Engineering Misnomers

Mrs. DanHalen is asked a lot "what does your husband do for a living" and she says "he's an engineer." The typical response is "oh great so he drives a train." The word "engineer" is tossed around so much it's almost like our entire profession has been undermined. I see a lot of "environmental engineers" around where I live and it's a fancy title for basically a janitor. I can only imagine what the general public thinks an environmental engineer is. When I was in college I started out as a Mechanical Engineering major and when people would ask me what my major was they would ask me how to fix their car because they thought I was studying to be a mechanic. WTF???

I've grown a bit tired of trying to explain to knuckleheads what I do each day. My response is usually "I parallel park trains." I get strange looks and if they're a prick I usually say, "I parallel park trains all day do you want me to park one in your a$$?" My cynical approach has mixed reviews, some laugh hysterically some are highly irritated and offended. Not much in between.

When we take and pass the FE exam we're designated as an EI or EIT. I personally think they are misnomers because it sounds like we are still in college and haven't graduated yet. Interns do internships in college. Perhaps we should examine eliminating the EI or EIT designation and retain the FE in it's place? Don't know if that would help with the image of our profession or not, but seems to me it would help eliminate some confusion.

^honestly I didn't realize people identified themselves as an EI or EIT after passing the FE exam. It was always just the first step in the process to PE and if people asked I said I had passed the FE exam, not that I was an EI/EIT.

I noticed a few large General contractors have a person called a project engineer and guess what two letters they put behind their name??

I have been on interviews where people have asked if I was an EI or EIT. Also, when filling out job applications I have seen where they have asked, "have you taken and passed the FE exam....Yes or No."

Ship Wreck PE said:

I noticed a few large General contractors have a person called a project engineer and guess what two letters they put behind their name??

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Are you shittin' me?

As someone who does welding engineering work in the power industry, primarily nuclear, my day-to-day is such a mish-mash of stuff (some metallurgy, best fabrication practices, heat treatment, code/spec compliance, writing specifications/procedures, licensing items, you name it), I have a hard time even explaining to people what my job entails.

I usually just give them a street title, mumble something about power plants, and tell them its easier to not worry about it. I think that's part of the stigma though. The non-engineering jobs associated with the title are pretty cut-and-dry, and therefore, easier to associate.

Ship Wreck PE said:

I noticed a few large General contractors have a person called a project engineer and guess what two letters they put behind their name??

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That's bad.

matt267 said:

Ship Wreck PE said:

I noticed a few large General contractors have a person called a project engineer and guess what two letters they put behind their name??

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That's bad.

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That's illegal... turn em in.

They also have Project Executives.

Are they really Professional Engineers that hold those positions or just presenting themselves as PEs without merit?

Ha, it would be funny if people thought of me that way. I don't work for a GC, but my title is Project Engineer and I have the PE after my name.

Ship Wreck PE said:

I noticed a few large General contractors have a person called a project engineer and guess what two letters they put behind their name??

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My wife's friend has this title for an Electrical Contractor. She went from an Administrative Assistant to a Project Engineer. No college degree. She calls herself an Engineer.

I don't really give a **** what people who aren't stakeholders in my industry think I do. I'm here to do my job well and advocate for environmental justice in my community, not worry about other people diluting my title. That's enough for me.

I swear this topic comes up so frequently anymore it kind of makes engineers look snobbish. People who hold a PE license have every right be upset if non-PE's are being designated as such or even indicated as such by the use of the initials from other words that makes it look like it represents the license. Heck, the general public should be upset by that. BUT- There are two definitions of the WORD engineering-

the branch of science and technology concerned with the design, building, and use of engines, machines, and structures.

• 
  
  the work done by, or the occupation of, an engineer.
  
  
  
  
• 
  the action of working artfully to bring something about.
  
  
  

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so if someone is "working artfully" to bring about sanitation, well... you get my drift

I think we should understand that as long as the titles don't cross reference (and I have seen where they do in the environmental field) then we need to hope that society perceives the differences like they do when they compare a medical doctor to someone who holds a doctorate in theology (or other focus)

...environmental Justice...

Whoa, new look on life.

I've never thought that I'm providing mechanical justice but I guess that I am...

Lumber Jim said:

...environmental Justice...

Whoa, new look on life.

I've never thought that I'm providing mechanical justice but I guess that I am...

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This makes you sound like Iron Man!

YMZ PE said:

Lumber Jim said:

...environmental Justice...

Whoa, new look on life.

I've never thought that I'm providing mechanical justice but I guess that I am...

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This makes you sound like Iron Man!

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I can roll with that! Now I just need to start building the mechanics in my garage...

So is Captain America an environmental engineer? He's all about environmental justice......I think.

Who knows, maybe attorneys get as butthurt about costumed vigilantes claiming they uphold justice, as engineers do about unlicensed personnel calling themselves engineers.

LawyerBoards.com: "Last I checked, I didn't see an 'Esq.' in Aquaman's email signature!"

I am Petroleum Transfer Engineer!