WHY SHOULD YOU GET REGISTERED?

INTRODUCTION
Licensure is the mark of a professional. The licensure process demands an extra measure
of competence and dedication. While not all engineers find licensure mandatory for their
chosen career paths, the RCE initials after their names can provide many advantages.
Employers in all disciplines indicate that they find registered civil engineer employees to
be more dedicated, with enhanced leadership and management skills. These employers
look to licensure in evaluating the advancement potential of employees.
Registered civil engineers also achieve an enhanced status in the eyes of the public,
which equates him with professionals licensed in other fields.
Licensure is an indicator of dedication to integrity, hard work, and creativity, and an
assurance that the individual civil engineer has passed at least a minimum screen of
competence. Of course, licensure is just a starting point for professional growth and
development, and participation in professional activities is part of the ongoing activities
of a true professional.
THE ADVANTAGES OF BEING A REGISTERED CIVIL ENGINEER
Regardless of the career path you choose to take, there are a number of practical
considerations concerning licensure of which you should be aware:

Only a registered civil engineer may prepare, sign and seal, and submit civil
engineering plans and drawings to a public authority for approval, or seal civil
engineering work for public and private clients.

Licensure for individuals who wish to pursue a career as a consulting engineer or

a private practitioner is not something that is merely desirable; it is a legal
requirement for those who are in responsible charge of work, be they principals or
employees.

Licensure for engineers in government has become increasingly significant. Many

city/municipal agencies require that certain governmental engineering positions,
particularly those considered higher level and responsible positions, be filled only by
registered civil engineers.

For those considering a career in education, there has been an increasing

requirement that those individuals teaching engineering must be registered.
Exemptions to laws are under attack, and in the future, those in education, as well as
industry and government, may need to be licensed to practice. Also, licensure helps
educators prepare students for their future in engineering.

With the growing complexity and the increasing diversity of modern construction
processes and techniques, the civil engineer in construction must readily be able to
communicate and exchange ideas and views with other registered engineers.

For those pursuing careers in industry, licensure has recently taken on increased
meaning with heightened public attention concerning product safety, environmental
issues, and design defects. Employers have found it advantageous to identify to the
courts and the public those employees who have met at least a minimum level of
competence.

Engineers in the military must have the credentials to stay with the service in the
face of downsizing or to make the transition to the private sector.

The scope of engineering practice is constantly changing, and engineering

activities that may be exempt today may eventually shift into a practice area that one
day requires a license. For example, research and development may find practical
application in the facilities design/construction process, requiring the practitioner to
be registered.

Engineering board examinations are increasingly seeking and obtaining the

authority to impose civil penalties against unlicensed individuals who unlawfully
engage in the practice of engineering.

Civil engineers must adapt to a rapidly changing workplace-restructuring,

downsizing, outsourcing, privatization, and re-engineering. They should prepare to
make the transition into a consulting relationship with former employers and clients
in the event of a corporate outsourcing and respond if their corporation decides to
bring design and engineering services in-house. Only by becoming licensed can an
engineer perform the broad scope of engineering services within an area of
competence as defined under the law.

DON'T GAMBLE WITH YOUR CAREER

As an engineer, you must adapt to a rapidly changing workplace. Just consider: You could
be faced with restructuring, downsizing, outsourcing, privatization, and re-engineering.
Are You Prepared to Confront Those Challenges and Turn Them Into
Opportunities?
Numerous studies have shown that the employment for life era is a thing of the past. In
the future, most people will have as many as a dozen jobs of varying duration.
Professionals such as engineers will need to position themselves to adapt if they are to
prosper in this ever-changing environment. Are you prepared?
Maybe You Should Ask Yourself These Questions:

As an engineer in industry, are you prepared to make the transition into a

consulting relationship with your former employer and clients in the event of a
corporate outsourcing? Can you respond if your corporation decides to bring design
and engineering services in-house?

As an engineer in private practice, are you prepared to establish your own

engineering firm should the opportunity or necessity arise?

As an engineering educator, are you doing everything possible to prepare your

students for their future in engineering? And are you capable of enhancing your
professional skills, reputation, and credibility by offering engineering services
directly to the public?

As an engineer in government, do you have the qualifications to rise to the top

positions in your department, given the general requirement that those in responsible
positions be licensed?

As an engineer in construction, do you have the background to communicate

effectively with the other registered engineers involved in your construction projects?

As an engineer in the military, do you have the credentials to stay with the service
in the face of downsizing or to make the transition to the private sector?

As an engineering student, will you enjoy maximum flexibility during your 4050-plus years of professional life to make the most of each job and to adjust to the
economic downturns, the possible periods of self-employment, and other
unpredictable situations?

Only One Insurance Policy Will Prepare You for This New And Ever-Changing
WorkplaceYour Engineering License!
Your status as a registered civil engineer will provide you with a maximum level of
professional flexibility.
By demonstrating the required education and experience and successfully completing the
required examinations and becoming licensed, you will be able to perform the broad
scope of civil engineering services within your area of competence as defined under the
law.
Did You Know That
Only a registered civil engineer may prepare, sign and seal, and submit civil
engineering plans and drawings to a public authority for approval.

Only a registered engineer may use the title engineer and offer engineering
services directly to the public.

Only a registered civil engineer may seal civil engineering work for public and
private clients.

Are these the kinds of professional rights and privileges you can afford to be without?
Think about the future. Do you really know what tomorrow will bring? Are you willing to
gamble? The stakes for your career are extremely high, and are getting higher. Maybe
your forecast looks bright today. Will it always be? You can't predict. No one can. But
you can prepare. You can reduce your risks.