Attention engineers...What type are you and why?

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Originally Posted by sciguy125

After wasting the first part of the morning of the last day before I go back to engineer training to read this entire thread, I feel that I must comment on it.

I think that the person who started this thread intended to ask professional engineers (people who work as engineers in the real world) why they are in their field. I disagree, however, with those who say that "engineers" are people with engineering degrees and seem to take offense to those who think otherwise. I feel that anyone who "engineers" (verb) has the right to call themselves an engineer. Meaning that they can in the proper situations, of course. I don't mean to say that FIRST high school students should put down "engineer" on a job application. However, I don't think that they should have to say that they aren't engineers when someone asks them why they are in engineering.

One more thing: what's this PE deal? I'm starting my third year of college and I've heard nothing of this. I flipped through my Intro to Engineering book again and I don't see any mention of it. I think you're all lying to me...

Phil,
Just because you do engineering work does not make you an engineer, Calling yourself an engineer gives others the wrong impression of your capabilities. There are a variety of disciplines that give a degree that shows that your field of study was engineering. A college student or someone that has taken engineering classes without the final piece of paper is an engineering student. The Professional Engineer is someone who not only has enough school credit to be given the piece of paper but is able to take a lengthy test demonstrating your ability to put engineering principles to work.(taken in the final year of school in many cases) The final step in most states is a minimum employment period where you perform engineering work, (Illinois is 2 years) and then take another proficiency test. The PE title allows you to perform engineering duties that non-PE engineers perform. (much of this work involves design that affects people or large financial investment in a project.) Even accoustic engineers need a PE for certain design and testing so as to be able to defend a product in a court of law. When a member of CD signs on as "engineer" but is really a high school student whose team title happens to be "engineer" many of the nearly 9000 members will take their opinion as gospel. This could be harmful to teams who need a firm and accurate answer from a knowledgeable source. Although many students know the correct answer, the first one to post may not be right. Anyone who posts here with a question directed at a engineer should get an engineer's response.
As always, (and to follow up one of Andy Baker's posts) a real name, a real birthday and a real occupation in your signature line goes a long way for communication to the masses.