The Civil Engineering Academy Podcast

Isaac Oakeson

The Civil Engineering Academy Podcast empowers engineers to pass their exams, accelerate their careers, and become exceptional professionals. Through expert insights and conversations with industry leaders, we explore FE and PE exam strategies, career development, leadership, entrepreneurship, and the latest innovations shaping the engineering profession. Whether you're just starting out or looking to reach the next level, you'll find practical advice and inspiration to help you succeed.

  1. 6d ago

    A Career Journey in Structural Engineering With Zach Bowden

    What does a career in Structural Engineering look like? 🤔 Most people think it’s only the (demanding) technical side, but that’s not the case — and Structural Engineer Zach Bowden, P.E. is here to prove it. 👇 In this episode, Zach jumps on the show to pull back the curtain on what a career in Structural Engineering looks by diving into his own journey into the field. From how he got into it to what he learned working on every complex project from seismic design to mass timber...all the way to the need for the PE vs SE license if you want to build a career in structural engineering. Do you really need the SE? Zach answers that question. On top of that, there’s another side to Zach’s career that’s just as interesting: Structural Engineering educator. He also dives into why he started The Structural Engineering Podcast, and how talking with other Structural Engineers from across the industry has helped him in his own career, as well as given back to the next generation of Structural Engineers. If you’re a Structural Engineer — or thinking about becoming one — this conversation is packed with real-world lessons about building and growing a career in this field. So, go give this one a listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch the full interview with Zach on YouTube. 👍 🧠 TUNE IN TO LEARN: How Road Cycling Got Him into the Civil Engineering World What Made Him Pick Structural Engineering Over the Other Civil Disciplines The Aspect of Structural Engineering Most People Fear...But That's Why He Went for It When Can Structural Engineers Have Only the PE...and When Do They Need the SE? His Experience With the SE Exam So Far Is Structural Engineering a Good (and Lucrative) Route for a Civil Engineer? How The Structural Engineering Podcast (SEP) Got Started 2 Big Ways That Doing a Podcast Helped Him Both Professionally and Personally What Turns a Good Engineer into a GREAT Engineer? Why Engineers Do Make Good Leaders...But Engineering Alone Won't Be Enough 🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED The Structural Engineering Podcast (Website) The Structural Engineering Podcast (YouTube) StructurEd AppMax Loeb, PE (SEP Co-Host) Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook, by Gary Vaynerchuk What Got You Here Won't Get You There, by Marshall Goldsmith SEP Episode with Ron Klemencic Washington State University 💬 CONNECT WITH ZACH: LinkedIn 🎁 OUR FREEBIES FOR YOU The Civil FE Startup Guide The Civil PE Startup Guide FREE Floodplain Manager Course Module 🖥️ OUR REVIEW COURSES Civil FE Review Course Civil PE Review Course Floodplain Manager Review Course 📚 OUR PRACTICE EXAMS FE Practice Exams FE CBT Exam Simulator PE Bonus Theory Questions PE Practice Exams PE CBT Exam Simulator Floodplain Manager Practice Exam FE Environmental Practice Exam PE Environmental Practice Exam 📱 CONNECT WITH CEA Website Newsletter FREE CEA Community LinkedIn YouTube Channel isaac@civilengineeringacademy.com

