To those receiving their mechanical engineering degree – congratulations! You have worked hard and are eager to get started on your career. Many of you already have a job lined up, however many of you do not, but that is ok. At this point, your grade point average is most important, though many have various experiences during your time in college that will differentiate you in the job market.
However, grade point average and college experiences will count mainly in finding your first job. After that, various things will begin to count more, such as job experience, or an advanced degree in mechanical engineering, or even an MBA. Yet, one qualification that is all too often overlooked is becoming a registered professional engineer. And for many of you, the two major challenges of obtaining that qualification can be obtained within one to two years after graduation.
Those two challenges are passing two national exams, the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam and the Professional Engineering (PE) Exam. If you have already taken the FE Exam prior to graduation, and passed, then upon graduation, many states now allow you to take the PE Exam right then. Once the PE exam has been passed, then yes, most states require 4 years of experience as part of becoming a PE. However, you will have two major obstacles behind you. If you have not taken the FE Exam, then it cannot be overemphasized that you do that immediately. The material on the FE Exam floats away faster than you can imagine. Believe me, I made that mistake – twice!
Think of passing these two exams as a “Gradation Gift”. To yourself. Yes, other things can accelerate your career. I obtained a Master’s degree, then worked in the trenches for 7 years, then obtained my PhD, a 10-year process, then took the FE Exam, and then the PE Exam. The Master’s degree did give me an advantage at the companies I worked for; however, not being a PE kept me from several supervisory positions. And remember, you cannot have your own engineering consulting business without being a PE. I definitely wish I had given myself the gift of becoming a PE long before I actually received it. I wish that same gift for you. Again, congratulations on receiving your degree.
Dr. Tom
PS: Dr Tom’s Classroom is offering special discounts for our PE review courses in mechanical engineering. Courses that you will have access to for an entire year, with payment plans to fit your budget. And if you do not pass the PE exam the first time, we offer significant discounts to retake the course. All the best from the DTC Team!
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