“When you develop a game plan to get what you want, you will develop a belief that you can get it.”
~ Zig Ziglar
Thursday, June 18, 2009
SE License Exam Changes, SE I, SE II
There are upcoming changes to the SE Licensing exam that could impact engineers who are looking to earn the SE License. These changes are still being finalized, but below is my current understanding of the situation. (For more information, please refer to the NCEES press release at http://www.ncees.org/news/index.php?release_id=47. )
1. There will no longer be an SE I and SE II exam. There will be 1 single 16 Hour SE Exam. Each 8 hour section could be passed separately.
2. Passing the first 8 hours will not allow you to qualify for a P.E. (in many states now, if you pass SE I, you can get registered as a PE)
3. The first 8 hours of the exam will cover gravity systems and the second 8 hours will cover lateral systems, including extensive seismic.
4. There is an effort to get states like CA and WA to agree that passing the new SE 16 hour exam will be sufficient to become licensed as an SE in those states such that their state specific exam would not be required.
5. If you have passed SE I, but haven’t taken SE II, you will need to do that before the new requirements take place if you want to only take SE II. After the new requirement takes effect (anticipated for 2011), the new exam would have to be taken (the entire 16 hours) in order to get licensed as an SE.
If you have any additional information/comments/feedback on this topic, please let me know
Webinars, Employment, and Compensation
SE Solutions Webinars
We have completed our first set of webinars and have received very positive feedback from attendees. For more information about upcoming webinars, please refer to http://www.findyourengineer.com/Webinars.html. If you would like to be notified via e-mail regarding future seminars, please e-mail Lisa.Willard@FindYourEngineer.com. You can also follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sesolutions and we will post upcoming seminar information.
Maintaining Employment in this Economy
This has certainly been a challenging economy to say the least. A significant amount of companies have reduced staff. However, we are working on a few very interesting and unique opportunities. For more information, please refer to http://www.findyourengineer.com/Hot_Jobs.html. If you know of anyone we can assist in finding a new opportunity, please let us know.
Most Recent Salary Survey for Structural Engineers Released
Structural Engineer Magazine (by Stagnito Media) just released its annual compensation survey and the results can be found at http://www.gostructural.com/article.asp?id=3812.
We have completed our first set of webinars and have received very positive feedback from attendees. For more information about upcoming webinars, please refer to http://www.findyourengineer.com/Webinars.html. If you would like to be notified via e-mail regarding future seminars, please e-mail Lisa.Willard@FindYourEngineer.com. You can also follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sesolutions and we will post upcoming seminar information.
Maintaining Employment in this Economy
This has certainly been a challenging economy to say the least. A significant amount of companies have reduced staff. However, we are working on a few very interesting and unique opportunities. For more information, please refer to http://www.findyourengineer.com/Hot_Jobs.html. If you know of anyone we can assist in finding a new opportunity, please let us know.
Most Recent Salary Survey for Structural Engineers Released
Structural Engineer Magazine (by Stagnito Media) just released its annual compensation survey and the results can be found at http://www.gostructural.com/article.asp?id=3812.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Quote of the Month, May 7, 2009
"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."
~Native American Proverb
~Native American Proverb
New LEED Credentialing Requirements - Becoming LEED-AP+
By Lisa Willard (Lisa.Willard@FindYourEngineer.com)
The Green Building Certification Institute (www.gcbi.org) has modified the requirements to become a LEED Accredited Professional. The new accreditation will be referred to as LEED-AP+. The purpose of this newsletter is to outline the procedures for people that currently hold the LEED-AP credential, and for those that plan to take the exams for the LEED-AP+ designation.
I registered for the LEED 2.0 exam prior to April 1, 2009, or currently hold the LEED-AP Title.
If you registered for the LEED 2.0 exam prior to April 1, you are still eligible to take the old version of the exam until June 30th, 2009, and become certified under the old guidelines. If you do not pass the exam prior to June 30th, you will need to qualify for LEED-AP+ under the new guidelines.