    A Career Journey in Structural Engineering With Zach Bowden

  2. Sep 26

    Crushing the FE and PE Exams Just 36 Days Apart With Angello Murekye

    The normal path is getting the FE first and the PE second…but who said you can’t do it the other way around? 🤔 That’s what Angello Murekye did — and he passed both exams just 36 days apart! 😳 👇 Angello is a civil engineer who has practiced, taught, and conducted research in Uganda, Europe, and the United States. He came to the US for a PhD at Virginia Tech and built a career in the pavement segment of transportation.  At the time, skipping the FE made total sense for his unique situation to get licensed in the US…until it didn’t. 😅 In this episode, he shares the details of this unique journey to get the PE license by passing the FE second (and why!), while not holding back on exam prep tips that worked for him to get this done so soon (and so fast!) either. Whether you’re working toward your FE or PE, there’s a lot to take away from Angello’s story to apply to your own journey. And if you’re an international engineer, his journey offers even more useful pieces of advice for you on navigating the US path to license to supercharge your career. So, go give this episode a listen wherever you get your podcasts and go hear how Angello managed to pass both PE and FE just 36 days apart — and the lessons he picked along the way. 🧠 TUNE IN TO LEARN: How a Civil Degree in His Country is Regarded Differently from That in the US The Big Challenge Civil Engineering Students Face in Europe...Like He Did Why He Made It a Goal to Get His PhD What International Civil Engineers Need to Do as Soon as They Get to the US His (Unique) Situation of Sitting for the PE Exam Before the FE — and Why How He Found Civil Engineering Academy One Aspect of CEA That He Liked Even Before He Signed up 3 Things He Enjoyed the Most About the Course That Made Him Pass How His Exam Prep Went in Terms of Time How Much He Scored on Practice Exams to Feel Ready for the Real Deal The 3 Non-Studying Aspects That Help You Pass the PE Faster (and More Easily) A Feature of the CEA PE Review Course He Thinks Helped Him a Lot How the PE License Immediately Helped Him in His Career The Most Honest Non-Studying Tip He Has for Anyone Gearing up for the PE 3 Proven Study Tips for Anyone Prepping for the FE and PE Exam What Getting the PE Meant for Him as an International Engineer in the US 🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED Antony Fasano’s PE YouTube Channel Official NCEES YouTube Channel Official NCEES Practice Exams Virginia Tech 💬 CONNECT WITH ANGELLO: LinkedIn 🎁 OUR FREEBIES FOR YOU The Civil FE Startup Guide The Civil PE Startup Guide FREE Floodplain Manager Course Module 🖥️ OUR REVIEW COURSES Civil FE Review Course Civil PE Review Course Floodplain Manager Review Course 📚 OUR PRACTICE EXAMS: FE Practice Exams FE CBT Exam Simulator PE Bonus Theory Questions PE Practice Exams PE CBT Exam Simulator Floodplain Manager Practice Exam FE Environmental Practice Exam PE Environmental Practice Exam 📱 CONNECT WITH CEA Website Newsletter FREE CEA Community LinkedIn YouTube Channel isaac@civilengineeringacademy.com

    Crushing the FE and PE Exams Just 36 Days Apart With Angello Murekye

  3. Sep 18

    A PE in the Philippines to a PE in USA with Jonathan Espiritu

    Picture this: you’re a stay-home dad taking care of three kids while preparing for your exam. Interesting? That’s exactly how today’s guest started his journey toward becoming a PE in the US! In this episode, Jonathan Espiritu dives into the steps he took to get licensed in the US as a Filipino engineer, and dives into the tips fellow Filipinos and international engineers alike can use to crush their NCEES exams and do the same! 😉   Tune in to Learn: His journey from the Philippines to oil & gas in Saudi Arabia to a civil engineer in the USThe main differences between the Philippines and the US in the civil engineering fieldHis FE exam prep as a stay-home dad with 3 kids (yes, you read that right!)A time management technique he used to find study time he didn't think he hadHow he found Civil Engineering Academy — and why it was crucial to his successHow a career opportunity led him to change his depth exam3 tips for those taking the Civil PE ExamThe astonishing difference in difficulty between breadth and depth questionsWhy you already have what it takes to crush theory problems on the PETips for Filipinos interested in becoming licensed PEs in the USWhat is the NCEES approval process like for international applicants?  Our Partner: Audible   FREE Download: The Ultimate Civil PE Exam Startup Guide   Resources Mentioned: The Ultimate Civil PE Review Course AASHTO’s Green Book The Highway Capacity Manual Roadside Design Guide Book Texas Department of Transportation University of Saint Louis, Tuguegarao Saudi Aramco Petroleum   Connect With Jonathan: LinkedIn CEA Exam Prep Materials: Website The Ultimate Civil FE Review Course The Ultimate Civil PE Review Course The Ultimate Civil PE Depth Review Courses FE and PE Practice Exams   Join the CEA Family: Free Newsletter Free Facebook Community YouTube Channel Instagram Twitter LinkedIn isaac@civilengineeringacademy.com

  4. Sep 16

    The Present & Future of Transportation Engineering With ENR’s Top 20 Under 40 Christy Jeon

