Someone pretending to be an engineer

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Here at our office a couple weeks back they announced that everyone who used the title "engineer" needed to bring thier credentials in to be "reviewed". Lots of folks got new titles and business cards the next week. I think it may have something to do with an upcoming ISO 9000 audit. Does anyone know if ISO cares about who uses the title "engineer"?

For the record, if you had a BS or better in engineering from an ABET school, you kept your title. The guys with "Tech" degrees and degrees from non-abet accredited schools got re-titled.

Freon

 
Is a law student who didn't pass the bar a lawyer? No

Is a Medical student who didn't pass the state medical boards an MD? No

Pass the PE exam and you are an engineer. Easy as that.

If you have a PhD in engineering, than the PE should be no problem.

When it comes down to it, designs are interpretted, dictated and enforced most of the time by unlicensed government regulators. Doesn't really matter what I think...

 
It doesn't really bother me that techs call themselves engineers. But after reading the comments here, it would really make it easier for the state board if you couldn't use the title unless you passed the PE or at least EIT exam.

 
hey I resent that remark as a regulator with a PE license ;)
you wold be one of the few.

all but 1 state regulator that I deal with are not PEs. The one that is a PE just signs review letters and can not give feedback on a plan without the non pe present.

Just the world we live in and the fantastic career I chose...

 
hey I resent that remark as a regulator with a PE license ;)
you wold be one of the few.

all but 1 state regulator that I deal with are not PEs. The one that is a PE just signs review letters and can not give feedback on a plan without the non pe present.

Just the world we live in and the fantastic career I chose...
in my unit, we have 3 engineers (2 w/PE), 1 geologist, 2 specialists (i.e. biology or other science degree). Our supervisor is a PE. We all do the same work but at different pay scales.

 
I think mr. JR summed it up really well to me once, I can't remember if it was on a post or an e-mail... I'm going to have to find it and re-post but it was back when I was feeling pretty insecure with my new (now old) job... I didn't feel like an engineer anymore... and he pointed out all the tasks that I did that were engineer based and showed that I was still gaining experience...

Since then, I've come to the conclusion that there is way too much focus on titles... if you have your PE that is great and wonderful... otherwise I wouldn't be attempting to keep on towards that eventual goal... BUT having your PE is not the end all, be all of engineering. There are a lot of people that are techs, interns, QA's, Project Managers etc that have been working for years in the field that actually don't want their PE and are just as great (and sometimes better) to work with as all the PE's that I have dealt with.

I just don't think that the PE exam and the title of an Engineer should go hand in hand... you can be an engineer with out being a PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER... the difference is that PE's get the letters after their name... but if someone does everything that a PE does except stamp the drawings, I just don't see the problem with them being called an engineer.

 
Since then, I've come to the conclusion that there is way too much focus on titles...

I agree with this. If it is formal correspondence with a client, I'll use all my dumb little letters. Otherwise, I'll leave 'em off.

I just ran across someone in our directory this morning that has "Dr. Whatsis Name" on his email. So, if you get an email, you immediately are in awe, because it's from a PhD. Wow. I'm impressed.

I also hate when your title is a mandatory field for free publications, vendor software, etc. While not officially recognized in this capacity by my current company, I'm known to HPAC, Consulting-Specifying Engineer, Greenheck, and Trane as either the Deputy Visionary, Cruise Director, or my personal favorite "Executive Vice President of Awesome".

 
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Since then, I've come to the conclusion that there is way too much focus on titles...

I agree with this. If it is formal correspondence with a client, I'll use all my dumb little letters. Otherwise, I'll leave 'em off.

I just ran across someone in our directory this morning that has "Dr. Whatsis Name" on his email. So, if you get an email, you immediately are in awe, because it's from a PhD. Wow. I'm impressed.

I also hate when your title is a mandatory field for free publications, vendor software, etc. While not officially recognized in this capacity by my current company, I'm known to HPAC, Consulting-Specifying Engineer, Greenheck, and Trane as either the Deputy Visionary, Cruise Director, or my personal favorite "Executive Vice President of Awesome".
Seems like the problem is more with the reader than the sender...

Should someone attempt to hide the fact that they are a PE (or any other title they may have)? That would seem to be just as deceptive as someone representing themselves as an engineer that is not.