To have the new designation (LEED AP+), and existing LEED-AP will need to agree to the new disciplinary policy and continuing education requirements, as well as pay the maintenance fee (although the first maintenance fee will be waived). The designation that will be assigned to your credential will be as follows:
If you took the New Construction exam, you will be designated as LEED AP+ Building Design & Construction (LEED AP+BD&C)
If you took the Existing Building exam, you will be designated as LEED AP+ Operations & Maintenance (LEED AP+O&M)
Anyone that is an existing LEED AP can choose to transition over to the LEED AP+ certification between June 30th, 2009 and June 30th, 2011. If you do not transition over to LEED AP+, you will still be able to use the LEED AP designation, but you will be listed as inactive in the GBCI Directory.
I registered for the LEED Exam on April 1, 2009 or later, or have not yet applied.
If you are not currently a LEED AP, you will need to qualify for a LEED credential under the new tiered system. There are 2 levels that can currently be achieved:
LEED Green Associate
For the LEED Green Associate designation, there is a 2.5 hour exam that covers basic green building knowledge. This designation is intended for people who work in the building industry in more of a support role, and do not otherwise qualify for LEED AP+ Status.
LEED AP+
For the LEED AP+ designation, there are two exams that must be passed. The first test is the same as for those trying to obtain the LEED Green Associate designation. The second test follows one of the specialization tracks, including Interior Design & Construction (ID&C), Homes, Neighborhood Development (ND), Building Design & Construction (BD&C), and Operations & Maintenance (O&M). Both tests must be completed within four hours.
For all Designations
In addition to the exams, there are additional requirements to become accredited as a LEED Green Associate or LEED AP+. These requirements include:
1) Agreeing to the GBCI Disciplinary policy
2) Submitting an application including information about LEED Support (LEED Green Associate) or LEED Projects that you have been involved with in the last 2-3 years (Leed AP+)
3) Paying a maintenance fee
4) Completing continuing education requirements. 15 hours every 2 years for LEED Green Associate, 30 hours every years for LEED AP+
A diagram that shows the requirements necessary for the different LEED Designations can be found HERE.
If the above link does not work, please cut & paste the link below http://www.buildinggreen.com/auth/image.cfm?imageName=images/1801/LEED_Cred.gif&fileName=180103b.xml
Are you a LEED AP? Do you plan on applying for the LEED AP+ Credentials? How has the LEED AP accreditation helped your career? We look forward to hearing from you.
The Green Building Certification Institute (www.gcbi.org) has modified the requirements to become a LEED Accredited Professional. The new accreditation will be referred to as LEED-AP+. The purpose of this newsletter is to outline the procedures for people that currently hold the LEED-AP credential, and for those that plan to take the exams for the LEED-AP+ designation.
I registered for the LEED 2.0 exam prior to April 1, 2009, or currently hold the LEED-AP Title.
If you registered for the LEED 2.0 exam prior to April 1, you are still eligible to take the old version of the exam until June 30th, 2009, and become certified under the old guidelines. If you do not pass the exam prior to June 30th, you will need to qualify for LEED-AP+ under the new guidelines.
To have the new designation (LEED AP+), and existing LEED-AP will need to agree to the new disciplinary policy and continuing education requirements, as well as pay the maintenance fee (although the first maintenance fee will be waived). The designation that will be assigned to your credential will be as follows:
If you took the New Construction exam, you will be designated as LEED AP+ Building Design & Construction (LEED AP+BD&C)
If you took the Existing Building exam, you will be designated as LEED AP+ Operations & Maintenance (LEED AP+O&M)
Anyone that is an existing LEED AP can choose to transition over to the LEED AP+ certification between June 30th, 2009 and June 30th, 2011. If you do not transition over to LEED AP+, you will still be able to use the LEED AP designation, but you will be listed as inactive in the GBCI Directory.
I registered for the LEED Exam on April 1, 2009 or later, or have not yet applied.
If you are not currently a LEED AP, you will need to qualify for a LEED credential under the new tiered system. There are 2 levels that can currently be achieved:
LEED Green Associate
For the LEED Green Associate designation, there is a 2.5 hour exam that covers basic green building knowledge. This designation is intended for people who work in the building industry in more of a support role, and do not otherwise qualify for LEED AP+ Status.
