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General >> Tech Talk >> Professional Engineering License Laws (software too)
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Message started by RobG on Jan 2^nd, 2013, 8:53pm

Title: Professional Engineering License Laws (software too)
Post by RobG on Jan 2^nd, 2013, 8:53pm

What do you guys think about your state's professional engineering laws? Are any of you PEs? What sort of PEs are on your state board?

In some states the laws are relatively tame: e.g. it is illegal to call yourself an engineer unless you are licensed. In other states it is illegal to do any engineering or even teach engineering without a professional engineering license.

Only 9% of U.S. electrical engineers have PEs so most industries think it is a waste of time and money. The semiconductor industry is virtually devoid of PEs so these laws effectively make it illegal to open up shop in some states. The reason is that you need to work under a PE before you can apply to be a PE. It is a catch 22 where you need PEs in your industry before you can start having PEs in your industry! This also acts to prevent competition by making it harder for companies to spin off of a big competitor.

The software folks are now in the regulating agency's sights: http://theinstitute.ieee.org/career-and-education/career-guidance/licensing-software-engineers-is-in-the-works

So what do you guys think?