    Transportation is changing fast. From sustainability concerns to climate resiliency to EVs, the systems we use today will look very different very soon. That’s what Christy Mihyeon Jeon joins us to talk about. 👇 After 24 years in transportation planning and engineering, working on everything from major highway projects to electrification of transportation systems, as well as being named one of the “100 Most Influential Women in Engineering,” she’s someone everyone in the industry should listen to.  In this episode, she pulls back the curtain on what transportation planning actually is and how it differs from the other niches within transportation engineering — like traffic operations. But what about where the industry headed? 🤔 Way ahead of you! She also dives into what that future will likely look like. From EVs all the way to autonomous vehicles, the future of transportation systems and infrastructure will be very different — and getting there means overcoming some really complex challenges she also talks about here. Whether you already work in transportation or you're thinking about jumping into the field, this conversation can help you see the bigger picture for what’s currently going on in the profession…and what’s still to come. So, hit play to give this one a listen and hear what Christy has to say about the present and future of transportation engineering. 😉 🧠 TUNE IN TO LEARN: Her Traffic Jams Got Her into the Transportation Engineering World Which of Her Credentials Had the Biggest Impact on Her Career How She Managed to Skip the FE and Go Straight for the PE (+ How Difficult It Was) The Story Behind How She Became a PE in a State That Requires the FE First How "Sustainability" in Engineering Has Changed Over Time...And What It Means Today What Transportation Planning Really is The Biggest Challenge She's Had to Overcome in Her Career (And How It Impacts You) What the Concept of "Resiliency" Means (And How Differs From One State to Another) The Impact of Electrification on Transportation Infrastructure and Planning The 3 Big Components of the Future of Our Transportation Systems The Biggest Concern Before the Full Adoption of Autonomous Vehicles is Possible Her Top Piece of Advice for Women to Thrive in Engineering How Joining Professional Organizations Can Supercharge Your Career (And Life) The Only Skill You Need to Be a Successful Engineer That Takes a Long Time to Learn 🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED Georgia DOT Incorporating Sustainability in Transport Planning, by Christy Jeon Christy's "Top 20 Under 40" Nomination 💬 CONNECT WITH CHRISTY: LinkedIn 🎁 OUR FREEBIES FOR YOU The Civil FE Startup Guide The Civil PE Startup Guide FREE Floodplain Manager Course Module 🖥️ OUR REVIEW COURSES Civil FE Review Course Civil PE Review Course Floodplain Manager Review Course 📚 OUR PRACTICE EXAMS FE Practice Exams FE CBT Exam Simulator PE Bonus Theory Questions PE Practice Exams PE CBT Exam Simulator Floodplain Manager Practice ExamF E Environmental Practice Exam PE Environmental Practice Exam 📱 CONNECT WITH CEA Website Newsletter FREE CEA Community LinkedIn YouTube Channel isaac@civilengineeringacademy.com

    The Present & Future of Transportation Engineering With ENR’s Top 20 Under 40 Christy Jeon

  5. Sep 11

    The AEC Freelancing Platform Changing How Engineers Find Work With Brian Sullivan

    Not finding reliable engineering talent for your projects when you need it? After 20 years running his AEC firm, Brian Sullivan knows that problem all too well — and he’s now set out to tackle it from a completely different angle. 👇 In this episode, Brian talks about his journey from starting, scaling, and selling his own civil engineering firm to building an engineering tech company called GigBench that puts an end to this problem once and for all. The idea? 🤔 Be the place where firms can find vetted, experienced professionals, without having to make a full-time hire…while engineers can find more flexible engineering work, without having to leave their day job. Whether you’re thinking about freelancing as a civil engineer yourself or need freelance engineering work for your company, you need to sign up for GigBench — and Brian spills the beans on everything you need to know about it. So, go check it out wherever you get your podcasts to hear more about what he’s building with GigBench, how it works, and how you can take advantage of it. 😉 🧠 TUNE IN TO LEARN: A Big Problem He Faced Running His Own Firm That Gave Him the Idea for GigBench How He Started GigBench After Selling His Firm How GigBench Works (For Engineers and Firms) Is GigBench Only for the AEC Industry? How AEC Freelancers Benefit from Using GigBench How AEC Employees Can Use GigBench Without Breaking Any Non-Compete Clauses GigBench's Official Launch and How Engineers Can Join as Soon as It Does The 2 Business Challenges He's Facing Trying to Build GigBench The Business Skill He Learned Building His Firm That’s Applicable to Every Business The 2 Biggest Values He Learned in His Firm That He's Now Applying to GigBench The Monetization Model of GigBench (+ Its Fees for You) How GigBench Can Work For Hungry Retirees as Well The Most Important Lesson in His 20-Year Career You Need to Take to Heart 🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED GigBench Sullivan Engineering Acquisition ConEdison Manhattan College UpWork 💬 CONNECT WITH BRIAN: LinkedIn brian@gigbench.com 🎁 OUR FREEBIES FOR YOU The Civil FE Startup Guide The Civil PE Startup Guide FREE Floodplain Manager Course Module 🖥️ OUR REVIEW COURSES Civil FE Review Course Civil PE Review Course Floodplain Manager Review Course 📚 OUR PRACTICE EXAMS FE Practice Exams FE CBT Exam Simulator PE Bonus Theory Questions PE Practice Exams PE CBT Exam Simulator Floodplain Manager Practice Exam FE Environmental Practice Exam PE Environmental Practice Exam 📱 CONNECT WITH CEA Website Newsletter FREE CEA Community LinkedIn YouTube Channel isaac@civilengineeringacademy.com