LEED AP+
For the LEED AP+ designation, there are two exams that must be passed. The first test is the same as for those trying to obtain the LEED Green Associate designation. The second test follows one of the specialization tracks, including Interior Design & Construction (ID&C), Homes, Neighborhood Development (ND), Building Design & Construction (BD&C), and Operations & Maintenance (O&M). Both tests must be completed within four hours.
For all Designations
In addition to the exams, there are additional requirements to become accredited as a LEED Green Associate or LEED AP+. These requirements include:
1) Agreeing to the GBCI Disciplinary policy
2) Submitting an application including information about LEED Support (LEED Green Associate) or LEED Projects that you have been involved with in the last 2-3 years (Leed AP+)
3) Paying a maintenance fee
4) Completing continuing education requirements. 15 hours every 2 years for LEED Green Associate, 30 hours every years for LEED AP+
A diagram that shows the requirements necessary for the different LEED Designations can be found HERE.
If the above link does not work, please cut & paste the link below http://www.buildinggreen.com/auth/image.cfm?imageName=images/1801/LEED_Cred.gif&fileName=180103b.xml
Are you a LEED AP? Do you plan on applying for the LEED AP+ Credentials? How has the LEED AP accreditation helped your career? We look forward to hearing from you.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Quote of the Week, April 7, 2009
"Excellence is not a singular act, but a habit. You are what you repeatedly do "
~Shaquille O’Neal
~Shaquille O’Neal
Affected by our Current Economy & Looking for Work?
By Brian Quinn (Brian.Quinn@FindYourEngineer.com)
Our current economic situation is very challenging and a number of companies are reducing their workforce due to a variety of conditions, including many projects that have gone “on hold.” If you are impacted by the economy, what are some things you can do to improve your chances of getting another good opportunity and also improve your skill sets? The goal of this newsletter is to offer a variety of suggestions to help you during this difficult time. In addition, please refer to our Webinars website for presentations on these topics. Following are some items we’ve found to help.
Maintain a positive attitude: Even though this is a difficult time, companies look to hire positive people. If they see you are still maintaining a positive outlook, they will notice. Take the “glass is half full” outlook!
Assess your skills / talents: This is a good opportunity to “take inventory” and give some very serious thought to what you like to do and what you’ve learned from previous employment. Write down specific items you would like to see improved at your next job. Also, what do you feel your best skills are and what do you want to improve upon? Take steps to putting these things “in writing” and begin to work on them TODAY.
Get letters of recommendations (especially from your most recent employer)
Create a Project List to go with your resume (please e-mail us if you would like a sample one we’ve found that employers like)
The “Little” things make a difference. Given the extremely challenging market current, companies will be getting resumes from many more qualified people than they have previously. Therefore, they can be more selective. You want to give yourself the greatest opportunity and separate yourself from the rest, so it’s vitally important to do all you can to improve your chances.
Research Trends and Learn New Skills
Utilize Bentley FREE Training on Structural Software – see below
Learn BIM Tools like Revit Structure
Continued AISC Membership Benefits
Read to Keep Current
Invest in Furthering your Education
Get a Master’s Degree
Study for the PE / SE
Get LEED Certified
A Quick note about item 6a & 6c.
Bentley’s “Be Employable” allows people access to FREE training on structural engineering software such as the RAM and Staad product line. This is a great opportunity to further your knowledge of software technology that can help you in your next position. For more information, see http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Community/Academic/Be+Employable/be+employable.htm.
Also, regarding 6c, if your former firm was an AISC member and you have been laid off, AISC will allow you to have continued access to member benefits.
For more detailed information on each item above, please e-mail us and we will send you a document which goes into more detail. Feel free to call us also to discuss your particular situation. We hope you find this helpful.
Our current economic situation is very challenging and a number of companies are reducing their workforce due to a variety of conditions, including many projects that have gone “on hold.” If you are impacted by the economy, what are some things you can do to improve your chances of getting another good opportunity and also improve your skill sets? The goal of this newsletter is to offer a variety of suggestions to help you during this difficult time. In addition, please refer to our Webinars website for presentations on these topics. Following are some items we’ve found to help.
