In the science and engineering industry, seeing a “PE”, “LG”, “PMP”, or other initials behind someone’s name shows that person went through years of work experience that culminated in a substantial test to confirm the right to practice their area of technical expertise. A professional license is a proof statement that communicates that the people charged with designing roads and buildings; solving water supply challenges; cleaning up contaminated soil and water; and successfully managing project quality are qualified and ethically accountable professionals. Many go through this licensing journey but few outside that group know what the process is really like.
We’re telling those stories here. Aspect’s professionals are writing a series of articles that capture the trials and successes of studying for and receiving these career-defining milestones.
Matthew Lewis, Hydrogeology License (LHG)
LHG awarded October 2019
Matthew in the field at a gravel mine in Shelton
What was the best piece of advice you received as you started your LHG journey?
The best piece of advice I received was to keep this test in perspective and not let it stress me out. That the worst-case scenario would be to just take it again. Failure is feedback, not the end of the world.
Given this advice, what would you tell those about to begin?
My first piece of advice to anyone starting out is to treat the application as an important task itself, not just a formality. You will need to take time to coordinate with your project managers, who will have to take time to submit their own forms on your behalf. The application also requires a lot of information about projects you’ve worked on to prove evidence of your experience. I found that remembering relevant projects and describing my contributions were more time consuming than I initially thought they would be (what was that 5-year-old-project’s name again?), and I had some unexpected issues arise in gathering information about the projects as well. I was glad I started work early and submitted my application well ahead of time –a small road bump can turn into a critical failure when you’re up against a hard deadline.
Matthew and his high-energy family
My second piece of advice is to assess ahead of time how studying will impact your work/life balance. I have three high-energy kids at home, none of whom like to go to bed, and post-bedtime was the only time I could hope to squeeze in some study time. So I knew I had to start studying months in advance and plan for smaller, bite-sized study sessions. This early start helped me manage my time and stress and allow some flexibility in my study routine.
How did you study strategically?
I made sure to lock in the fundamentals like calculating a groundwater gradient by hand from a few wells, determining hydraulic head across an earthen dam from a flow-net diagram, and even just memorizing common unit conversions. Since I’m typically working with spreadsheet models and calculation software, it was easy to let some of those basic skills get rusty.
I knew from my days playing guitar that the best way to make progress is to practice towards your weaknesses. At work, I typically work on pumping tests, construction dewatering, and infiltration analysis, etc., so I focused my study efforts on areas of hydrogeology that I don’t work with every day. Even so, I was caught off-guard by several questions about aquifer tracer tests that I didn’t have that specific background knowledge in. This was a little discouraging, but I did so well in the other areas that it balanced out in the end. So, I recommend that once you have the fundamentals down, find the areas of hydrogeology you have the least exposure to and put your energy there.
Walk us through the Big Test Day…
My main focus on Test Day was to manage my stress levels and keep my mind clear. My LHG test was in the afternoon, so I made sure to get a good night’s sleep (no cramming the night before!) and eat breakfast with my family. I arrived at The Evergreen State College with plenty of time to find my testing location and listen to a bit of my favorite music. When I finally took the exam, I flew through half of it in less than an hour, and then spend the rest of the period taking my time on the more complex problems. I left feeling cautiously optimistic, but I also knew that test results don’t come for three loooooong months, so it’s best not to dwell on it—just let it go. Also, why does a scantron test take so long to process?!
How did you feel when you got the results?
I was thrilled to find out I had passed the exam. I was expecting a letter, but the email was just sitting there in my inbox one morning. I immediately called my wife with the news, and then I called my studio lead.
Obtaining my LHG was an important career milestone that helped pave the way for my Project Manager position. It also feels good now to see my LHG stamp on Aspect reports; it communicates a specialized knowledge background to our clients.
Matthew Lewis, LHG is a Project Hydrogeologist in Aspect’s Seattle office.