By: Sandra Stringer, The Civil Engineer School

You’ve heard all the buzz about professional credentialing, but did you know that The Civil Engineer School has three new seminars that will help Civil Engineers prepare for the Professional Engineer Exam (PE) or Project Management Professional Exam (PMP) and even reimburse exam costs after passing?

The three new seminars are:

• WMSS 500, Project Management Professional (PMP)® Exam Preparatory Seminar
• WMSS 501, Professional Engineer (PE) Exam Preparatory Seminar
• WMSS 502, Professional Credentialing Exam Reimbursement

The two preparatory seminars (WMSS 500 and WMSS 501) provide one-year online access to industry-leading commercial study materials and contain everything that you need to feel confident before taking the exam. This includes lessons, study guides, references, practice exams, and more. All completely free to you!

After you take one of the prep seminars, study, and pass your exam, apply to WMSS 502 and The Civil Engineer School will reimburse your exam costs. We will walk you through the process and DFAS will directly deposit the cost of your exam back into your bank account. It’s as easy as that. Funding is available if you passed the PMP or P.E. in FY22, so apply today!

To note, the PMP prep seminar and reimbursement is currently only available to active-duty 32E’s and AFRC 32E’s on Title 10 orders, while eligibility for the PE prep seminar and reimbursement is further expanded to regular Air Force civilians in 08XX job series. Enlisted Civil Engineers are encouraged to use the AFCOOL (Air Force Credentialing Opportunities Online) program to achieve their credentialing goals. Members who take advantage of AFIT’s new program are limited to one preparatory course and one exam reimbursement during their career. For more specifics on current eligibility, rules, and how to apply, please visit our website at www.afit.edu/ce.

All three seminars are offered year-round, so don’t wait, apply today!

Still not convinced? Look how these superstar Civil Engineers have already taken advantage of our program:

Ms. Cassidy Scarborough, Eglin AFB
Reimbursed for Passing her P.E.!

I am very grateful, and knowing that the USAF, as my employer, is willing to support my professional development means a lot to me, especially as a civilian in a DoD organization – it tells me that they recognize our role in the organization, appreciate our hard work, and want to invest in our growth as engineers. Additionally, many certifications nowadays are becoming expensive, and this reimbursement program means one less thing to worry about while dealing with the stress of studying for an intense and comprehensive 8-hour exam, working a full-time job, and dealing with everyday life.

Maj Chris Wittman, Barksdale AFB
Reimbursed for Passing his PMP!

I highly suggest all Civil Engineers who are currently managing projects—or will be managing projects in the future—to pursue the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. The process of earning the PMP sharpened my technical skills and my advanced my ability to lead teams to accomplish projects. The exam is not cheap, so this new program is a fantastic initiative to help remove that financial burden—and AFIT’s reimbursement process after I passed was seamless!

Lt Col Jeffery Pelehac, Yokota AB
Attended WMSS 501, PE Exam Prep Seminar

Establishing access to the Professional Engineer (PE) Prep Course is a big step in the right direction in motivating Air Force Civil Engineers to seek engineer-focused development and credentialing opportunities. Thank you, Air Force CE Enterprise, for prioritizing and making this PE Prep Course a reality and investing in the professional development of the engineering corps. I appreciate the opportunity to enroll in the inaugural PE Prep Seminar, and I am excited to see the positive impact this will have across our 32E community. Thanks again for making it easier for us to pursue our Professional Engineer license (no matter where we are in our respective careers).

Maj Amela Sanders, JBSA
Attended WMSS 501, PE Exam Prep Seminar

The opportunity to study for the Professional Engineer (PE) exam at my own pace, at no cost, and with top-quality commercial materials is incredible. Using a commercial vendor is fantastic, especially with the changing format of the exam. I am excited to see that the career field and The Civil Engineer School have expanded professional credentialing opportunities, such as PMP prep, for FY23. I can’t recommend this new credentialing program highly enough to all of my fellow civil engineers. Thanks, AFIT!

Start your New Year off with a professional credential TODAY!