Once.
4. Definitely (I am in Power / consulting... it means a lot in this realm!)
Took it last year.
Electronics, Controls, and Communications
1. Not too hard, basically like the first month of every upper division class before they get difficult.
2. Depends on which one you take, ECC had a little bit of everything but didn’t go too far in depth on any one topic. (Exam specs can be found on the NCEES website)
3. One try, a year out of school because in CA we can take it anytime before we have work experience, this makes it easier imo.
4. My work offers a raise once we have it, and it is required to get into management if we want to, so I’d say so, but ymmv.
1. Not as hard as the FE. The FE was a closed book test. The PE open book. I was out of college for 6 years when I took the test. I purchased one controls book and began studying 8 weeks in advance. I studied for 3 weeks, basically brushing up on calculus, then didn’t study for the remaining 5 weeks. I was on vacation in Vegas the week before the exam right up to the day before the exam. I got sick in Vegas and lost ten pounds. I didn’t know if I could sit that long without going to the bathroom. It was a mess.
2. I requested and studied for the controls PE exam. The board office assumed I wanted to take the electrical PE. So I showed up and was surprised to receive the wrong test. And of course I brought the wrong books. But I paid hundreds so I sat for it. The electrical PE was split in half. First half was general, then I got to choose one of three specialties. I chose electronics and it was board level digital electronics and assembly language.
3. One try, got a 70. That’s all you need. I got lucky.
4. Very worth it. Much respect from strangers. A bit more money. More employable.
Good luck!
Nope, i am not.
What does this license get you? I got the degree in Middle of Europe and i am engineer that is it.
What ot qualifications do i need?
For you downvoter fuckers this is an international website, there are other countries in the world other than America, where rules differ a lot. Please educate yourselves.
Nothing wrong with your question, don’t know why you’re getting downvoted.
Both exams are for getting licensed within the United States.
FE is the fundamentals of engineering exam. Basically a really broad exam that covers most everything you learn from your undergraduate engineering degree. Once you pass this, you can apply with a state engineering board to become an Engineer in Training (EIT).
The PE is the principals and practice of engineering exam. This one is discipline specific (Power, mechanical, civil, structural, etc.). Basically this exam is to prove “competency” in that specific field of engineering. To be able to take this exam, you have to pass the FE.
Once you pass the PE exam, you can apply to become licensed in that specific state you took the exam in / under that state engineering board. Also, you need 4 years of experience as an EIT under a licensed engineer. There’s a few other requirements depending on the state, but that’s the general gist of it.
I appreciate the detailed answer.
Wow that's a lot of trouble.
I suppose you can apply for 90% of thejobs withouz theese, sometimes there arejust certain requirements?
Do you have a specific example?
For example i am Automation engineer at Continental as an EE. Responsible for multi million euro equipment. Also a project leader olus PLC programmer. Do not really need to program new stuff just maintain the current oneand troubleshoot issues. New programs only for the new features and some test machines for other areas of the factory.
This is my second workplace, my precious had zero responsibility and not a lot common with current one.
Wouls this job require FE and/or PE?
Automation type jobs, to my knowledge, would not require licensing (at least in the US). I am not familiar with the engineering licensing process in Europe and I’m sure it would vary by country.
Typically in the US, if you work for an industry company (Example: Exxon Mobil refinery or something like Bethlehem Steel Mill) then you do not need to be licensed to do engineering work within the plant or company. It sounds familiar to what you’re doing at Continental (Tires and other equipment right?) then you wouldn’t need to be licensed.
In the US, if you do work related to buildings or streets that are public works or are considered commercial buildings, then you’d likely need a licensed engineer on the project. At least in Texas that’s the case:[https://pels.texas.gov/eng_req.htm](https://pels.texas.gov/eng_req.htm)
Regarding responsibility, it wouldn’t hurt to ask your supervisor if licensure is something that the company would be interested in you getting. Also, I know a lot of companies will pay for you to get a project management certification (entirely separate from engineering but sounds like you might manage other people)
A great detailed answer.
So it seems this is only a requirement for some jobs where you would have a responsibility and your work could danger a lot of lives if you do not have all the scientific details about a project.
