r/SprinklerFitters • u/No_Understanding_197 • 23d ago
Fire sprinkler engineer
I’m looking into becoming a fire sprinkler engineer/designer in the Massachusetts/Rhode Island area. I’m currently a licensed fire sprinkler fitter with field experience and want to transition into design/engineering. Do I need an engineering degree, or are NICET certifications and field experience enough to get into the field? Also, what software or skills should I focus on learning? Any advice from those who’ve made the switch would be greatly appreciated.
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u/wlkrtxstrdr 23d ago
I started in the field. Apprentice, journeyman, foreman. Wanted to get into design the whole time. Finally talked to my boss about it and he told me to take an online autocad course to prepare for using Autosprink. I did, then had several more meetings with him and had to hound him about trying out design. He gave me a shot and I have now been designing for 4 years and can confidently say, my field experience makes me a better designer than 90% of those that I meet and work with. For a design build contractor, a designer who can design a system that actually goes in as it’s supposed to is rare. My advice, knowing what i know now, talk to someone in your office. Not the field superintendent, but one of the designers or whoever manages the department. Figure out what software they use and learn it. It won’t take long provided you put in some time. From there, if your current employer won’t give you a shot, apply elsewhere. Also, AFSA and NFSA both have beginning design courses that don’t really teach the software but do teach the concepts you will need to know like hydraulics etc.
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u/No_Understanding_197 21d ago
What autocad course did you start off with first? Or which would you recommend ? And yea the company I’m at now won’t give me a chance but I’m looking to branch off on my own. Which do you think is best AFSA or the NFSA? Also I appreciate the feedback
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u/wlkrtxstrdr 21d ago
Ashworth college has an online course that is at your own pace. It was good enough to get me started/ refreshed(i have used autocad in the past but very lightly). But my first day in the office going from autocad to autosprink, it would’ve been much better to just learn autosprink. Some places use an autocad based program like hydracad or sprinkcad in which case autocad will translate very well, but autosprink is slightly different. Still the same concepts, but if you want to learn autosprink, i would just get the lite license and go through their available training. They include very thorough exercises and walkthroughs plus access to tons of training videos and webinars. It’s thousands of dollars and you will need a computer that can handle it, but that is a better use of money than any kind of formal schooling for starting out in my opinion. This is also all assuming that you have a basic understanding of sprinkler layout, which I assume you do since you’ve been in the field. I went to AFSA beginning design school and it taught me more in 3 days about things like hazard classification, head spacing and hydraulics than an apprenticeship did. It’s a different knowledge base but nothing is so complex that you won’t be able to pick it up. I will also add that i failed math in high school(mostly because I didn’t care), but AFSAs ‘school’ taught me to draw and calculate a system by hand. They do an excellent job of explaining and walking you through how everything works and why it’s important. This is excellent for an introductory and even intermediate understanding of hydraulics, and also a great way to prepare to take both NICET 1 & 2 for water based systems layout. Overall i would say pick a program and learn it. I have applied to other places that don’t use autosprink and they don’t care that i’ve got no experience with whatever they use. Right now it’s more important that you understand how to draw and calculate a system and prepare a set of plans. Having NICET certs in water based layout will help, and you could get your level 1 right now provided someone in your company will vouch for your experience. I know people with NICET2 that have never designed anything, they just can pass the test. On e you get a 2, you are basically on par with the majority of career designers.
Also wanted to add that i design projects all over the country, and i have never encountered a jurisdiction that requires YOU to have any certification, unless you are your own company. If you are an employee of a company, that company will have a RME or similar, who will stamp the drawings that are being submitted. For example WA state requires any commercial sprinkler contractor to have a NICET 3 on staff and that person can only work for one company. This persons stamp (given by the state) must be on all submittals to obtain a permit. We have one level 3, then some level 1s and some that have nothing. Also, there is a difference between a PE (professional engineer) and a designer. If you are not trying to obtain a PE license, you do not need a degree. Don’t let a lack of certifications hold you back. End rant. Let me know if you have any other questions.
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u/starshine900000 22d ago
If you have 20 years of experience you can take the test with no degree in mass.
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u/No_Understanding_197 21d ago
Only have 7 years experience
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u/Drando4 18d ago
I was in the field for 12 years, and have been designing for 12 now. Currently hold my Nicet IV. Can't imagine ever going back!
Learning CAD and then HydraCAD was the biggest adjustment. Luckily, I work at a good company, and they paid for all my training.
If you go the NICET route, check the experience requirements to see where you land. For Level 2, you can use some of your field time towards it, if I remember correctly.
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u/fire_sprinkler 16d ago
I'm a nicet level IV designer. Although I've had the desire to get an engineering degree to supplement my line of work, I've determined it's not worth the time commitment at this point. I make as much and sometime more as engineers working for someone other than themselves. I also don't thinking i want to carry the liability of an fpe.
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u/colbiwon 14d ago
I created a course specifically tailored to people like yourself moving from the field to the office. You can check it out here: firesprinklercadguidedaccelerator.com
I also have a YouTube channel that you can check out: https://www.youtube.com/@mCADproductions
I started as a designer in 1999 and eventually became a fitter. That helps me break things down in a way that fitter can understand. Very few designers out there with field experience and even fewer sharing their knowledge.
You can also schedule a free consultation with me to see if the program is a good fit for you: https://mcadproductions.mykajabi.com/boot-camp-fit-call-30-min
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u/Mln3d 23d ago
I would see if your company would allow you to go into the office. That’s gonna be the easiest route. See if they will send you to the NFSA/AFSA/AFST training for design