Action | Develop regulations for a mandatory continuing education requirement for architect, professional engineer, and land surveyor licenses. |
Stage | Proposed |
Comment Period | Ended on 5/2/2008 |
Other states have adopted continuing education programs. For example Maine adopted a similar requirement two years ago; since I am retired and no longer practice engineering I was forced to go into "retired status" with the Maine Board. I'm sure the continuing education requirement is forcing many licensed engineers to either do as I did or simply drop the license altogether. I don't believe the continuing education requirement accomplishes anything for the Board, engineer, or employer. If a licensed engineer is actively employed and keeps up with the state of the art in his profession, there is no reason for him/her to take courses to keep his PE license. The only thing a continuing education requirement is accomplishing is "thinning out the number of licensed engineers on record with a State Board." Furthermore, I wonder if the Virginia Board of Professional Engineers has anything on record that engineers licensed in that state have incurred infractions due to a lack of continuing education.