How does one become a Plant Engineer ?

What are the requirements for plant engineers? Many current plant engineers are technicians and hold AA degrees or have technical military backgrounds. However most applicants in today’s marketplace will need a BS degree in engineering of varying disciplines. Different industries have preferences for the specific disciplines they require depending on whether they are a manufacturer, healthcare facility, chemical process or electrical power generation plant.

What is the outlook for plant engineers? The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts plant engineering positions will grow by 5% between 2012 and 2022. This is substantiated as about half of their plant engineering readership are over the age of 55 and their retirement will create a major void in the workforce according to recent research conducted by Consulting-Specifying Engineer magazine. The void will likely be filled due to more hiring and mentoring of technical personnel.

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What is a certified plant engineer? A CPE is a credential earned through the Association of Facilities Engineering for candidates who possess a combination of work experience and education that take and successfully pass an eight hour multiple choice exam.  A CPE is not a mandatory requirement for plant engineers but it demonstrates competency to perspective employers and may help achieve advancement with existing employers. Core competencies in the CPE program include: electrical, mechanical, environmental and civil engineering, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, controls, management, economics, maintenance, energy and OSHA regulations.

What do Plant Engineers do?

There is a uniqueness about this technical function because plant engineering personnel are the behind the scenes, jack-of-all-trades folks that maintain the operation of power plants, manufacturing establishments and chemical processing plants.

Where is the plant engineer in the company? They are typically part of a multidiscipline department/organization consisting of engineers and technicians reporting to a manager who is sometimes titled chief engineer or plant manager. Plant engineers must be flexible to survive.

What are the duties of plant engineers? Energy consumption, water, cooling, heating systems, compressed air, electric power consumption and pollution are all important considerations for plant engineering personnel.  Also, as part of their daily routine, plant engineers deal with seemingly minor maintenance issues such as compressed air and water leaks, electrical overloads and outages, machinery repairs, and safety issues.

What are the trends in plant engineering?  Water conservation and energy efficient buildings will be a cause for concern for building owners, engineers and municipalities. Legislators will push for water-efficient fixtures, water reuse systems and high efficiency boilers. More demand is foreseen for “smart” building technologies that utilize products that can be controlled, monitored and managed from across the planet will increase. Increased healthcare facilities expenditures will likely create opportunities for plant engineers for decades.