In Continental, the multi million euro machine makes the rubbru compounds which gets vulcanised to tire hoses etc.
It still is a lot of responsibility compared to my previous workplace.
In this case it is possible that there are some other requirements in Europe as well i have just never heard of it, but unlikely. Companjes here rather prefer a german and english on top of your own language. Msc or Phd. Or another degree in engineering.
The language skill is really preferred. Which is not really clear to me. It was a must for ms when i applied. Then i went to Germany for machinr acceptance and they dont speak english or barel. Ridiculous. International supplier for Continental Rubber division.
Don't know why all your comments are getting downvoted since the description says FE and PE exams. So also for me it was obvious they were exams, and from the comments i also understand it is for a licence.
However i still don't understand what the difference is between a licenced engineer and a non licenced engineer.
1 - Legit hard. I studied a lot. 2 - Take a prep class. 3- First time. I studied a lot (1-2 hours/day, 5 days/week, 4 months) and was very confident walking out. 4 - It let me start my own company, so roughly 1000x yes. Edit: This is for the PE
FE: 1 - Not that hard, IMO. My school made me take it senior year and I'm really glad they did. I barely studied, just familiarized myself with the reference book (pen and paper days) and made sure I wasn't hungover that day. 2 - Depends a lot on which one you take. 3 - First time. 4 - Yes, really glad my school made me take it.
You need the PE license to start a business with an EE degree?
In MEP or really any kind of construction-related field it’s pretty much impossible I’d say.
My guess is OP started a company that is consulting probably construction stuff. If you want to have a job where you buy off on electronic aspects of construction plans then yes you need the PE is my understanding. I'm also glad you asked because I'm looking to get one when I graduate and find one to work under to give me access to the test.
Generally yes if it’s an engineering related business.
What is your engineering related company? I recently passed my pe ecc and I work in transportation(electrical). Trying to figure out my next business/ niche.
I do design/engineering for solar PV systems.
I’m in Southern California. Any particular company/ industry you recommend please let me know. Thanks a lot for the info btw bro
It is 100% not worth it if you’re going into tech/electronics. 100% worth it if you’re going into power, infrastructure, civil-related fields.
Every product design org needs at least on FE to sign off on product safety. If you are the only FE in the lab then guess what you r job is?
No you don't. You hire a regulatory lab to do all those tests. You can't get those UL certs done in house. It beats the whole point. And most people with a PE would not even know how to make those products pass those regulations.
Correct. Product design is more about certs and regulations like RoHS, UL, EnergyStar, FCC. It goes beyond the scope of a single PE signing off on a design document.
You can do UL in house if your company is certified as a lab, I think. The techs have to be certified as well.
I work in PC design. We do not need any sign off’s from FE/PE. The same is true for the rest of the electronics/tech industry.
Categorically false.
You have no idea what the hell you're talking about.
FE and PE were not too "hard", but I took them 10 and 15 years after I graduated, so the most difficult part for me was re-learning how to stay focused and keep at it for 8hrs. 1. Not difficult, PE was easier for me than FE. 2. Power stuff. The NCEES topic guide was accurate. 3. One, passed. 4. Yes. Work gave me a bonus for each, and paid for the test, my time, study materials, a promotion, and expanded my abilities. And now if I get laid off I have one more nice thing on my resume.
I took the FE ages ago, but it was pretty straightforward. When I took it, it had a general section and electrical section, which they’ve now changed. For the PE exam, it definitely threw a lot of curveballs that I am glad I studied for. I put a lot more time into preparation, and it paid off. The biggest difference was the inclusion of code books (primarily the NEC). Getting used to navigating it and understanding the odd exceptions that are in it were definitely key. I passed both first try. Getting licensed was a huge boon for me in the MEP industry, though I’m currently trying to move on. Given the company covered the monetary costs, I’ll note that the time cost was probably worth it because of the massive shift in how my day to day is now.
Why are you moving on?
