First grade stationary engineers

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  • cobra

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 26, 2009
    2,058
    White Marsh
    Press, agree the MD. License test is easy compared to niulpe. That was a much more difficult test. DC license not bad imo. Weird as MD only allows holding that license as a qualifying means to take md test, but does not honor it as it is a national license.
    There is a lot of on line study material available for md engineer license.

    Have a first grade sign off on your experience in the field. Just need to pass test to get license.
    Like most trades , o one is filling the vacant spots left by retirees. ,too many feel they need 4 years of college to get a high paying job when the trades offer
    good paying, high demand jobs now.
    Engineers,plumbers,electricians,hvac, ect. All in demand and salaries going up.
     

    Harrys

    Short Round
    Jul 12, 2014
    3,362
    SOMD
    I had a 1st class many years ago and was high pressure steam certified in the USCG. I did not need to take a test and only needed to provide a steam certificate from the USCG and was granted a 1st class license. When I was in Guam active duty the Navy turned over the power plant to the Guam Government to operate. The problem was their idea of maintenance was fix after hurricane. The plant was about to shit the bed. Some Navy counter parts, and I had to step in to keep the plant from failing. They ended up in getting a contracting firm from state side to take over and run things correctly.

    When I retired from the USCG in 95 and worked at a state facility as the facility manager there were general maintenance people operating boilers. They did not even know what CSD-1 was and was treating large boilers like home furnaces. I basically trained all of them over the next 4 years and they got their 3rd class licenses.

    I think it was about 15 or 20 years ago MD finally upgraded its license requirements they were way behind the 8-ball compared to other states. There were lots of people operating boilers in schools, colleges, malls and other facilities with no training or licenses.

    Before I retired, I worked for a BAS company for over 10 years. I did a lot of work in PLC upgrades and integration to boilers, chillers and power plants. Which is another great side of working with systems that a 1st class license provides opportunities.
     

    press1280

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 11, 2010
    7,878
    WV
    Press, agree the MD. License test is easy compared to niulpe. That was a much more difficult test. DC license not bad imo. Weird as MD only allows holding that license as a qualifying means to take md test, but does not honor it as it is a national license.
    There is a lot of on line study material available for md engineer license.

    Have a first grade sign off on your experience in the field. Just need to pass test to get license.
    Like most trades , o one is filling the vacant spots left by retirees. ,too many feel they need 4 years of college to get a high paying job when the trades offer
    good paying, high demand jobs now.
    Engineers,plumbers,electricians,hvac, ect. All in demand and salaries going up.

    They made me wait 2 or 3 years with the 2nd grade in hand before I could sit for the 1st. The statute was pretty vague and seemingly I could test for it without waiting that long but I fought with them the whole way until enough time had passed.
    I think there are exceptions (Navy) but they wouldn’t let me. I easily had enough work experience BTW.
     

    mauser58

    My home is a sports store
    Dec 2, 2020
    1,757
    Baltimore County, near the Bay
    I only have my masters HVACR and my brother has his 1st grade SE License and gas fitters license also. We both work for DOD DPW and repair boilers and all other controls and piping and HVAC. We have a severe shortage of Boiler plant operators at work. They are worker around the clock 12 hours a shift and sometimes they work 16 hours. I personally would not want their hours and shifts. Our boiler plants have up to 5 huge dual fuel boilers in each plant. The DOD recently had to call up and ask 5 older retired workers to come out of retirement to run our boilers. These are good bunch of guys but in their 70's at least. Two can barely walk with a cane. They have constant alarms and need to react quick. These guys take like 20 minutes to get to the boiler from the control room. They also have a huge outside temp boiler for additional steam. Its out and in all kinds of weather you have to check. Also a Cogen system that looks like a huge power plant because it is. It has steam and a jet turbine engine to produce most of our electric on base. These guys have to watch that also. Its like several floors . Like noted above we have no younger ones learning trade jobs. Many simply dont want the headache of the process and tests to get their license and move up gradually. I have been saying that we all are in trouble in the near future
     

    antco

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 28, 2010
    7,045
    Calvert, MD
    I only have my masters HVACR and my brother has his 1st grade SE License and gas fitters license also. We both work for DOD DPW and repair boilers and all other controls and piping and HVAC. We have a severe shortage of Boiler plant operators at work. They are worker around the clock 12 hours a shift and sometimes they work 16 hours. I personally would not want their hours and shifts. Our boiler plants have up to 5 huge dual fuel boilers in each plant. The DOD recently had to call up and ask 5 older retired workers to come out of retirement to run our boilers. These are good bunch of guys but in their 70's at least. Two can barely walk with a cane. They have constant alarms and need to react quick. These guys take like 20 minutes to get to the boiler from the control room. They also have a huge outside temp boiler for additional steam. Its out and in all kinds of weather you have to check. Also a Cogen system that looks like a huge power plant because it is. It has steam and a jet turbine engine to produce most of our electric on base. These guys have to watch that also. Its like several floors . Like noted above we have no younger ones learning trade jobs. Many simply dont want the headache of the process and tests to get their license and move up gradually. I have been saying that we all are in trouble in the near future

    Which site is this? I know a kid (early 20’s) with an aptitude for this type of work.

