Using the Title Engineer Loosely
Using the Title Engineer Loosely
(OP)
I am a graduate engineer for a reputable structural engineering firm. My working title at the company will be graduate engineer until I become a licensed engineer. My gripe is that I see contractors place the title engineer on everything, i.e. project engineer, field engineer, etc. I understand that these people bring their own unique skills and are a pivotal role in the success of a construction project but is there no sanctity in the title engineer? We do not call everyone in the health industry doctors because there is an inherent respect for a person who has put in the time and effort to deserve that title. I will now step off of my soap box but I just wanted to see if there was similar discontent in the "engineering" community.





RE: Using the Title Engineer Loosely
RE: Using the Title Engineer Loosely
RE: Using the Title Engineer Loosely
I should point out that we have a local company called, "Lawn Doctor," and "doctoring" a document is not a thing to be proud of.
TTFN

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Of course I can. I can do anything. I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!
RE: Using the Title Engineer Loosely
Good luck,
Latexman
Technically, the glass is always full - 1/2 air and 1/2 water.
RE: Using the Title Engineer Loosely
When will come the moment where you need to defend your pay check in the real arena, it will all come down to a simple basic question: you know or you don't know how to the thing and you cannot cheat; this is the crude truth.
At that very moment your title whatever it is - will make for you no difference.
"If you want to acquire a knowledge or skill, read a book and practice the skill".
RE: Using the Title Engineer Loosely
In general, most people recognize that such labels are farcical, just as no one would even remotely think of asking the "Lawn Doctor" to check out their uvulas. And, this is apparently the lesson that we seem to be imparting to our descendants, that labels define us and have extra meaning and we have no self-worth without such labels? Xerox and "Chicanos" and others have successfully demonstrated that these types of labels are too easily suborned for other purposes, and to try and control the usage of such labels is truly an exercise in futility.
TTFN

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Of course I can. I can do anything. I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!
RE: Using the Title Engineer Loosely
RE: Using the Title Engineer Loosely
Over the past several days, I've learned that there is neither any sense nor positive outcome in expressing an opinion on this subject, unless your aim is to invite arguments.
thread730-374748: Engineer?
RE: Using the Title Engineer Loosely
RE: Using the Title Engineer Loosely
First, to ddudley88....kudos to you as a younger engineer for recognizing the threat this can be to our profession.
Indiscriminate use of the term "engineer" is a problem that even the licensing boards don't properly recognize. In certain disciplines of our profession, having a degree in engineering does not give one the right to call themselves an engineer. Many state laws, as jboggs pointed out, protect the term "engineer" and its variants. This is necessary as many pseudo-engineering or related technical "trades" routinely usurp the term "engineer" to imply that they are have more to offer than they actually have.
There are legitimate uses of the term "engineer" by non-licensed engineers. As far as I know, each state in the US recognizes exempt industrial classifications of engineers who are not required to be licensed but are truly engineers in their education and function.
As for the licensed professional engineers, this is usually where the rub takes place. If you offer engineering services to the public at large, without regard to the discipline, all states in the US require licensing so as to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public. This is a good thing. These are the engineers who are known to the public (civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, metallurgical, welding, etc.) and are required to meet requirements of the state's laws for qualifications to practice in the public realm and are held to practice standards that all licensed engineers must meet. When an air conditioning company that employs only air conditioning mechanics (not mechanical engineers specializing in HVAC system design)calls themselves "Air Engineers" or similar, they are usurping the term "engineer" to imply to the public that they have qualification they don't actually possess. The public views engineers as being a bit smarter than the average bear, so to exploit this public perception of engineers is perpetuating a fraud upon the public.
Ok...I'll get off the soapbox before I really get started!
RE: Using the Title Engineer Loosely
I suppose I am not offended by the term software engineer for example. I know those folks have some degree in computer science or electronics that I can respect.
In my own discipline I have a harder time with a process engineer being associated with a mechanical tooling process rather than a chemical process. But I suppose that's not very fair to the guy designing tooling operations.
In Georgia it's fairly simple:
Have a degree / obtain EIT / obtain experience / pass exam / obtain PE
OR
obtain equivalent experience / pass exam / obtain PE
As SNORGY stated it's really pretty straight forward
RE: Using the Title Engineer Loosely
The public need not know who Santa really is. We are just elves.
Just adding to the noise...
- Steve
RE: Using the Title Engineer Loosely
RE: Using the Title Engineer Loosely
Since it was "engineered" I asked the flooring installer for substantiating engineering calculations. I quoted State law regarding engineering to him and demanded appropriate documentation for his product.
I was able to get him to substantially reduce his price. After it was installed, of course.
RE: Using the Title Engineer Loosely
Might look a little funny on business cards with a lowercase e, but then again, that is the whole point.
I guess you get the capital E if you drive a train.
RE: Using the Title Engineer Loosely
thread730-374748: Engineer?
Maui
RE: Using the Title Engineer Loosely
Man you hosed that flooring installer. Engineered Hardwood is called so in the same way any LVL, LSL, Glulam ext... wood product is called Engineered.
I sold / installed the stuff for my dads shop for years - it is a dream to install but hell on saw blades. Usually runs a pretty price as well.
It is basically 5/8" LVL with a veneer put on, with the benefit of low thermal and moisture expansion. Calcs and spec sheets on the properties are readily available from the manufactures.
RE: Using the Title Engineer Loosely
RE: Using the Title Engineer Loosely
I probably put more than enough dead horse emoticons in that other thread to cover this one too but just to summarize one of my main points.
Before trying to regulate who gets to use the term Engineer, we should really try to come up with a meaningful definition of what an engineer is - something that has escaped the membership of this site before.
Jboggs, Somptings point was that there are entire sub fields within mechanical engineering away from the construction industry that rarely if ever offer their services to the public.
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?
RE: Using the Title Engineer Loosely
But as we stood and discussed the problem with the techs and a colleague (an applications-type engineer with a PE, who wants to move over to my side of the wall and work on design/manufacturing issues), I noted that I had no desire to try and troubleshoot the problem any further, it being outside my comfort zone.
But, I pointed out that HE should try and troubleshoot it, because before he can be a "real" engineer like me, he should spend some time being a conductor.
I crack myself up sometimes.