Being a civil engineer isn’t only about technical skill. Communication, leadership, and teamwork are all parts of bringing a project together.
Civil Engineer, Certified, a new certification offered by ASCE, allows civil engineers to validate those skills.
CE-C is available to civil engineers who have already achieved their P.E. license. It serves as a way for civil engineers to demonstrate their understanding of professional skills that are not tested in the P.E. exam and take the next step in their careers.
Why CE-C?
“The most valuable part of (CE-C) is understanding that being a civil engineer involves a lot more than just doing calculations and putting contract drawings together,” said Andrew Cairns, principal and Northeast growth leader for ports and maritime at Jacobs, who led the development of the CE-C certification.
The certification tests civil engineers on their understanding of the ASCE Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge, emphasizing the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that support professional growth beyond the technical aspects of civil engineering work.
“(The CEBOK) is a great document that talks about the other outcomes that a civil engineer needs to have to be successful: taking charge of projects and being a valuable team member,” said Cairns.
To receive a CE-C certification, civil engineers must pass a 40-question exam as well as submitting a supervisor or mentor-verified CEBOK outcome aligned Experience Checklist, something unique to CE-C.
“It's all about mentored experience,” said Cairns. “Have you managed a project? Have you worked in a team?
“… The P.E. exam shows that you're technically capable of designing a steel beam, or whatever (your focus) is,” he said. “But (CE-C) has more of the outcomes that are important for leading a project and working on a team to get a project completed.”
Industry-wide impact
As a post-P.E. certification, CE-C serves as a motivator for civil engineers to further develop their professional skills. It answers the question of, “What’s next?” after receiving a P.E. license, providing a pathway to career advancement, Cairns said.
“This certification is a great way for civil engineers to show their peers, employers, or potential clients that they have a certification that validates that they've met all the outcomes within the civil engineering body of knowledge,” he said. “So, it's a real differentiator demonstrating to employers that they have what it takes to lead a project.”
Cairns sees the certification as something that could transform the industry.
“It elevates the profession in that civil engineers will be more well-rounded,” said Cairns.
CE-C also has a deeper message, emphasizing the “why” behind civil engineering and how professional skills can help support successful civil engineering work.
“We play such a big role in people's lives,” said Cairns. “They don't realize it, but the roads you walk on or ride your bike on, or the water you drink, the bridges you cross – civil engineers are responsible for all that infrastructure that helps preserve public safety and grow our economy.
“So, there's a lot more that goes into being a civil engineer than just getting your bachelor's degree and passing a P.E. exam,” he added. “And I think this certification emphasizes that, shows the importance of the Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge, and validates that somebody has achieved what is takes to be in responsible charge of a project.”