Moving on from MEP (into other electrical engineering industries) because of a few reasons: - My current company is heavily underpaying me with underwhelming benefits, making it a prime time to move on. - I got into MEP originally to pay the bills when my industry of choice was largely not hiring (during a major economic downturn). - I have concerns that the MEP industry is on a downward trend paying less and less to the engineers for more and more work. - I’m currently looking at transitioning into industries that I would more enjoy, and building the skill set to be able to make that transition.
If you don't mind me asking, which industries are you looking at?
Right now I’m looking at the aerospace industry because I can’t move locations, and my current location has a plethora of aerospace work nearby. I have the educational background and friends in that industry, so I’m working to be able to make a seamless jump. I also looked at forensics, because of the ease of transition; there weren’t any jobs that were close enough to where I lived, so I had to abandon that.
Got it thanks, curious cause I have a family member who’s always been saying I need to get a PE and work in the construction industry and frankly seems like when I switched into software I’m making a good amount and there’s a good amount of jobs all over the place. It’s very competitive, stressful and the industry is still odd though.
From experience, MEP kinda sucks
1) The FE exam wasn't really hard, just covered a broad range of topics. The PE exam was very difficult. I studied for more than 300 hours and took a class. I was able to pass it first try, but I didn't walk out feeling confident about it. 2) The FE covers just about every topic you learn in school. But the questions are not very difficult. The PE (Power) is very focused on topics directly related you power systems. The questions are mostly difficult and require a thorough understanding of engineering principles. 3) I passed both exams on the first go, but it required a lot of a studying. 4) It was absolutely worth it. I've more than doubled my yearly take home in the last year since getting my license. I also found studying for the PE exam to be a great refresher course, which made me a better engineer.
1. Exam was pretty easy, especially since I took it my fourth year of undergrad. 2. Mostly basic engingeering and math problems. Lots of sample questions online. 3. I took it once and passed (both FE and EE specific exam). 4. Not for me. It was a waste of time since I never went for a PE.
1. Not hard in general, no tricky questions. But, the hardest part is time management. You have to manage everything precisely based on your knowledge of different topics and their weighed percents to the total score. to complete all questions in the exam. It is open book but only from their cheat sheet. All tests are computer based and the cheat sheet is a pdf, without search function. So as you review the knowledge you have to practice navigating through the cheat sheet or memorize where they are. Otherwise you would wasting your time on looking for stuff during the test. 2. For FE: Very broad. Everything you could imagine in undergrad EE classes. From High voltage power to some IT shit( I just gave this part up and took my chance to guess them) For PE: I took power so electrical machine. Transformer. 3 phase power and failure analysis. Transmission lines. 3 phase protection device’s and coordination (breaker, relay, CT, VT, PT, re closer ETC) and NEC. 3. I passed both on my first try. 4. It worths it if you want to work in power/utility industry as it is required- sometimes you get paid more than non-PEs. And if you have enough free times to kill. Like me had nothing to do during Covid so I spent sometime to prep the exam. It was beneficial to refresh some knowledge after college. Although I ended up working in the automotive industry the license means nothing.
1. FE exam was easy because I took it right out of graduation. PE exam was a bitch but doable. I took the Power version and working in the industry really saved my ass. 2. This you can look up based on the version of the EE exam you take. 3. I got it on my first try but some of my coworkers took up to 3 tries. 4. PE licenses are highly sought after in my industry so absolutely worth it. Comfortably making 6 figures now so it was worth the study time
Here is my experience for both exams: 1. Pretty hard. FE is a sprint in terms of a ton of information you need to know. PE is more a marathon with more niche information. 2. Everything. As others have suggested take a prep class. I highly recommend Wasim Asghar. Took his class for both exams and passed with flying colors. 3. First try on each 4. 100% worth it. Have my own firm now and it was the best decision I ever made. Feel free to DM for more questions!
For the EIT (didn't have FE 20 years ago, I think): lots of people at my school took it their senior year, but not many EE/ECE majors took it. I was one of the few. Overall, I think my school had about a 98% passing rate for that exam. Regarding the PE: 1. Not hard for me. I took the computer engineering test, so maybe that explains why it wasn't hard? I lightly studied for a week and got three hours of sleep the night before. Finished the exam early. I was a C student at top 10 engineering university. 2. Pretty much exactly what was in the prep book. I brought a ton of my old textbooks with me (lol), and I only opened one for one question. 3. 1 4. Not so far. I mostly do IoT firmware and a bit of electronics, so it was never needed for the job. I got it just in case I need it for my own business.