Maintain a positive attitude: Even though this is a difficult time, companies look to hire positive people. If they see you are still maintaining a positive outlook, they will notice. Take the “glass is half full” outlook!
Assess your skills / talents: This is a good opportunity to “take inventory” and give some very serious thought to what you like to do and what you’ve learned from previous employment. Write down specific items you would like to see improved at your next job. Also, what do you feel your best skills are and what do you want to improve upon? Take steps to putting these things “in writing” and begin to work on them TODAY.
Get letters of recommendations (especially from your most recent employer)
Create a Project List to go with your resume (please e-mail us if you would like a sample one we’ve found that employers like)
The “Little” things make a difference. Given the extremely challenging market current, companies will be getting resumes from many more qualified people than they have previously. Therefore, they can be more selective. You want to give yourself the greatest opportunity and separate yourself from the rest, so it’s vitally important to do all you can to improve your chances.
Research Trends and Learn New Skills
Utilize Bentley FREE Training on Structural Software – see below
Learn BIM Tools like Revit Structure
Continued AISC Membership Benefits
Read to Keep Current
Invest in Furthering your Education
Get a Master’s Degree
Study for the PE / SE
Get LEED Certified
A Quick note about item 6a & 6c.
Bentley’s “Be Employable” allows people access to FREE training on structural engineering software such as the RAM and Staad product line. This is a great opportunity to further your knowledge of software technology that can help you in your next position. For more information, see http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Community/Academic/Be+Employable/be+employable.htm.
Also, regarding 6c, if your former firm was an AISC member and you have been laid off, AISC will allow you to have continued access to member benefits.
For more detailed information on each item above, please e-mail us and we will send you a document which goes into more detail. Feel free to call us also to discuss your particular situation. We hope you find this helpful.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Quote of the Week, March 17, 2009
"The winner's edge is not in a gifted birth, a high IQ, or in talent. The winner's edge is all in the attitude, not aptitude. Attitude is the criterion for success."
~Dennis Waitley
~Dennis Waitley
Increase the Value you Provide to your Current Company, Part II
By: Brian Quinn
As a summary from our last newsletter…
If your company had to make a very difficult decision to lay people off at your company, why should they NOT want to pick you? Or, put another way, how can you perform at a high level so that your chances of getting laid off are decreased? The key word here is PERFORM. I classify performance into 2 sub-categories: Technical and Non-Technical. Our March 3rd Newsletter focused on the “Technical” aspects. This edition focuses on the “Non-Technical” aspects.
Also from our last newsletter, recall that research has proved that “85 percent of the reason you get a job, will keep that job, and move ahead in that job has to do with your people skills and people knowledge.” So, let’s dive into this a little deeper.
There are 3 main areas I would suggest you focus on for “non-technical” improvement.
Learn about what is important to your supervisor and to your company and come up with creative ideas that will help them achieve their goals.
Always have a “YES, I would be happy to help with that” attitude.
Always focus on what you CAN DO or CAN IMPACT, not what you CAN’T DO or don’t have control over.
1. HELP Your Supervisor and Company
By spending time learning about your supervisor’s goals and the goals of the company, you can ask and suggest ways that you could help them to achieve those goals. One of the sayings of Zig Ziglar is…
“You can have anything you want in life, if you just help enough other people get what they want in life.”
This is the “Motto” of our company, and if you take the same approach of trying to find ways to understand what is important to your supervisor and your company, and have a sincere approach to finding ways to help them, you will be rewarded. When your company realizes that you are willing to go the extra mile to help them out, it will have a positive impact for you. One specific way would be to look at ways to improve any interaction you have with the company’s clients – both on the phone and in person. Making your company’s clients happy will result in them telling your supervisors about what a joy it is to work with you.
