There is one educational program available to county engineers and engineering staff through the County Government Education Institute: Certificate in County Engineering Administration.

Earning the Certificate in County Engineering Administration

All participants seeking the Certificate in County Engineering Administration must attend all 12 hours of each course, plus receive a satisfactory grade on the class exam to receive credit for the course. Classes may be taken in any order.  An engineer completing all requirements will be designated as Certified in Engineering Administration (CEA) and will retain this designation as long as he or she complies with the continuing education requirements.

Basic-Level Classes

All participants must complete each of the four Basic-Level courses (48 hours) available to all participants in the County Government Education Institute. 

• Overview of County Government
• Ethics of County Officials and Employees
• Personnel Administration
• Finance and Revenue

Certification-Level Classes

Participants must also complete three elective courses for a total of seven 12-hour classes (84 total hours). Current elective courses include:

• Conflict Management
• General Management and Supervision
• Disaster Preparedness and Response
• General Accounting
• Legal Primer: Public Roads
• Communication and Media Relations
• Legislative and Governmental Relations

CGEI course schedule

Continuing Education for the Certificate in Engineering Administration

Participants who have received the Certificate in Engineering Administration will be required to complete at least 12 continuing education units (CEUs) during a two-year period in order to retain the designation.  The two year period to complete the continuing education requirement begins to run on the April 1 following the date that the Certificate in Engineering Administration has been granted and ends on March 31 two years later.  Example: if the Certificate in Engineering Administration is received in August 2011, the continuing education requirement begins on April 1, 2012, and the 12 CEUs must be obtained no later than March 31, 2014.  This cycle must be repeated for each two year period to retain the designation.

Continuing education units may be earned by attendance in the following:

• ACCA Annual Convention (2 CEUs)
• ACCA Legislative Conference (2 CEUs)
• ACEA Annual Conference (2 CEUs)
• ACEA Education Class (2 CEUs per class)
• Instructor for ACEA Education Class (3 CEUs per class – maximum 6 units)

At least two of the CEUs per two year period must be earned through participation in an ACEA Education Class and at least two must be earned through participation in an ACCA conference or convention.

Any person who is deficient in meeting the continuing education requirements will be granted an additional twelve months to reach the minimum requirement.  However, during the extension period, the requirement to earn an additional 12 CEUs for the next two-year period must also be fulfilled.  The first units earned will be applied to the deficiency from the previous two-year period.

Any person who fails to meet the requirements – after the extension period – will forfeit their designation as Certified in Engineering Administration and will be required to complete the educational program requirements at the time in order to again receive the CEA designation.