Episode
How the PE Can Take You Way Beyond Engineering With Lorri Zella
- Published
- Apr 16, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1608
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Summary
Most people think an engineering career locks you into one path. Design, build, repeat. Endlessly. But what if it could actually open doors you never knew were there — even totally unrelated to engineering? 🤔 This week, we chat with Lorri Zella. She’s a licensed PE who took her career in a totally different direction, going from engineering to full-time real estate investing with a stop in forensic analysis today. In this episode, Lorri dives deep into this awesome journey. She details how her education, work experience in engineering, and PE license helped her prep for the non-engineering stuff she’s done…all the way to how to come back into engineering if you leave it to try something new. (🚨Spoiler alert: it’s easier than you trick yourself to think it is!) If you’re feeling boxed in by your degree or current job and wondering what else is out there beyond the typical path, this episode might just flip a switch for you. There’s more you can do as a civil engineer than designing and constructing buildings. And the good news? Your education and experience preps you really well for that already. 😉 So, go give this episode a listen to see how the PE can take you way beyond engineering! 🧠 TUNE IN TO LEARN: Why She Went for an Engineering Degree (Even Without Liking Math) What's the CPESC Credential? What's the LEED and Certification? How She Keeps All Her Credentials Active in Every State How Engineering Prepped Her to Invest in Real Estate Is It Difficult to Go Back into Engineering If You Get Out of It? Her 3-Attempt Journey to Get Over the PE Exam Her Experience with the LEED and CPESC Certification Exams What She Does in Forensic Engineering Today Her Tips for All Engineers Who Want to Get into Real Estate on the Side 2 Tips for All Women Pursuing a Career in Enginee…