PEPP Plans New Member Outreach with Help of Board of Governors
At its recent PEPP BOG meeting in Boston, July 8. PEPP had a very productive and interactive meeting to discuss new ways that state/chapter PEPP entities could partner with PEPP national. As NSPE realigns under the new state-centric model, we, as PEPP are challenged to not only continue the programs and services that our members have found valuable, but also to expand and improve the value to and relationship with national, state, chapters, and individual members

First and foremost we want to make clear that PEPP is alive, well and active. Second, no state PEPP need change its name from Practice Division to interest group unless it chooses to. The current thought under the new NSPE model is that practice divisions are a special type of interest group. Practice Divisions are interest groups, but not all interest groups will are practice divisions. And until new interest groups are born and championed, practice divisions are the only interest groups. 

The three issues that were discussed the most and were common to all states are:

1) Define the Value Equation of PEPP

We want to show that we’ve heard and we’re working on steps to address the issues and ideas brought forth. In some cases were already working in this direction and needed the feedback to verify our direction.

Toxic Mold, E-Signatures and Contract Documents Web Seminars

Nine Signs of Highly Ineffective Recruiting
Herbert M. Cannon, president of AEC Management Solutions Inc.

1. Being Too Anxious to Hire
Yes, your company is bursting at the seams with a record setting backlog and everyone is working far too many hours. But please avoid the almost irresistible temptation to hire a person whose only qualification is a body temperature of 98.6 degrees. It may make you feel better in the short term to see someone sitting at the computer screen cranking away – but it inevitably turns out to be costly mistake 

2. Relying on One Recruiting Strategy
It always pays to advertise in more than one print publication, use more than one website to post jobs, use more than one outside recruiting agency and so on.

3. Having a Prolonged and Drawn Out Interview Process
There is intense competition for talented (or at least qualified) professionals. Too many companies act as though they and their prospective employees have all the time in the world to meet for 3 or 4 unfocused interviews over the course on 2 or more months.

4. Forgetting that Potential Employees are Also Interviewing the Company
The marketplace is extremely competitive for qualified architects and engineers. It is imperative that you do everything possible to present your company in the best possible light. Don’t postpone the interview, clean your offices and be prepared to present the candidate with a package that includes a history of the firm, sample project sheets, benefits and so on.

5. Not Paying an In-House Referral Fee
If you can afford to pay a 20%+ of the first year salary to a recruiter, maybe you can afford to pay $1 - $2,000 bonus or more to your current employees for recruiting a qualified professional to your firm.

6. Monopolizing the Interview
Inexperienced interviewers have a bad habit of monopolizing the interview. Every interviewer should be prepared with a written list of probing questions. The goal of the interview is to find out as much as possible about the candidate. Most interview questions should be open ended and encourage candidates to fully explain their qualifications and experience.

7. Being Too Slow to Close the Deal
When you find the right candidate try to close the deal right then. I have seen too many candidates slip away because it took a week or more to send a formal offer letter. Whenever possible work out an agreement in principle right on the spot and send out the formal offer letter as an e-mail attachment within 24 hours.

8. Not Checking References
Make sure that any offer of employment is contingent upon the checking of references, verification of education and professional licenses. You may be unpleasantly surprised by what you find.

9. Interviewing Too Late
What would happen if you waited until you ran out of work to start marketing? Recruiting works the same way. Don’t make the critical mistake of waiting until you absolutely need someone to start recruiting and interviewing. Make it a habit of advertising at least once a month and interviewing all qualified candidates. When a need arises you will have network of qualified candidates to speak with.

Herbert M. Cannon, president of AEC Management Solutions Inc. and publisher of AEC Managing Partner Newsletter, is a management consultant, seminar provider and speaker exclusive to the A/E industry. He is available to speak at company meetings and conferences. For more information, contact Herb via e-mail . Or visit his Web site. 

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FREE NSPE Web Seminar on Additional Education for Licensure

Changing the PE Paradigm...Additional Education for Professional Practice

October 24, 1:30-3:00 p.m. EDT

Come be part of the discussion on additonal education in order to obtain licensure.
FREE Web seminar presented by the NSPE Licensure & Qualifications for Practice Committee (L&QPC): 
Register here FREE for NSPE members.

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NSPE Ethics Forum - Protection of the Public Health and Safety

NSPE Web Seminars: Ethics Forum
Protection of the Public Health and Safety

Session 2: October 18, 12:30–1:30 p.m. EDT
Professional Competence and Qualifications for Practice

Session 3: November 15, 12:30–1:30 p.m. EST
Honesty and Integrity in Professional Practice

Register today!

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NCEES Adds Construction Module to Civil PE Exam

The Board of Directors of the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) recently approved new specifications for the Civil Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam. The specifications include new content areas focused on construction engineering.

The Civil PE exam is a breadth and depth examination. All examinees work the same breadth portion in the morning and then choose one depth module to work in the afternoon. The topic areas of the current depth modules are environmental, geotechnical, structural, transportation, and water resources. Beginning with the spring 2008 exam administration, the exam will include a construction engineering depth module.

The Council has been discussing and researching the possibility of a construction depth module in the Civil PE exam for more than five years. In 2001, the Council voted to include construction issues in its study to update Civil PE exam content. As a part of this study, NCEES surveyed more than 10,000 licensed civil engineers to determine the knowledge areas needed to practice. The survey group represented various fields and geographic locations and included more than 1,600 construction engineers. Survey responses confirmed the need for a construction module.

Many codes, specifications, and regulations now require a licensed professional engineer to design various production and safety systems used to execute the construction process, and it is becoming more common for construction engineers to coordinate other licensed design professionals in design-build projects. NCEES has responded to issues related to the design-build construction process by creating a position statement to recognize the need for licensed professional engineers to be in responsible charge of all engineering services included in design-build projects.

The NCEES Construction Engineering Exam Subcommittee is currently creating questions for the new depth module based on the new specifications. The subcommittee, also chaired by Johnston, is made up of 27 licensed construction engineers working with the Civil PE exam committee. More detailed information about the specifications and content areas of the exam will be published after the fall 2007 exam administration.

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Construction Seminars

October 17, 2006 12:30 – 2:00 EDT
Identification and Monitoring of Construction Components
Clive P. Hohberger, PhD, Vice President of Technology Development, Zebra Technologies Corporation

November 8, 2006 12:30 – 2:00 EST
Building Information Modeling – Why Owners and Contractors Want It 
Mani Subramanian, CCM, Executive Vice President, Vanir Construction

January 23, 2007 12:30 – 2:00 EST 
Sustainable Design – Advantages of LEED Certification
Tom Hicks, Vice President of LEED, US Green Building Council

February 21, 2007 12:30 – 2:00 EST
Green Building – Where’s the ROI and Marketing Advantage
Gary J. Saulson, Head of Corporate Real Estate, PNC Financial Services

March 21, 2007 12:30 – 2:00 EST
Brownfields Sites – Grants and Incentives to Cleanup and Redevelop 
John A. Sartor, P.E,. PP, Senior Vice President, Paulus, Sokalowski and Sartor, LLC (P S & S)

April 18, 2007 12:30 – 2:00 EST
Through the Roof – Escalating Construction Costs
Michael Kennedy, Principal, Stantec Consulting, Inc.

Register here for one or all today!

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Contact the PEPP Executive Board