The Civil Engineering Academy Podcast

Pulling your hair deciding between the Water Resources or Transportation PE exam?

Passing the PE Exam is one thing, but doing it as an immigrant, with language barriers, and after hitting a wall multiple times before already?! That's a whole nother story — and it's real!

Prepping for your exam isn't a walk in the park. It's hard. It  takes discipline. And you'll want to quit more than once. (Been there.

From frustrated PE examinee after 4 failed tries to…wait for it…future firm owner?!

The concept of “Smart Cities” is here!

What's it like to crush the Civil FE Exam on the first try, with less than two months of exam prep…all while still juggling a full course load in grad school?!

Here's a career path that doesn't even come to mind when you hear “Structural Engineering,” but uses the same basic knowledge and it's just as lucrative — Telecommunications.

If you're the entrepreneurial type of civil engineer with (big) plans to open your own “shop” some day and scale it, this episode pulls the curtain on everything you need to know for that journey.For this one, we sit down with Kevin Franson, one of the owners and the General Manager at Franson Civil Engineers — a water resources engineering firm based in Utah.Kevin gets into the real stuff that helped scale the firm to two offices and a growing team — hiring strategies, company culture, handling conflict, how to stay competitive, and a lot more to apply at your firm, now or when you start it.

How's the AEC industry currently doing with lots of Government funding…but high interest rates, inflation, and (even worse) tariffs?

Running an engineering firm is already hard enough. Why make it worse by using static spreadsheets, many disconnected apps, or (even worse) century-old methods your grandpa used to run his shop?

Tired of juggling multiple tools to track deadlines, assign tasks to team members, store documents…and everything else that comes with managing your projects?

Imagine this: you earn an ABET-accredited degree, pass the FE, and work in engineering for 15 years…only to be told you can't take the PE Exam because there are no PEs to sign off on your experience?!

Do you think those who pass their exam are simply smarter than everyone else (including you)? And if you've already failed one of these before, do you think you're simply not “smart enough?”

Did you know that only 16.7% of women with an engineering degree actually work in engineering?!

As civil engineers, we're used to solving big, complex problems no one can solve…until we run into a simple life debate we can't figure out.

Imagine failing the PE so many times that you decide your next attempt would be your last — pass or walk away.

Do you do annual reviews to reflect on what you've accomplished and what's next?

Picture this: you're 50 years into your career, have done all types of work all over the world, have your Master's, a PhD, and the CEng. Time to hang up your boots, right?

Would you choose a career based on its similarities with…wait for it…chess?!

Have you been eyeing the Project Management route for your career and want to know what it looks like?

Overwhelmed by the number of codes required for the Geotech PE Exam? Scared by its low pass rates…year after year?

Having second thoughts about going for a career in Geotech?

Let me guess: you listened to our previous episode with Brian Armstrong and got interested in what the numbers look like in that real estate syndication opportunity for engineers. Correct?

Going for the FE a few years after school is already tough. But 11 years, with three failed attempts in the track record, and facing language challenges for coming from a non-English speaking country?!

Many non-civil engineers have passed the Civil PE Exam, and our latest guest, Jessica Wellcome, is another awesome example…whose journey is nothing short of inspiring!

Is it possible to work as a civil engineer in…wait for it…the US Navy?! ⚓ Well, the answer is yes. (I know… what?

PE Water Resources vs. PE Environmental Exam: what's the difference? Even better, if you work in any of these two fields…which one do you take if they overlap quite a bit?

Did you know one of the most difficult topics in the Water Resources PE Exam is not related to Water Resources?!

“Artificial Intelligence” gets all the buzz today.

Do you know what Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) are? Connected Autonomous Vehicles?

What would you do after failing the PE Exam five times?!

Is the shortage of civil engineers only a lack of interest in the field by people, or have companies just been offering…well, too little?

Are self-driving cars really the future…in a country with a traffic fatality rate that (literally) dwarfs that of other countries in Europe and Asia?

Getting the PE does wonders for increasing your income. Period! But if you want to become financially better off, shoving that extra dough into traditional 401ks is..well, not the answer! ❌ In this episode, I chat with Brian Armstrong, a civil Structural Engineer turned real estate investor who's used his high salary as an engineer to build a passive income machine with real estate!

Want to know what the latest FE and PE exam pass rates are? Your chances of passing based on graduation date and years of experience? How many people are taking these exams?

Did you know the NCEES can customize the PE exam based on your unique needs? Whether it's additional testing time, break time, or even changes in the testing environment?

The civil engineering industry is going through a big labor shortage of the exact type of engineers companies are desperately looking for.

Civil engineers touch on everything everybody uses every day…literally. But even then, the profession isn't as famous as others. That's what Michael Bempah set out to change! After graduating in Chicago, Illinois, he noticed pretty soon that nobody knew what civil engineers do. Especially members of minority groups, who didn't even see it as a possible career for them. As an African-American himself who had a good job at the Illinois Department of Transportation and then even started his own firm, Pinpoint Precision Engineering, he knew the field doesn't get as much good rep as it should. In this episode, we dive into the lessons from his book, How to Become a Civil Engineer, on how to spread the word about the profession… …and how practicing civil engineers like you can (and should) help! Check it out!

Want to know how to pass the Civil PE Exam in 3 months or less?

Today's economy is wild! Is inflation holding you back on the financial roadmap you created for yourself, fueled by your engineering career?

What is it like to work on big, headline-making projects? You know, the big stadiums, the tallest buildings, the one-of-a-kind structures?

Ever wondered what it would feel like to start and run your own engineering firm? Have you already considered it, but the downsides keep you from taking the leap?

Passing the Civil PE Exam after 20+ years?

1.8 million. That's how many people in Nicaragua (alone) still don't have access to clean, drinking water.

Picture this: You have a good engineering job. You make decent money. Your family is fine. So, why do you feel unsatisfied with your life and career?

From Bangladesh to a P.Eng. in Canada to a PE in the US…Samia Bhuiyan has been proving all the stereotypes wrong across the world!