CESB Discusses the Appropriate Uses of Credentials in Historic Consensus Document

Last year, the Council of Engineering & Scientific Specialty Boards and the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) released a historic consensus document about credentials for engineers and allied professionals.  The document, Engineering Credentials, has been widely viewed and a topic of much discussion by engineers, associations, and certifying organizations.
 
A popular segment of the document discusses the appropriate uses of credentials.  It states, “Licenses and certifications measure an individual’s capabilities.  The possession of one or more of these credentials indicates to the public that the holder’s capabilities have been vetted using regularly accepted practices.”  The document goes on to state, “Both licenses and accredited certifications can be appropriately used as one of several parameters in qualifying individuals for employment, for consulting assignments, for advancement, or for employment rewards.”
 
“There has been confusion about the appropriate uses of credentials by engineering and allied professionals, industry, and the public in the past,” stated William Anderson, P.E., DEE, Executive Director at CESB. “One of the CESB’s goals in producing this new document has been to address this issue in this document that was produced with the collaboration of the National Society of Professional Engineers.  Providing this information to employers, specifiers, public officials, the public, and engineering and related practitioners of the appropriate uses and benefits of specialty certifications provides clarity to all involved.”
 
Engineering Credentials provides the reader with facts about credentials, licenses, and accredited certifications.  The document describes the benefits to credentialed practitioners, their employers, and consumers of practitioners’ services.  CESB has also produced a video about the importance of engineering credentials that can be seen at:
http://youtu.be/Fg4t7wfjP5g
 
To learn more about the Council of Engineering & Scientific Specialty Boards or to view Engineering Credentials, please visit http://www.CESB.org, email wanderson@cesb.org or call (410) 266-3766.
 
About the Council of Engineering & Scientific Specialty Boards
Founded in 1990, the Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards is an independent, voluntary membership body created for its member organizations that recognize, through specialty certification, the expertise of individuals practicing in engineering and related fields.  CESB, as an accrediting body, provides basic criteria and guidelines for the establishment and operation of specialty certification programs.

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