Structural Engineering Certification

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Structural Engineering Certification

• History, Purpose, and Future
• Presented By
• Ronald O. Hamburger, SE, SECBChair, Structural
  Engineering Certification Board

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WHY WAS THE SECB FORMED?
Protection of the Public and Enhancement of the
Profession
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Protection of the Public
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Why the Profession Must Protect the Public?

• State Legislatures are reluctant to pass laws
  that change the rules and regulations affecting
  the practice of engineering.
• The public lacks the ability to evaluate the
  qualifications of engineers.
• The profession is best qualified to determine the
  necessary credentials.

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Facts

• 50 States
• Only 10 States license Structural Engineers (20)
• CA, ID, UT, NM, NE, NV
• HI, IL, OR, WA
• 40 - NO recognition of SE Profession (80)

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22,950,000 US citizens protected by an SE
Practice ACT
42,924,000 are marginally protected by an SE
Title Act
210,315,000 US Citizens are unprotected by an SE
ACT. 76 of the US Population
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Sample Board of Licensure Regulatory Authority
Professional engineers, professional
surveyors Professional engineers, professional
surveyors, architects, landscape architects,
designers (HVAC, plumbers, electrical) Professi
onal engineers, professional surveyors,
architects, geologists, landscape
Architects Professional engineers,
professional surveyors, interior designers,
architects, geologists, landscape architects,
soil scientists Professional engineers,
professional surveyors, architects, geologists,
natural scientists, foresters Professional
engineers, professional surveyors, architects,
geologists, landscape architects, assayers,
remediation specialists, home inspectors, drug
lab remediation personnel
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Non Uniform Standards

• Examination Requirements for Jurisdictions
• NCEES Civil (8 hours with 20 Structural Content)
• NCEES Structural- I (8 hours)
• NCEES Structural I Structural II
• PE Structural I and II
• PE Structural I and II Structural III

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Facts

• Structural Engineering Education is Lacking
• NCSEA Survey 47 Schools Taught the Necessary
  Coursework Deemed by NCSEA as Required To
  Practice Structural Engineering.
• Courses Missing
• Timber Design
• Masonry Design
• Structural Dynamics

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Continuing Education

• 20 States Do Not Require Continuing Education.
• Two States Require 16 hours biennially.
• Six States Require 15 hours annually.
• Three States Require 24 hours biennially.
• Nineteen States Require 30 hours biennially.

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Problems Facing the Profession
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Structural Engineering is not Distinct from Civil
Engineering

• Universities teach structural engineering as a
  subset to civil engineering.
• Structural Engineers rely heavily on civil
  engineering based organizations for political
  influence further reducing visibility.

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Liability

• Structural Engineers carry a disproportionate
  level of liability for the compensation they
  receive.
• A high percentage of SE firm revenue is dedicated
  to EO insurance premiums.

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Complexity of Practice

• Increasingly complex codes.
• Sophisticated computerized integration of design
  and deliverables Example - BIM
• Complex project delivery methods Design-Build,
  Construction Management, Fast Track etc.

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Challenge to the Profession

• Assure
• engineers obtain appropriate education
• have the proper experience to be in responsible
  charge
• have appropriate judgment in resolving
  engineering problems
• maintain currency of knowledge and skills
• Provide a means for competent practitioners to
  identify themselves to an unwary and unknowing
  client base

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Why Not Separate Licensing?

• Since 1915 only 10 states have adopted separate
  licensing laws.
• A large contingent of engineers are opposed to
  separate licensing of structural engineers for
  multiple reasons.
• Dilution of P.E.
• Restraint of trade.
• Fracturing of Civil Engineering Profession.

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Why Not Separate Licensing?

• Legislative action is driven by two primary
  forces
• Money
• Lobbyist
• Campaign Contributions
• Profits
• Reaction to Public Sentiment (sometimes)
• Seismic Events (California, Oregon Washington SE
  Acts)
• High Rise Building Boom (Illinois SE Act)
• Planes hitting buildings (NIST Report)
• Floods (New Orleans Levee Repairs)
• Hurricanes (Mississippi Adopts IBC Codes)

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Proposed ASCE Policy Statement

• ASCE encourages post-licensure certification
  in civil engineering discipline subsets through
  required continuing education and validation of
  advanced expertise, thereby avoiding the need for
  additional discipline-specific secondary
  professional licenses.