2. Have a “YES, I Would be Happy to Help with that” Attitude.
Have you ever noticed how often times when people are asked to help with something they complain about the task, roll their eyes, go back and talk negative to their friends about it and so forth? As a profession, I’ve found that structural engineering can be a very demanding job and likely your supervisor is under more stress than you may think. Therefore, anyone who has a great attitude and responds in a positive way such as “Sure, I would be happy to help you with that” is likely going to be more appreciated and advance faster. Think about ways to make life easier for people at your company!
3. Focus on what you CAN DO or CAN IMPACT
One of our prior newsletters spent some time on this as well, but the next time you start to say “I can’t …” – STOP! Find a way to rephrase your response to highlight what you CAN DO. Find ways to change what might have been a negative response into something positive. Also, don’t dwell on or think about issues that you can’t control or impact. Focus on what you can control and impact and work on those items.
Our next issue of SE Dynamics will focus on what you can do if you have been impacted by this economy and find yourself looking for a new career opportunity.
Also, for more in depth information on the topics covered today, join one of our FREE upcoming WEBINARS. We plan to cover these topics, as well as others, in the next few months. www.FindYourEngineer.com/webinars for more information.
As a summary from our last newsletter…
If your company had to make a very difficult decision to lay people off at your company, why should they NOT want to pick you? Or, put another way, how can you perform at a high level so that your chances of getting laid off are decreased? The key word here is PERFORM. I classify performance into 2 sub-categories: Technical and Non-Technical. Our March 3rd Newsletter focused on the “Technical” aspects. This edition focuses on the “Non-Technical” aspects.
Also from our last newsletter, recall that research has proved that “85 percent of the reason you get a job, will keep that job, and move ahead in that job has to do with your people skills and people knowledge.” So, let’s dive into this a little deeper.
There are 3 main areas I would suggest you focus on for “non-technical” improvement.
Learn about what is important to your supervisor and to your company and come up with creative ideas that will help them achieve their goals.
Always have a “YES, I would be happy to help with that” attitude.
Always focus on what you CAN DO or CAN IMPACT, not what you CAN’T DO or don’t have control over.
1. HELP Your Supervisor and Company
By spending time learning about your supervisor’s goals and the goals of the company, you can ask and suggest ways that you could help them to achieve those goals. One of the sayings of Zig Ziglar is…
“You can have anything you want in life, if you just help enough other people get what they want in life.”
This is the “Motto” of our company, and if you take the same approach of trying to find ways to understand what is important to your supervisor and your company, and have a sincere approach to finding ways to help them, you will be rewarded. When your company realizes that you are willing to go the extra mile to help them out, it will have a positive impact for you. One specific way would be to look at ways to improve any interaction you have with the company’s clients – both on the phone and in person. Making your company’s clients happy will result in them telling your supervisors about what a joy it is to work with you.
2. Have a “YES, I Would be Happy to Help with that” Attitude.
Have you ever noticed how often times when people are asked to help with something they complain about the task, roll their eyes, go back and talk negative to their friends about it and so forth? As a profession, I’ve found that structural engineering can be a very demanding job and likely your supervisor is under more stress than you may think. Therefore, anyone who has a great attitude and responds in a positive way such as “Sure, I would be happy to help you with that” is likely going to be more appreciated and advance faster. Think about ways to make life easier for people at your company!
3. Focus on what you CAN DO or CAN IMPACT
One of our prior newsletters spent some time on this as well, but the next time you start to say “I can’t …” – STOP! Find a way to rephrase your response to highlight what you CAN DO. Find ways to change what might have been a negative response into something positive. Also, don’t dwell on or think about issues that you can’t control or impact. Focus on what you can control and impact and work on those items.
Our next issue of SE Dynamics will focus on what you can do if you have been impacted by this economy and find yourself looking for a new career opportunity.
Also, for more in depth information on the topics covered today, join one of our FREE upcoming WEBINARS. We plan to cover these topics, as well as others, in the next few months. www.FindYourEngineer.com/webinars for more information.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Quote of the Week, March 3, 2009
"Life is a series of near misses. But a lot of what we ascribe to luck is not luck at all. It's seizing the day and accepting responsibility for your future."
~Howard Schultz
~Howard Schultz
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