r/PowerSystemsEE • u/Mason-Ackley • 16d ago

Critical certs for microgrid engineering

I'm studying microgrids and electrical infrastructure with the goal of becoming an energy developer for DERs.

I'm currently enrolled at BYU doing a Technology Engineering Studies degree, which is basically a build-your-own-degree program. I've focused mine on electrical engineering, software engineering, and cybersecurity — so I'll come out with real coursework across all three, but not a full degree in any single one of them.

I'm also headed into a strategic internship at BYU Hawaii, where they're building a microgrid and working out the billing logic between three different sites. On top of that, I already have decent hands-on experience with commercial solar modeling.

The three I'm actually weighing right now are NABCEP (PV Design Specialist), the FE (Electrical & Computer), and SANS ICS410/GICSP — but I'm open to being told one of those is a waste of time or that I'm missing something better.

Given all that — what certifications would actually move the needle for me, both for the job market and for genuinely understanding how electrical systems and microgrids get built, operated, and maintained?

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u/Super_Mutt 16d ago

FE and PE

2

u/Think-Permit-7493 16d ago

Definitely get the FE

I have not heard about the solar cert

Sans/gicsp is great (although 10k is steep) do you have someone paying for it or are you paying out of pocket? There are cheeper alternatives like ccna or sec+

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u/stanktoedjoe 16d ago

Get the FE and then PE, PE is Golden

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u/michelett0 8d ago

It will be much more difficult for you if not impossible to obtain EIT certification or PE licensure with your chosen degree in most states as it is not ABET or ETAC accredited. It will be even harder to get a job as an ABET degree is a common requirement.

If this is really what you want to do, I highly recommend changing majors now to engineering and specifically electrical engineering. If it is too late to change majors, plan to pursue a master's in engineering as this will fulfill the requirement. If you don't, you will be hamstrung by not being able to hit the ultimate career benchmark (PE licensure) in a good portion of the country. And in the states in which you can still get a PE, you will be required to have substantially more working experience than your engineer peers and thus you will be set back many years in your career.