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On-Site and Distant Learning Short Courses
Why short courses? Some states require professional engineers to have continuing education
in order to renew registration. Many government agencies have allowances for engineering
employees to take training every year. Also, it is good practice to "refresh" your memory or
learn from a new perspective. You can learn at a particular location with a traditional
teacher, or you can receive quality training over the internet or home correspndance. Click on
the 2 links below for excellent sources of on-site and distant learning short courses. These
sources are the National Highway Institute (NHI) and the American Society of Civil Engineers
(ASCE).
ASCE Training
NHI Training
ASCE and NHI offer short courses such as Foundations, MSE, Micropiles, Rock Slopes,
Ground Improvement Techniques, Instrumentation, Dam Safety and Rehabilitation, Landfill Design,
Geosynthetics, Erosion and Sediment Control, Pavement Design, and many more. In addition to
ASCE and NHI, your state Department of Transportation probably has
some available training, especially concerning construction aspects of geotechnical
engineering.
Higher Education
Have you ever thought about getting your Master's or PhD? A college instructor once said
that a Master of Science in Civil Engineering will earn you an extra $1 million in your
lifetime as opposed to a 4-year degree. He also said that if you do not enroll in higher
education directly after a 4-year degree, there is over a 99% chance that you never will.
Which college should you get your Masters Degree in -- Business or Engineering? There seems
to be 2 schools of thought regarding this. Some people think that a Masters degree in engineering
is a waste of time, because a business degree will give you a better position for career
advancement. Others feel that a Masters degree in engineering will partially, better equip you
with the knowledge and tools necessary for the most competent engineer and best technical
skills for the public good. You need to decide what is best for you. Do you want to advance
your career where you are making business, personnel and logistic decisions, or do you want to
be designing and managing the construction of skyscrapers and 2000-foot bridge spans?
Maybe somewhere in between?
If you decide that higher education is for you, then are you going to register at a
University or get an on-line degree? It is easy to find an accredited university to go to,
however, an on-line school with an acceptable accreditation may be a challenge. Some schools
are accredited by some corporation in order to make you think that these schools are traditionally
accredited. Maybe these on-line schools are just as good as any other, however, many employers
like to see the traditional Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
(ABET). This is
because ABET has a well-known formal review process that ensures the quality of education.
EIT and PE Training
You can find EIT and PE preparation training and material in a number of places. Your local
University, engineering magazines, bookstores, various online sources, and
ASCE
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