[cruiserman]

It makes me a little sick that I spent 4 1/2 years studying engineering in an ABET accredited school, then 2 1/2 years in an engineering graduate program so I can become a licensed engineer, while some 'script kiddie' with a high-school diploma and a little bit of knowledge of Visual Basic can be called a 'software engineer'.

IMO engineering is a practice or a method, not a set of passed classes. A relative of mine worked as an engineer for Aerojet in the early years of the aerospace industry and had never been to college.

Just because you've been to school doesn't mean you know jack about "engineering".

[saluki_in_ohio]

IMO engineering is a practice or a method, not a set of passed classes. A relative of mine worked as an engineer for Aerojet in the early years of the aerospace industry and had never been to college.

You didn't seem to get my point. I should have made it a little clearer.

To become a licensed professional engineer, you need to have graduated with a BS in Engineering from an ABET accredited school AND pass a couple of exams, one being the Fundamentals of Engineering(FE) exam and AFTER five years of engineering experience, the Professional Engineers exam.

The PE exam is fairly rigorous exam, testing ones knowledge of all disciplines of engineering. Many engineers don't pass it the first time. When someone has five years of engineering experience and passing that exam. Based on that evidence, I would say that person very likely does know "jack" about engineering.

I have worked with many people who have a great deal of engineering knowledge gained through many years of experience in the field, and I have a great deal of respect for them. In previous years in some states one could become a licensed professional engineer by substituting 8-10 years of engineering experience AND passing the FE and PE exams.

To be an engineer requires education, experience, and licensure. To call someone an engineer without having a license to practice engineering is misleading and IMHO dangerous. Would you let a medical doctor operate on you who didn't have a license to practice medicine?

I agree your premise that education does not an engineer make, nevertheless, there needs to be stricter regulations as to whom can call themselves "engineers".