Educating Civil Engineering Technologist

According to American Society of Civil Engineers' (ASCE) policy statement 535, "Civil Engineering Technologist (CE Technologist) is a person who exerts a high level of judgment in the performance of engineering work, while working under the direct control and personal supervision of a CE Professional…" International Engineering Technologists Agreement (IETA) stipulates an engineering technologist shall demonstrate "the competence for independent practice as an engineering technologist as exemplified by the International Engineering Alliance (IEA) competency profile." The Committee on Civil Engineering Technologists (CCET) of ASCE formed the Civil Engineering Technologist Body of Knowledge (CET BOK) task committee to establish the body of knowledge (BOK) for civil engineering technologists (CET) in spring of 2015. ASCE has recently published the first ever Body of Knowledge of Civil Engineering Technologist. Are graduates of four year engineering technology programs in United States engineering technologist or engineer? This controversy is going on for over last four decades in the engineering technology/engineering community. There is yet to be any definite solution in sight. Internationally, for example Civil Engineering Technologies in India are taught in "Polytechnic" colleges at the post-secondary level. They are usually three-year diploma program under the supervision of respective state board of technical education. These programs are kept outside the purview of university system. Often they are called Licentiate in Civil Engineering (LCE) or diploma engineering. Many of the early engineering colleges, now some of the prestigious colleges of engineering in India started as "Licentiate" granting institution during late 19th Century. As member of the CET BOK committee, the author had the opportunity to examine engineering technologists' expected professional competencies more critically. In that context, this paper intends explore civil engineering technologists' preparatory education in US and that of other countries, especially civil engineering technology education in India and Southeast Asia.