Be aware that, in some jurisdictions, one is required by Statute to hold a particular accreditation or registration.
So, for instance, I got MRAeS, MIEAust, CEng, CPEng, RPEQ accreditations around 20-25 years or so ago. As a consequence of the MIEAust, CPEng, I am registered at Stage Three on the Professional Engineers Register in Australia which allows me access to a range of work which has such registration as a notional prerequisite. In addition, in the State of Queensland there is legislation which requires the performance of professional engineering work to be done by folk who are registered in an appropriate category by the Board of Professional Engineers in that State... hence RPEQ.
Further most of the learned societies (in my case the IEAust) have a CPD requirement. Therefore, the accreditation provides something in the way of a third party accreditation regarding the up to date-ness of one's knowledge.
Overall, if you want to play in the consulting engineering sandpit, you need to pony up for the post nominals ... At some stage you might then up the registration levels for whatever reason motivates you. So, for example, I have been toying with moving to FRAeS, FIEAust for some years ... might even get around to filling in the paperwork one of these days ... unless retirement overtakes the interest ... in which case it will be upping my sailing capabilities ..
Last edited by john_tullamarine; 29th November 2005 at 21:12.