    The AEC Freelancing Platform Changing How Engineers Find Work With Brian Sullivan

  6. Sep 2

    The Top 16 Transportation PE Study Materials Worth Considering

    Freaking out trying to choose the exam prep resources for the Transportation PE that are actually worth your money? 🤔  With so many options, it's easy to go down a rabbit hole…but you don’t have to. 👇 In this episode, we’re sharing our hand-picked list of the top Transportation PE study materials worth considering for each one of the main aspects of an exam prep to help you cut through the noise.  That way, you nail down your options to only a few resources, pick the ones you think give the biggest bang for your buck, and finally get your studying going. So, if you want to pass the Civil PE Transportation exam, give this episode a listen and pick your study materials from this list. 😉 🧠 TUNE IN TO LEARN: The 3 Main Categories of Any Good Exam Prep 3 Resources to Brush Up on the Theory 6 Books That Give You 500+ Problems to Practice With 7 Realistic Practice Exams for You to Simulate the Real Deal How to Approach Problem-Solving the Right Way When Studying for the PE How to Take Practice Exams Effectively When Prepping 📖 THEORY REVIEW: PE Civil Transportation Review Manual PE Civil Exam Review Guide (Transportation) Daniel Findley’s YouTube Playlist ✍️ PRACTICE PROBLEMS: Six-Minute Solutions: Transportation Depth Questions The Essential Guide to Passing The Transportation Civil PE Exam CEA Transportation PE Practice Problems Playlist PE Civil Transportation Workbook 100 Bonus Transportation Theory Questions All-in-One PE Practice Exams: Breadth and Depth 🖥️ PRACTICE EXAMS: Official NCEES PE Civil: Transportation Exam (Old Version) Official NCEES PE Civil: Transportation Exam (Newest Version) Transportation Depth Practice Exams The Ultimate Transportation PE Exam Civil PE Practice Exam: Transportation Depth Transportation Depth PE Civil Engineering Exams Civil PE Practice Exam: Breadth + Transportation Depth PE CBT Exam Simulator 📄 OTHER RESOURCES MENTIONED: April 2024 Changes to the PE School of PE’s Transportation Guide Review Video The Importance of Practice Exams in Your Prep 🎁 OUR FREEBIES FOR YOU: The Civil FE Startup Guide The Civil PE Startup Guide FREE Floodplain Manager Course Module 🖥️ OUR REVIEW COURSES: Civil FE Review Course Civil PE Review Courses Floodplain Manager Review Course 📚 OUR PRACTICE EXAMS: FE Practice Exams FE CBT Exam Simulator PE Bonus Theory Questions PE Practice Exams PE CBT Exam Simulator Floodplain Management Training Workbook FE Environmental Practice Exam PE Environmental Practice Exam 📱 CONNECT WITH CEA! Website Newsletter Free CEA Community LinkedIn YouTube Channel support@civilengineeringacademy.com

    The Top 16 Transportation PE Study Materials Worth Considering

  7. Aug 26

    How Clara Feitoza Passed the FE Exam Using Only Our Free Resources

    What if you could pass the FE exam on your first try…totally on your own? Clara Feitoza did exactly that — and she says CEA played a huge role in helping her get there. Here’s how. 👇 After nearly three years out of college, Clara had to juggle work, graduate school, and an insanely intense 2.5-month study plan. She listened to our podcast in every way she could and used the strategies she picked up from passing CEA students to build a game plan she could actually stick to. And boy, did she stick to it! Clara worked through more than 2,000 practice problems, took weekly practice exams (not a typo!), and used what she had to help her learn: AI tools as her “study buddy.” In this episode, she shares all the details of this journey. From the tips from past CEA students that worked perfectly for her, all the way to the lessons she had to learn herself while going through the process. If you’re taking the FE exam, there’s plenty here for you to steal and apply to your own prep to get this thing over with as soon as possible. Go check it out! 🧠 TUNE IN TO LEARN: How She Got into the Environmental Engineering World (And Why) What She Does Today as an Environmental Engineer in Canada The Washington Accord: Why the NCEES Exams Matter Even Outside of the US Her Insane Exam Prep Routine to Knock Out 1,000+ Problems Per Month (And Why) How Being a Curious Graduate Student Helped Her With the Exam The Mind Trick That Made Her Feel at Easy Walking into the Exam What Made Her Panic a Bit Once the Exam Began That You Should Be Aware of How Confident She Walked Out of the Exam Room Her Biggest Tip for Anyone Taking the FE Exam Why She Recommends Civil Engineering Academy for Any Test-Taker Out There 🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED Clara's LinkedIn Post The Washington Accord 💬 CONNECT WITH CLARA: LinkedIn 🎁 OUR FREEBIES FOR YOU The Civil FE Startup Guide The Civil PE Startup Guide FREE Floodplain Manager Course Module 🖥️ OUR REVIEW COURSES Civil FE Review Course Civil PE Review Course Floodplain Manager Review Course 📚 OUR PRACTICE EXAMS FE Practice Exams FE CBT Exam Simulator PE Bonus Theory Questions PE Practice Exams PE CBT Exam Simulator Floodplain Manager Practice Exam FE Environmental Practice Exam PE Environmental Practice Exam 📱 CONNECT WITH CEA Website Newsletter FREE CEA Community LinkedIn YouTube Channel isaac@civilengineeringacademy.com

