🚀 go-pugleaf

EricJNK (ejnk@usa.net) wrote:
:  Yes, I sure can't understand how a salesman becomes "sales engineer".
: Why do we, real engineer, allow our title, "engineer",  to become so 
: cheap and degenerated to a BS joke? I guess that explain why the
: typical engineers are said to be a bunch of entroverts and nerds.

Perhaps had a more exclusive professional title been selected for the
engineering profession (which covers a great deal of turf) been 
selected, the problem wouldn't exist. I am particularly fond of
the German "Mr. Doctor Engineer"  (if I have translated accurately). 

For many year I worked in the development of automatic signal and 
control systems for rail transit.  On learning that I was an engineer
that worked for the railroad, my neighbors understandably believed
that I earned my living by driving trains.  Regretably, when I 
corrected this misunderstanding, my prestige in that community 
actually seemed to diminished.

Also, licensing in the manner that it has been traditionally done
for PEs doesn't contribute much to professional image.  In many states,
because of historic tradition, an engineer becomes comparable to
a land surveyer, not to an attorney or physician.  Earnings reflect
this distinction as well, so that it is more than a trivial issue
of prestige.

Perhaps it's time for the title "engineer" to be retired entirely,
since it is no longer a meaningful indicator of one's profession, 
education, and ability.  Still the problem is, I can't offer a 
better collective term to replace it.  

Whoops, got to run.  I'm off to drive the 6:15 express train 
to Hartford!  ;-)

                                        Harry C.