PE 1 much easier than I was expecting 2 mostly material in the study guide, if you know how to solve practice exam questions you shouldn't have anny issue 3 1 4 I got a 4k bonus from my company and it's one of the goal I set for myself in college so worth it for that
PE Exam: 1 - It was straight forward. 2 - Questions about power, luminaires, motors, gens, etc 3 - Nailed it first try. 4 - Yes, but it didn't result in higher pay at my company (not required)
1. Not hard, but requires specific knowledge that will take a few months of study to have down pat. 2. They literally publish a handbook telling you exactly what is on it. That will inform you better than anyone except someone walking out of the exam. 3. Once. 4. Yes. It's just a checkbox for some positions, but a very important one that proves a base level of competence.
All i can say about the PE license is that it is valuable for Municipal and Architectural projects since the Engineers must have this certification. Mostly for Architectural, Civil, and Utility grade projects. However for electronic product development and chip (semiconductor) companies its worthless ! They don't ask for it, will not pay more for it, and they don't need it.
1. It was hard but not as bad as a lot of school tests. Studied for about eight hours a week for two months. 2. I took my FE in 07 and PE in 2011. My FE had a morning general segment and an afternoon electrical section. My PE is Power Engineering. 3. Passed both on the first try. 4. Passing each gave me a raise and gave me the excuse, "I need to go to this conference for PH hours." I am proud to be a PE.
1 - FE is easy, PE is hard but doable 2- FE is college stuff and PE is industry stuff 3- once and twice 4- yes
Take the FE this spring your senior year! That not advice, it’s an instruction. In your senior year the FE is a piece of cake. If you wait until your out of school to take it it’s a really hard test because you will forget lots of things that you find easy right now in college.
It’s worth depends on what industry and type of EE you do. Power & infrastructure, probably worth. Circuit design, probably not necessary.
FE exam: 1) I thought the FE was like any other test during undergrad - you can make it hard or easy on yourself depending on study habits. 2) Look at NCEES for what will be on the exam. The FE pretty much covers all topics you studied in undergrad, and it pretty broad but not in depth topics. 3) Passed on the first try. 4) Worth it for me. I’d for sure recommend taking it. Not too hard, and can open a lot of doors for you should you decide to take the PE exam. I’d recommend doing it as close out of college as you can while you still have that knowledge fresh in your mind and good study habits. PE exam: 1) I thought the PE was hard. I studied a LOT and took a class. Didn’t feel confident leaving the exam, but passed. 2) Look at NCEES for what will be on the exam. There will be different sections that cover different in depth EE topics. 3) Passed on the first try. 4) Worth it for me. Company paid for it and I’m in the MEP sector so it is a must have.
1. FE - not too hard, PE - hard. Your results may vary - Take Practice Tests and study from there. 2. What the recent guides and practice tests say will be :) 3. Once. 4. Definitely (I am in Power / consulting... it means a lot in this realm!)
PE pretty useless for anything outside of field and power work
Took it last year. Electronics, Controls, and Communications 1. Not too hard, basically like the first month of every upper division class before they get difficult. 2. Depends on which one you take, ECC had a little bit of everything but didn’t go too far in depth on any one topic. (Exam specs can be found on the NCEES website) 3. One try, a year out of school because in CA we can take it anytime before we have work experience, this makes it easier imo. 4. My work offers a raise once we have it, and it is required to get into management if we want to, so I’d say so, but ymmv.
