PE Day Press Release.pdf

Pierre, South Dakota: Governor Dennis Daugaard has proclaimed August 1, 2018, as Professional Engineers Day in South Dakota. In his proclamation, Daugaard recognizes licensed professional engineers as dedicated to applying scientific knowledge, mathematics, and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical, societal, and commercial problems while holding paramount the public health, safety, and welfare.

In the proclamation of Professional Engineers Day, the Governor also recognizes the significant contributions South Dakota’s licensed professional engineers have made on a local and national scale and that South Dakota’s economy has grown, in part, because its licensed professional engineers are instrumental to South Dakota communities.

August 1, 2018 will mark the third annual Professional Engineers Day as declared by the South Dakota Engineering Society (SDES), in conjunction with the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE). NSPE is an organization, founded in 1934, representing the interests of more than 31,000 licensed professional engineers and those on the path to licensure.

According to NSPE, as recent as a century ago, anyone could work as an engineer without proof of competency. In order to protect the public health, safety, and welfare, the first engineering licensure law was enacted in 1907 in Wyoming. Now every state, including South Dakota, regulates the practice of engineering to ensure public safety by granting only Professional Engineers (PEs) the authority to sign and seal engineering plans and offer their services to the public.

To become licensed, engineers must complete a four-year college degree, work under a Professional Engineer for at least four years, pass two intensive competency exams and earn a license from their state's licensure board. Then, to retain their licenses, PEs must continually maintain and improve their skills throughout their careers by fulfilling continuing education requirements.

Only a licensed engineer may prepare, sign and seal, and submit engineering plans and drawings to a public authority for approval, or seal engineering work for public and private clients. PEs shoulder the responsibility for not only their work, but also for the lives affected by that work and must hold themselves to high ethical standards of practice.

South Dakota Engineering Society President Ryan Johnson encourages anyone interested in finding out more about the state’s Professional Engineers or the process required to become licensed in South Dakota to contact the SDES Executive Director, Nancy Hoines, at sdengineeringsociety@gmail.com or visit the South Dakota Board of Technical Professions website at http://dlr.sd.gov/btp/default.aspx Professionals Engineers interested in becoming a member of SDES and NSPE should also contact Hoines or visit www.nspe.org