Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE - Members of the Wisconsin Engineering Licensing Board will visit the University of Wisconsin-Platteville campus Thursday, April 22, and students, staff and other interested parties may come and learn a little more about the organization and licensing procedures.

The board administers the fundamentals of engineering exam, a test that can put engineers on the path to a state license. UWP engineering professor Lisa Riedle said passing the exam can benefit an engineer's career, and she tells UWP engineering students to take it while they're in school.

"It's so much easier to take the exam when you're in that mode," Riedle said. "It's kind of a step up on the career ladder."

Professionals practicing engineering in the field who have never taken the test could benefit as well.

"I encourage them to come and learn what it might do for them," Riedle said.

Licensing is important to ensure that the engineers working on public roads and bridges, for example, are qualified to build safe structures, Riedle said.

The nine members from the Wisconsin Licensing Board will begin their day at UWP with an administrative report at 9 a.m., and then an overview of UWP from Provost Carol Sue Butts at 9:30 a.m. Both events in the University North Room of the Pioneer Student Center are open to the campus community and general public.

The board members will meet with staff members from campus recruiting and continuing education at 10 and 11 a.m., respectively, in order to answer questions they may face from prospective students. A general question and answer session, open to all, is planned for 11:30 a.m.

After lunching with students, staff and administrators, board members will talk about the importance of licensing at 1 p.m. in the University North Room.

UWP students have consistently exhibited exceptional performance on the fundamentals of engineering exam, as attested by pass rates more than 10 percentage points above the state average and as much as 25 percentage points better than the national average in recent years.

Anyone with questions may contact the College of Engineering, Math and Science Dean's Office at (608) 342-1561 or Riedle at (608) 342-1686, or via email at riedle@uwplatt.edu.