D&B Engineers and Architects announced that five employees have earned their Professional Engineer (P.E.) licenses, including Kew Gardens resident Kurt Dirr, P.E.
Dirr has worked at D&B Engineers and Architects’ Woodbury, New York, office for over five years as a staff engineer and received his bachelor’s degree in environmental resources engineering from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF).
“This has been a goal of mine ever since deciding to go to college for engineering,” Dirr said. “My college, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, heavily encouraged us to take the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, which you are required to have passed prior to sitting for the Professional Engineering exam.”
Professional Engineer licensure is the engineering industry’s highest standard of competence, representing a symbol of achievement and an assurance of quality.
There is a lot that goes into earning a P.E. license. An individual must complete a four-year college degree, work under a Professional Engineer for at least four years, pass two intensive competency exams and receive a license from the New York state licensure board.
D&B Engineers and Architects has been recognized as a regional industry leader and innovator that delivers sustainable and cost-effective engineering and environmental solutions since 1965.
After four years of design experience at D&B Engineers and Architects, Dirr was eligible to take the exam in June 2020. He spent an average of three hours a day for three months in preparation.
“One of the few silver linings of the pandemic lockdown was that staying inside to get studying done was much easier,” he said.
Only with this license are engineers allowed to prepare, sign, seal and submit engineering plans with drawings to a public authority for approval, or seal engineering work for public and private clients. This prestigious professional milestone also means that engineers bear the responsibility for their work as well as for the lives affected by that work, holding themselves to high ethical standards of practice.
“This accomplishment means that the time and effort I’ve put in over the last few years in my career has been vital by giving me a wide variety of design-related experiences. This has also made me feel more confident as a well-rounded design professional,” Dirr said. “The license is the first of many professional goals that I would like to accomplish as my career develops. Being licensed is sure to open up many opportunities for promotion and advancement.”
