Are all Engineers licensed?

[Sajnav]

Are all engineers licensed, like Quality Engineers, Process Engineers, Project Engineers, New Product Introduction Engineers, etc.?

Thank you.

 

[TVP]

In North America, no. Licensing is only required for certain tasks, for example, formally approving engineering documents related to construction projects (buildings, roads, etc.).

 

[automatic2]

and I thought the term 'Engineer' implied association membership

 

[PSE]

As TVP alludes to, in the US there is an "Industrial Exemption" for engineering. It allows the unlicensed practice of engineering under the legal and liability umbrella of being within an industrial corporation. Direct representation, work and interface in the public arena requires licensure. In addition, licensure requirements may vary state by state.

Regards,

 

[TVP]

automatic2,

Unfortunately in North America the word "engineer" is not properly used in all instances. It should be a title similar to the Dipl.-Ing. title used in Europe so that one has a reasonable expectation of a person's education, work experience, etc. However, there are many people given the title engineer in North America (especially in the fields of Quality and Manufacturing/Processing) that do not have a formal background in engineering, meaning secondary education at an accredited university, membership in professional societies, professional development training, etc. And before anyone starts a discussion on the benefit of hands-on experience, how poor the current generation of university graduates are, the large number of truly gifted technical people without engineering degrees, etc., I understand all this. My point is specifically about the title, and how it should be used.

 

[PeterCharles]

In the UK all engineers are "certified" !!

(they have to be to keep on working as an engineer ) )

 

[Sajnav]

Thank you for all your replies. I was wondering because the Quality Engineer I work with is currently attending an in-house Six Sigma Green Belt training. He said he hates it because he hates Statistics (so I was thinking how he could have passed the licensing). I noticed he's really not good at it (He previously mentioned he's in the QE field for almost 20 years).

 

[Iamjonscranium]

in the US, look for PE after the name. this is a professional, certified engineer who took the PE exam and earned the title.

i also beleive a PE comes with PHD degree.

 

[jamtilimpact]

PE's are not necessarily PhD's. None of the PE's I know have a PhD except for those who are also professors. A bachelor's degree, passing the FE exam, being apprenticed with a PE for a few years, and passing the PE exam I think are all that is required. Most IE's are not PE's because we don't generally do things that will get people killed if we screw up. Civil engineers though can potentially kill hundreds with their mistakes, ergo, the civil ranks are rife with PE's.

 

[Iamjonscranium]

^right. not all pe's have phd's, but if you have a phd, you are a pe.

this sounds like one of those iq questions.

 

[jamtilimpact]

Not so, Iamjonscranium. The National Society of Prefessional Engineers (

http://www.nspe.org)

specifically says that while years of experience may in some cases be subsitituted for education, advanced degrees CAN NOT be substituted for experience. Some states will waive the FE exam for those with PhD's but they still have to have the necessary experience and the PE exam.