    I used to be kept very busy (HVAC rentals) by the complete lack of repair at Naval Research Labs. I wasn’t fan of that place until I got a .mil ID and was no longer stuck at the visitor center for an hour or more each time I was sent there.
     

    mauser58

    My home is a sports store
    Dec 2, 2020
    1,757
    Baltimore County, near the Bay
    Which site is this? I know a kid (early 20’s) with an aptitude for this type of work.

    I used to be kept very busy (HVAC rentals) by the complete lack of repair at Naval Research Labs. I wasn’t fan of that place until I got a .mil ID and was no longer stuck at the visitor center for an hour or more each time I was sent there.

    Was posted at work on board and at USA JOBS.COM. Like I said you need a first grade stationary engineer licence
     

    cobra

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 26, 2009
    2,058
    White Marsh
    I have put 2 , 3rd grade licensed engineers. ( third grade test is open book) thru their second then first grade license in two years by signing off for them to take test. Still need to pass test but having a first grade licensee sign off, verify you as hours worked under there first grade license, board will except that allowing them to take first grade test.
     

    cobra

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 26, 2009
    2,058
    White Marsh
    Just hired a first grade engineer whom I signed off to take test few months ago.
    He passed
    Hospital hired him at 38.78 per hour and that was with no experience other then having license. Show how much much demand it is for them.
    Lot of young people looking for a trade need to look at operating engineers and
    Hvac tech’s. Another high parting trade job opertunity.

    Still remember what what my dad told me. Learn a trade and you will never go hungry. Funny what the older generation knew back then
     

    press1280

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 11, 2010
    7,878
    WV
    Just hired a first grade engineer whom I signed off to take test few months ago.
    He passed
    Hospital hired him at 38.78 per hour and that was with no experience other then having license. Show how much much demand it is for them.
    Lot of young people looking for a trade need to look at operating engineers and
    Hvac tech’s. Another high parting trade job opertunity.

    Still remember what what my dad told me. Learn a trade and you will never go hungry. Funny what the older generation knew back then

    How was he able to take the test w/o any documented experience?

    If he had no field experience but simply had the license, that is indeed an outstanding pay rate to start at.

    A little OT Cobra, but have you taken any of the NIULPE exams?
     

    cobra

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 26, 2009
    2,058
    White Marsh
    Story just seeing this post.
    He had a second grade license when hired .Worked under me for a year. I signed off to take his first grade license. Board of examining engineers accepted and allowed him to test.

    As for niulpe test, no I have not personally taken those test.
    Should have when I was younger but at 66 not much point in my career.
    Those license’s from what I’m told and read are more demanding compared to MD test.

    Don’t know I have ever seen that license required in M D for a boiler plant like hospitals or processing plants.
    Believe it is more for nuke facilities?
     

    press1280

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 11, 2010
    7,878
    WV
    Story just seeing this post.
    He had a second grade license when hired .Worked under me for a year. I signed off to take his first grade license. Board of examining engineers accepted and allowed him to test.

    As for niulpe test, no I have not personally taken those test.
    Should have when I was younger but at 66 not much point in my career.
    Those license’s from what I’m told and read are more demanding compared to MD test.

    Don’t know I have ever seen that license required in M D for a boiler plant like hospitals or processing plants.
    Believe it is more for nuke facilities?

    NIULPE was an attempt at a nationalized stationary/boiler license by NAPE in the 70's. A few states have adopted it as their standard, but it never got beyond that. MD and DC obviously maintain their own license as the standard. I do see some VA jobs asking for it from time to time in lieu of a DC license (just for qualification, VA doesn't legally require ANYTHING).

    There were a few nuke questions on the upper grades of the NIULPE exam, so it's possible those facilities may specifically want that license, but I can't say for certain.
     

    cobra

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 26, 2009
    2,058
    White Marsh
    I wish they would adopt a national standard license .one test,one license.
    Make things much easier compared to multi state licensing.
     

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