    How Clara Feitoza Passed the FE Exam Using Only Our Free Resources

  8. Aug 20

    From 4-Time Taker to Licensed PE: How Jennifer Caron Crushed the Construction Exam

    Passing the PE is tough enough on its own. Now, throw being a first-time mom of a newborn with three failed past attempts into the mix, plus a job. That’s exactly where Jennifer Caron found herself. 👇 After trying other review courses, she failed the exam twice. For the third time, she joined Civil Engineering Academy and, even though she had another failed try, this time was different. She reached out to us for guidance, we personally helped her rebuild her game plan, and she came back for the fourth (and final) round at the Construction PE Exam. 💪 In this episode, she gets real about what it took throughout this journey to finally get this done. How she balanced studying with motherhood, what really matters in your studies that you have to commit to…all the way to what helped her pick herself up after three tries (and how). If you're a repeat taker working parent  feeling beaten down by this exam, Jennifer's story is one you’ll want to hear. And if you are also taking the Construction PE exam specifically, then her story is something you must listen. Go check it out wherever you get your podcasts! 🎧 🧠 TUNE IN TO LEARN: Her Journey Into Civil Engineering as a Math Teacher Why the Transition from Math to Civil Engineering Was Harder Than It Seems Her Experience With the FE Exam as Math Teacher-Engineer What Pushed Her to Go for the PE Why She Chose Civil Engineering Academy After Failing Twice Other Courses Her Tips for All the Women Gearing up for the PE Exam as a Mom The One Thing About CEA That Made All the Difference in Her Prep  The Only Right Way to Study for the PE (That She Learned the Hard Way) Does the Difficulty of the PE Exam Change From One Try to Another? The Role of Practice Exams in Your Studies..And Why Not All of Them are Worth It The Importance of a Support Group in Your Prep Her Crucial Tip for All the Repeat Takers Like Her to Get Over This Thing Why the Construction PE is One of the Most Challenging Exams How AI Helped Her Get Familiar With All the Codes & Standards for the Construction PE A Small Quirk With the Codes on the Exam That Force You to Know Them Inside and Out How Things are Like in the Test Center on Exam Day Her 2 Last-Second Tips for Anybody Prepping for the PE Exam Why She Recommends Civil Engineering Academy to Every PE Examinee What Does a Civil Engineer Working in Underground & Submarine Transmission Do? 🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED Mid-America Christian University University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) Burns & McDonnell 💬 CONNECT WITH JENNIFER: LinkedIn 🎁 OUR FREEBIES FOR YOU The Civil FE Startup Guide The Civil PE Startup Guide FREE Floodplain Manager Course Module 🖥️ OUR REVIEW COURSES Civil FE Review Course Civil PE Review Course Floodplain Manager Review Course 📚 OUR PRACTICE EXAMS FE Practice Exams FE CBT Exam Simulator PE Bonus Theory Questions PE Practice Exams PE CBT Exam Simulator Floodplain Manager Practice Exam FE Environmental Practice Exam PE Environmental Practice Exam 📱 CONNECT WITH CEA Website Newsletter FREE CEA Community LinkedIn YouTube Channe lisaac@civilengineeringacademy.com

    From 4-Time Taker to Licensed PE: How Jennifer Caron Crushed the Construction Exam
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The Civil Engineering Academy Podcast empowers engineers to pass their exams, accelerate their careers, and become exceptional professionals. Through expert insights and conversations with industry leaders, we explore FE and PE exam strategies, career development, leadership, entrepreneurship, and the latest innovations shaping the engineering profession. Whether you're just starting out or looking to reach the next level, you'll find practical advice and inspiration to help you succeed.

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