# Engineering Misnomers



## DanHalen (Jul 31, 2014)

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.


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## snickerd3 (Jul 31, 2014)

^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.


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## Ship Wreck PE (Jul 31, 2014)

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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## DanHalen (Jul 31, 2014)

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."


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## DanHalen (Jul 31, 2014)

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??




Are you shittin' me?


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## Supe (Jul 31, 2014)

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.


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## matt267 PE (Jul 31, 2014)

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??


That's bad.


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## Lumber Jim (Jul 31, 2014)

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??
> ...


That's illegal... turn em in.


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## Ship Wreck PE (Jul 31, 2014)

They also have Project Executives.


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## Lumber Jim (Jul 31, 2014)

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


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## MetsFan (Jul 31, 2014)

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.


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## JMT (Jul 31, 2014)

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??




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.


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## YMZ PE (Jul 31, 2014)

I don't really give a shit 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.


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## engineergurl (Jul 31, 2014)

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.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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)


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## Lumber Jim (Jul 31, 2014)

...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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## YMZ PE (Jul 31, 2014)

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...




This makes you sound like Iron Man!


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## Lumber Jim (Jul 31, 2014)

YMZ PE said:


> Lumber Jim said:
> 
> 
> > ...environmental Justice...
> ...


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


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## DanHalen (Jul 31, 2014)

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


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## YMZ PE (Jul 31, 2014)

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!"


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## iwire (Jul 31, 2014)

I am Petroleum Transfer Engineer!


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## matt267 PE (Jul 31, 2014)

I'm a sanitary engineer. And no, I'm not a janitor.


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## Wolverine (Aug 1, 2014)

Early in my engineering career, when I would reveal that I was an electrical engineer working in high voltage power systems, it typically ended with being asked to come help install a ceiling fan.

Now, I just lead with that: _"Yes, I'm an electrical engineer, yes, I work in power systems, yes, I know how to install a ceiling fan, sure, I'll be glad to help you with that wiring problem in the basement: how much beer do you have?"_ It saves a lot of time and trouble to just get to the point.

A friend of mine, not a college graduate, who works in IT (his job near as I could tell was to move stuff around), received a promotional title to Chief-Engineer-of-Moving-Stuff-Around or something like that.

Every time we'd get together he would joke about how he's an engineer now and didn't even have to go to college HA-HA-HA-HA!!!!!....HA!....Ha....ha...ha...ha ha ha.

.....every time ....

Now we're not friends anymore.


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## knight1fox3 (Aug 1, 2014)

^ also have a friend in I.T. that got the title "engineer" in his signature some how. Still friends, but I give him hell for it every time I see him.


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## ALBin517 (Aug 1, 2014)

I am a project engineer who is also a PE so there is some confusion with that.

I just finished a grad degree in construction management and I can attest that folks in those industries know darn well what a PE is and does.


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## Ship Wreck PE (Aug 4, 2014)

Solid Job Opportunity

http://www.indeed.com/m/viewjob?jk=45a34b713abdfbb1&amp;from=ja&amp;utm_source=jobseeker_emails&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=job_alerts


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## DanHalen (Aug 4, 2014)

Ship Wreck PE said:


> Solid Job Opportunity
> 
> http://www.indeed.com/m/viewjob?jk=45a34b713abdfbb1&amp;from=ja&amp;utm_source=jobseeker_emails&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=job_alerts


That's the kind of shit that burns me up.


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## JMT (Aug 4, 2014)

DanHalen said:


> Ship Wreck PE said:
> 
> 
> > Solid Job Opportunity
> ...


At least the Engineer has to:


Complete all appropriate Engineering forms.


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## DanHalen (Aug 4, 2014)

JMT said:


> DanHalen said:
> 
> 
> > Ship Wreck PE said:
> ...


LOL...this is true.


Clean toilet - Check
Take out trash - Check
Sweep floor - I'll sweep it under the rug this time and Check!


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## Mike in Gastonia (Aug 4, 2014)

DanHalen said:


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




Wrong Captain - I think this is the guy you were thinking of:


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## DanHalen (Aug 4, 2014)

Mike in Gastonia said:


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




That's it! Thanks Mike in Gastonia!


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