The Civil Engineering Academy Podcast

Picture this: you're a stay-home dad taking care of three kids while preparing for your exam. Interesting? That's exactly how today's guest started his journey toward becoming a PE in the US! In this episode, Jonathan Espiritu dives into the steps he took to get licensed in the US as a Filipino engineer, and dives into the tips fellow Filipinos and international engineers alike can use to crush their NCEES exams and do the same!

Transportation is changing fast. From sustainability concerns to climate resiliency to EVs, the systems we use today will look very different very soon. That's what Christy Mihyeon Jeon joins us to talk about.

Not finding reliable engineering talent for your projects when you need it? After 20 years running his AEC firm, Brian Sullivan knows that problem all too well — and he's now set out to tackle it from a completely different angle.

Freaking out trying to choose the exam prep resources for the Transportation PE that are actually worth your money?

What if you could pass the FE exam on your first try…totally on your own? Clara Feitoza did exactly that — and she says CEA played a huge role in helping her get there. Here's how.

Passing the PE is tough enough on its own. Now, throw being a first-time mom of a newborn with three failed past attempts into the mix, plus a job. That's exactly where Jennifer Caron found herself.

If you're planning to take the Civil PE Structural Exam in 2027, then this episode is a must-listen for you to stay on top of all the exam changes you'll be dealing with on exam day.

Ever wondered whether you're on the right career path for you — or if there's a better opportunity out there you just haven't found yet?

Are you an international engineer looking to build an engineering career in the US?

If the Geotechnical PE Exam is on your radar for 2027, then this next episode in our walkthrough series on the upcoming 2027 NCEES specification updates is for you!

Taking the Construction PE Exam?

What do the Hoover Dam, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Interstate Highway System have in common?

After diving into the new specs for the Water Resources PE, it's time to do the same for the Transportation PE Exam and figure out what's actually changing in 2027 if you're taking this one.

Have you heard the Water Resources PE Exam is changing in 2027 and are now wondering if it's time to panic already?

Gearing up for the Construction PE Exam and wondering which materials are actually worth your money to get this done?

Ever found yourself staring at the NCEES website wondering why there seems to be two exams for Structural Engineering folks — the PE Civil: Structural Exam and the PE Structural Exam?

Imagine this: you step away from civil engineering for years to raise your kids, and then come back to the profession and have to pull off one of the biggest achievements in everybody's career right off the bat?

Picking your study materials for the Water Resources PE exam is like going down a rabbit hole.

Ever wondered what civil engineers working in land development actually do?

You've probably been hearing all the AI buzz in civil engineering over and over again. A new tool here. A possible new use there. But how is all the new tech being actually implemented at AEC firms?

From dreaming of the Air Force to finding his calling in civil engineering and becoming a PE, today's guest is a testament to the twists life throws at us…and some of them can be a blessing!

Civil engineering shapes the world around us, but not everyone sees themselves in it. For some, finding role models who've been there is tough…and that's exactly what Azael Garza had  to overcome.

AI is making its way into civil engineering fast. Whether you like it or not, it's changing the rules of the game already. So, the only possible question left is: are you keeping up…or getting left behind?

Most people think an engineering career locks you into one path. Design, build, repeat. Endlessly. But what if it could actually open doors you never knew were there — even totally unrelated to engineering?

Does the PE equal a 6-figure salary?!

Having trouble passing the Civil PE Exam in your current discipline?

Most licensed civil engineers don't think about the legal risks in their career…until something goes wrong. But according to attorney Matthew Fornaro, when it does go sideways, it's usually too late.

If you want to practice in California, the journey isn't quite over after you pass the PE Exam.

Every year, we like to hit pause, look in the rearview mirror, and reflect on everything that happened in the past year. We just did that with our 2025 Year in Review…and that was a crazy one!

Think Floodplain Management is only for Water Resources Engineers? Those already working in water- and flood-related fields?

Do you know the biggest mistake AEC firm owners make?

When you think of “Structural Engineering,” you likely picture big concrete or steel structures. Right?

Passing the PE Exam is difficult enough already. Now imagine doing it as a single mother, with 3 successive failed attempts over 5 years, and having to start from scratch after switching exams?

AI is already everywhere. Students are using it. Companies are relying on it. And schools are feeling the pressure to do the same. The question is — is it  raising the bar…or quietly lowering it?

Ever told yourself you'd “start your own firm one day?”

Long gone were the days when engineering was only about the technical work! Today, you can take your technical skills, flip it, and use it in a way that's never been possible before — and this episode is proof of that.

Civil Engineering Academy is turning 10 years old!

A lot of civil engineers dream of having their own firm one day and all the good things they think come with it…until they do and they're working crazy hours to barely even make ends meet.

Licensure exams are hard, but here's what you didn't know — the technical content isn't the biggest challenge civil engineers say they face when they go up against them!

You studied after work every day. You sacrificed your weekends to stay home studying. You even took vacation time to study even more. You literally walked into the exam knowing you gave it your all…but guess?

Ever walked into an exam feeling completely ready…and then suddenly your heart is pounding, your mind goes blank, and even the easy stuff looks like it's written in a foreign language?

Don't think you can become a PE years after school and without having followed the traditional path of getting a degree in civil?

Most people say they want to pass the PE Exam, but saying ≠ doing. This episode with Hunter McCabe gives you a perspective on what it really takes to pass — and why it's worth it.

Have you found yourself working in engineering without an engineering degree…and getting passed over for jobs to someone who “is” just because of the diploma?

If you thought the PE was tough, wait until you hear everything Brandon Dashwood has to say about the SE exam after taking it himself. (Hint: it's not good news.

Picture this — you spend months working on the design and construction of a project, and next thing you know, another engineer is on the news poking holes in it for everybody to see. How'd you feel?

Ever imagined passing the FE on the first try 7 years after school, doing the same with the PE just 2 years later…and all of this without having started out in engineering in the first place?!That's exactly what today's guest did!

Here's a fact in the professional civil engineering exams world — most test-takers don't fail because they're not smart enough. They fail because they study for their exams the wrong way!Over our 10+ years helping 1,000+ civil engineers crush their FE and PE exams (some after multiple failed attempts!), we've spotted 4 BIG exam prep mistakes most of them make…and it kills their chances of passing.After seeing those mistakes beat up a lot of civil engineers, we set out to change that.We analyzed them deeply, created a 4-step study strategy that prevents each one, and built it into our courses to help civil engineers finally cross the finish line.We call it The CEA PASS™ Method, and in this episode, we'll be breaking it down for you to use it, too!

What does it take to become a successful woman civil engineer?

Ever looked around at your career and thought, “How the heck did I end up here?” Yeah — and you're not alone. But that's because your career was happening to you…instead of you making it happen.  In this episode, we chat with Bryce Batts, a recruiter specialized in the AEC industry who's helped over 800 professionals land jobs that actually fit their life and align with their values. After years of coaching and recruiting engineers, she put all her best career tips and advice into The Career Architect — a book that cracks the code of how to build a career you're proud of from the get-to…or get unstuck if you feel miserable where you're at.The simple secret?