New professional engineering standards signed into law

Standards for professional engineers in Wisconsin were raised in a new law signed Thursday by Gov. Jim Doyle.

The previous law requires standards to attain a professional engineer license, including an accredited college degree, specified on-the-job experience and passing a proficiency test.

There are multiple routes for applicants to become a professional engineer, two of which require no formal education and one that does not require the applicant to pass a professional engineering exam.

The new law will remove these paths and require an applicant have a four-year degree and four years of experience or a two-year degree and six years of experience.

All applicants will be required to pass a formal professional engineering exam.