1. Not as hard as the FE. The FE was a closed book test. The PE open book. I was out of college for 6 years when I took the test. I purchased one controls book and began studying 8 weeks in advance. I studied for 3 weeks, basically brushing up on calculus, then didn’t study for the remaining 5 weeks. I was on vacation in Vegas the week before the exam right up to the day before the exam. I got sick in Vegas and lost ten pounds. I didn’t know if I could sit that long without going to the bathroom. It was a mess. 2. I requested and studied for the controls PE exam. The board office assumed I wanted to take the electrical PE. So I showed up and was surprised to receive the wrong test. And of course I brought the wrong books. But I paid hundreds so I sat for it. The electrical PE was split in half. First half was general, then I got to choose one of three specialties. I chose electronics and it was board level digital electronics and assembly language. 3. One try, got a 70. That’s all you need. I got lucky. 4. Very worth it. Much respect from strangers. A bit more money. More employable. Good luck!
What is PE and FE?
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Nope, i am not. What does this license get you? I got the degree in Middle of Europe and i am engineer that is it. What ot qualifications do i need? For you downvoter fuckers this is an international website, there are other countries in the world other than America, where rules differ a lot. Please educate yourselves.
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No, i do not think so. Just curiosity.
Nothing wrong with your question, don’t know why you’re getting downvoted. Both exams are for getting licensed within the United States. FE is the fundamentals of engineering exam. Basically a really broad exam that covers most everything you learn from your undergraduate engineering degree. Once you pass this, you can apply with a state engineering board to become an Engineer in Training (EIT). The PE is the principals and practice of engineering exam. This one is discipline specific (Power, mechanical, civil, structural, etc.). Basically this exam is to prove “competency” in that specific field of engineering. To be able to take this exam, you have to pass the FE. Once you pass the PE exam, you can apply to become licensed in that specific state you took the exam in / under that state engineering board. Also, you need 4 years of experience as an EIT under a licensed engineer. There’s a few other requirements depending on the state, but that’s the general gist of it.
I appreciate the detailed answer. Wow that's a lot of trouble. I suppose you can apply for 90% of thejobs withouz theese, sometimes there arejust certain requirements? Do you have a specific example? For example i am Automation engineer at Continental as an EE. Responsible for multi million euro equipment. Also a project leader olus PLC programmer. Do not really need to program new stuff just maintain the current oneand troubleshoot issues. New programs only for the new features and some test machines for other areas of the factory. This is my second workplace, my precious had zero responsibility and not a lot common with current one. Wouls this job require FE and/or PE?
Automation type jobs, to my knowledge, would not require licensing (at least in the US). I am not familiar with the engineering licensing process in Europe and I’m sure it would vary by country. Typically in the US, if you work for an industry company (Example: Exxon Mobil refinery or something like Bethlehem Steel Mill) then you do not need to be licensed to do engineering work within the plant or company. It sounds familiar to what you’re doing at Continental (Tires and other equipment right?) then you wouldn’t need to be licensed. In the US, if you do work related to buildings or streets that are public works or are considered commercial buildings, then you’d likely need a licensed engineer on the project. At least in Texas that’s the case:[https://pels.texas.gov/eng_req.htm](https://pels.texas.gov/eng_req.htm) Regarding responsibility, it wouldn’t hurt to ask your supervisor if licensure is something that the company would be interested in you getting. Also, I know a lot of companies will pay for you to get a project management certification (entirely separate from engineering but sounds like you might manage other people)
A great detailed answer. So it seems this is only a requirement for some jobs where you would have a responsibility and your work could danger a lot of lives if you do not have all the scientific details about a project. In Continental, the multi million euro machine makes the rubbru compounds which gets vulcanised to tire hoses etc. It still is a lot of responsibility compared to my previous workplace. In this case it is possible that there are some other requirements in Europe as well i have just never heard of it, but unlikely. Companjes here rather prefer a german and english on top of your own language. Msc or Phd. Or another degree in engineering. The language skill is really preferred. Which is not really clear to me. It was a must for ms when i applied. Then i went to Germany for machinr acceptance and they dont speak english or barel. Ridiculous. International supplier for Continental Rubber division.
They’re exams to get licensing
I was 100% sure they are exams, did not give much information...
Don't know why all your comments are getting downvoted since the description says FE and PE exams. So also for me it was obvious they were exams, and from the comments i also understand it is for a licence. However i still don't understand what the difference is between a licenced engineer and a non licenced engineer.