Engineer or Ingeniator?

[Buffers brewery]

Saw this clip on the front page of The Times today. I’ve often thought that the term “Engineer” was over-used and didn’t reflect the profession.

 

[MickDundee]

@The-Engineer-That-Brews is going to have to change his name

 

[MZonard]

Slow news week? There are other terms for engineer such as mechanic or technician if they want to reserve 'engineer' for graduates or institution members. I'm perfectly proud to say I worked as a technician. Doc in Back to the Future was an inventor and there's definitely a place for that too.

 

[Buffers brewery]

I think that’s what the proff’ is saying. Unlike other professions (doctor, dentist, physicist, chemist etc.) the term “engineer” is not specific to the person/people that devise and invent new solutions to problems/challenges but includes those performing a servicing activity or even driving trains as the term is used in the US.

 

[Jim Brewster]

If only there was another term like Chartered Engineer to give the distinction

 

[Graz]

If only there was another term like Chartered Engineer to give the distinction

Maybe...

I have a Engineering degree and an Engineering career spanning some 27 years but I've never bothered to go down the Chartered route as it doesn't seem to make much if any difference on a CV. There might be 1 or 2 companies that really place some value on it but most don't. That said I'm speaking as an Electrical and Electronic Engineer, it may be different for other disciplines. I've also been a member of our industry body The IET since university and they decide who can be Chartered or not, if I wanted to go that route it would largely be a paperwork exercise and maybe an interview but I just don't see the point at the moment.

In some other countries, Germany springs to mind, it is a protected title and you can only call yourself “Ingenieur” if you have the qualifications and training same as a doctor or architect in this country.

I'm all for making the profession a bit more prestigious but I can't see it changing now we have so many faux engineers and to be honest I'm over it

 

[MickDundee]

If only there was another term like Chartered Engineer to give the distinction

Is engineering like accountancy where anyone can call themselves an engineer and Joe public doesn’t generally know that there’s actually a difference?

I’m always very vocal about people making sure, if they are using an accountancy firm, that the firm is affiliated with one of the CCAB accounting bodies.

 

[Jim Brewster]

I have a Engineering degree and an Engineering career spanning some 27 years but I've never bothered to go down the Chartered route as it doesn't seem to make much if any difference on a CV.

I have a BEng in Mechanical and 13 years in my case but don't have the passion for it any more to do the chartered thing.. I'm surprised it doesn't make much difference on a CV.

Even Technician is an abused term, "Nail Technician" for example

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

I’ll not be changing my name - I’ve got plenty of honorifics and I’m a member of several institutes; but what describes me best is ‘engineer’

 

[RoomWithABrew]

No it's nice to have an image of an Engineer as someone who plays with engines. They always see the funny side when they tell me they're engineers and I ask if they have any special engines they like to work on!
After all Doctor isn't specific at all.

 

[sifty]

Another engineer here (Hons in Electrical and Electronic).
Not really one for titles, but sort of bothers me that bouncers get called 'crowd control engineers' and the like, given how hard I worked for my qualifications,
but meh...

Just have a beer m8...

 

[RoomWithABrew]

So Electrical engineer means you can fix electric cars, it all makes sense.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

That would be an electric vehicle technician.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

The problem is the term Engineer has been given to car mechanics and train drivers. I got my BSc in Mechanical engineering at 21 and became a Chartered Engineer at 26. However it counted for nothing job wise and I stopped paying my yearly subscription to the Institute. In the non English speaking world the term is held in reverence like Doctor.

 

[Graz]

So Electrical engineer means you can fix electric cars, it all makes sense.

I fix scale model electric cars when my son breaks them. Can't be that much different to the big ones

This is another annoying thing, when I tell someone I'm and Electrical / Electronic Engineer you get the whole "oh well I know who to come to when my TV / radio / computer / etc. stops working".

Well yeah, I might be able to do something about it (though difficult without circuit diagrams & some knowledge of the product) but it's really not worth my while and not what I do.

 

[chthon]

The problem is the term Engineer has been given to car mechanics and train drivers. I got my BSc in Mechanical engineering at 21 and became a Chartered Engineer at 26. However it counted for nothing job wise and I stopped paying my yearly subscription to the Institute. In the non English speaking world the term is held in reverence like Doctor.

The advantage outside of English speaking countries, is that some people still can use the term "engineer", which has no statue here, and the term "Ingenieur" (Dutch/German/French) and other equivalents in other languages can not be taken as part of a job title.

 

[scomet]

Lost me when it said 'she' {joke} it actually lost me with 'The Times'.
One of the reasons I left the UK!

scomet - Engineer, retired…..

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

I’m not too hung up on job titles or professional roles, they are often used as a recruitment incentive more than a meaningful description of the role. Even qualifications doesn’t make someone a great engineer if they have no common sense or integrity - and on that note I will check your references, qualifications, professional membership and CPD.

How competent a person is, a good dose of common sense and initiative, integrity and professionalism, and how well they relate with others determines my respect.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

How competent a person is, a good dose of common sense and initiative, integrity and professionalism, and how well they relate with others determines my respect.

That's me bu%%ered then...

 

[Buffers brewery]

I thought the article was more about the title engineer didn’t reflect the creative and inventive qualities routinely employed in the profession and consequently doesn’t appeal to a wide spectrum of individuals in particular women.