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Proposed ASCE Policy Statement

• ..Requiring separate licenses for specific
  discipline subsets of civil engineering does not
  strengthen the practice of civil engineering,
  enhance the publics safety, or reduce the
  administrative burden on the practitioner or the
  government.

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NSPE Position

• ..NSPE Policy 152 deals with generic
  licensure. It encourages states to use the NCEES
  Model Law and supports the concept of licensing
  engineers only as a Professional Engineer
  rather than license engineers by designated
  branches or specialty

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The NCSEA membership and the SEI Board of
Governors have both gone on record as supporting
Separate Licensing so why not separate licensing?

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Why Certification?
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The Profession Chose it.
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History

• The Research of Certification was Initiated and
  Led by the National Council of Structural
  Engineers Association (NCSEA)
• 1999 - Ad hoc Certification Committee appointed
  at NCSEA Annual Conference.
• 2000 - Ad hoc Certification Committee presents
  report at NCSEA Annual Conference.
• 2000 - NCSEA Delegates make ad-hoc Committee a
  Standing Committee with charge to with develop a
  model for Board Certification of Structural
  Engineers.
• 2001 - NCSEA Past Presidents form committee to
  develop a business plan for the certification
  program.

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History

• 2002 - Certification Committees Model and the
  Business Plan are presented to the delegates.
• 2003 - Final Presentation and Discussion at NCSEA
  Annual Conference.
• 4th Quarter 2003 NCSEA Member Organizations
  Vote to Implement the Certification Program.

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• Structural Engineering Certification Board
  Established in 1st Quarter 2004
• Independent and Autonomous Board
• 7 member Board of Directors
• 4 Structural Engineer Directors
• 2 Stakeholder Directors
• 1 Public Director

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Organizational Structure
SECB Board of Directors 7 Members 4 Structural
Engineers 2 Stakeholders 1 Public Member
Marketing Committee 2 Individuals plus
the Executive Director
Finance Committee 3 BOD Members Executive Director
Education Committee 5 Structural Engineers
Examination Committee 5 Structural Engineers
Credentialing Committee 5 Structural Engineers
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Becoming Certified

• Grandfathering
• Active License issued prior to June 19, 2005
• Actively Engaged in Practice 3 years immediately
  prior to application date.
• Successfully pass evaluation by Credentialing
  Committee.
• Regular Process
• BS in engineering discipline with 36 semester
  hours in 6 of 9 structural engineering related
  subjects.
• Successfully pass the NCEES SE I and SE II exams.
  
• Have 4 years of structural engineering related
  experience or 3 years plus a Masters Degree.

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Remaining Certified

• Continue in active practice
• Maintain currency through continuing education

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Hallmarks of Successful Certification Program

• Establishes a profession imposed uniform set of
  credentialing requirements that result in
• Better protection for the public.
• Branding of QUALIFIED Structural Engineers.
• Does not interfere with LICENSING, but helps
  establish recognition of Strucural Engineering as
  a separate practice.

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Benefit to the Public

• Provides an identifiable source of qualified
  professionals to choose from.
• Relieves the politicians from making decisions
  regarding professional qualification issues that
  they are ill equipped to deal with.
• Moves the practice of structural engineering in
  the direction of allowing only those qualified
  the opportunity to perform the work ultimately
  resulting in better projects.

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Status of SECB

• Program is entering the third year of awarding
  certifications.
• Approximately 1200 people have entered the
  program.
• Stakeholders such as Architectural Firms,
  Government Agencies, and Insurance Companies are
  becoming aware of the program and support it.

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Program Accomplishments

• Prior to Certification NCEES did not have a Model
  Law for Structural Engineering.
• Prior to Certification there was very little
  active interest in obtaining Practice Acts.
  Since 4 states have initiated discussions
  towards that end.
• SECB has sought and received financial support
  from the following Insurance Companies
• Beazley
• Everest
• Ramco
• Hudson
• Lexington
• Travelers
• XL Design Professional

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Why You Should Participate

• Personal Professional Distinction
• Support of Uniform Qualification Requirements
• To Increase Recognition of the Profession

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Why an SE Firm Should Support the Certification
Program

• Provides employers with a tool to identify
  qualified engineers.
• Provides firms with a marketing edge.
• Establishes a level playing field.
• Potential for lower EO insurance premiums.

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• You are the Profession
• www.secertboard.org

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