Survey: NCEES Seeks Licensed Control Systems Engineers’ Professional Expertise

Summary

February 2025 - NCEES, the philanthropic arm of the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying, is currently seeking licensed control systems engineers to participate in a professional activities and knowledge study, or PAKS, for the PE Control Systems exam. The results of this online survey will be used to update specifications for the exam, which is used throughout the United States for licensing purposes.

NCEES requires a cross section of licensed professional engineers practicing control systems engineering—including those working in industry, consulting, the public sector and academia—to complete an online survey about the tasks and knowledge required of a licensed control systems engineer with four to six years of experience to practice in a manner that safeguards the health, safety and welfare of the public. The survey can be completed in approximately 30-40 minutes. 

The survey will also include demographic and professional questions that will be used to assess sample representativeness. Participation in the survey is voluntary. Answers are anonymous, and responses will be reported only in the aggregate.

“These studies help NCEES ensure its licensing exams remain relevant to current professional practice,” explained Chief Officer of Examinations J. Lehmon Dekle, P.E. “The value of this PAKS depends on the number of people who participate, so NCEES is eager to get a large response from professional engineers across all areas of control systems engineering.”

When rating the knowledge areas and task statements, keep in mind that the survey reflects practice at the national level and is not based on any individual state. For guidance, consider the attributes that you are looking for in a newly licensed professional engineer interviewing for a position in your practice.

The survey opened Jan. 13, 2025, and will remain open until May 22, 2025.