 
Seems like the problem is more with the reader than the sender...
Should someone attempt to hide the fact that they are a PE (or any other title they may have)? That would seem to be just as deceptive as someone representing themselves as an engineer that is not.

I see what you're attempting to do here. I must admit, you almost sucked me in.

My reply is that God loves you, I'm happy you're in the world, and you have a great day.

 
Seems like the problem is more with the reader than the sender...
Should someone attempt to hide the fact that they are a PE (or any other title they may have)? That would seem to be just as deceptive as someone representing themselves as an engineer that is not.

I see what you're attempting to do here. I must admit, you almost sucked me in.

My reply is that God loves you, I'm happy you're in the world, and you have a great day.
same to yourself.

 
you know what. it doesn't matter what I do, or how long I've been there... I get the final say... screw you all, I help build things, AMEN!

God bless the ones that sacrifice their lives for us... and who cares a damn if there is any storm water management.

I think I'll head somewhere important now...

 
you know what. it doesn't matter what I do, or how long I've been there... I get the final say... screw you all, I help build things, AMEN!


God bless the ones that sacrifice their lives for us... and who cares a damn if there is any storm water management.

I think I'll head somewhere important now...
I care if there is stormwater management, If not, I would be out of a job...

 
We've got a real winner here at the office who is a bridge inspector (not even certified yet, training & learning)... high school education, dropped out of college (General Ed.)... He's about the biggest waste of a paycheck you could imagine, bending and breaking any/every rule, disappearing for hours at a time (we call him Sasquatch because we can never find him).... His political ties keep him here..... but anyhow.......... He updates his facebook account from his phone while here at work... he regularly posts things like "Back to the grind, these bridges don't design themselves" or "Long day of designing bridges, I'm ready to head home"...
Now, I have my PE, and I don't feel like I'm designing bridges (feel more like a glorified draftsman)... most of my design decisions/suggestions get changed/ignored by my boss.... And this moron is taking elevation and cross section views drawn by other inspectors 20+ years ago and drawing them in microstation (and not very well, I might add)... I know what he's doing is harmless, but it still burns me a little...
WOW, you are my doppleganger. Either that or we work in the same office.

 
We've got a real winner here at the office who is a bridge inspector (not even certified yet, training & learning)... high school education, dropped out of college (General Ed.)... He's about the biggest waste of a paycheck you could imagine, bending and breaking any/every rule, disappearing for hours at a time (we call him Sasquatch because we can never find him).... His political ties keep him here..... but anyhow.......... He updates his facebook account from his phone while here at work... he regularly posts things like "Back to the grind, these bridges don't design themselves" or "Long day of designing bridges, I'm ready to head home"...
Now, I have my PE, and I don't feel like I'm designing bridges (feel more like a glorified draftsman)... most of my design decisions/suggestions get changed/ignored by my boss.... And this moron is taking elevation and cross section views drawn by other inspectors 20+ years ago and drawing them in microstation (and not very well, I might add)... I know what he's doing is harmless, but it still burns me a little...
WOW, you are my doppleganger. Either that or we work in the same office.
Had to look that up...

A doppelgänger (pronounced [ˈdɔpəlˌgɛŋɐ] ( listen)) is a tangible double of a living person in fiction, folklore, and popular culture that typically represents evil. In the vernacular, the word doppelgänger has come to refer (as in German "doppelt(e)") to any double or look-alike of a person.

 
We've got a real winner here at the office who is a bridge inspector (not even certified yet, training & learning)... high school education, dropped out of college (General Ed.)... He's about the biggest waste of a paycheck you could imagine, bending and breaking any/every rule, disappearing for hours at a time (we call him Sasquatch because we can never find him).... His political ties keep him here..... but anyhow.......... He updates his facebook account from his phone while here at work... he regularly posts things like "Back to the grind, these bridges don't design themselves" or "Long day of designing bridges, I'm ready to head home"...
Now, I have my PE, and I don't feel like I'm designing bridges (feel more like a glorified draftsman)... most of my design decisions/suggestions get changed/ignored by my boss.... And this moron is taking elevation and cross section views drawn by other inspectors 20+ years ago and drawing them in microstation (and not very well, I might add)... I know what he's doing is harmless, but it still burns me a little...
WOW, you are my doppleganger. Either that or we work in the same office.
Had to look that up...

A doppelgänger (pronounced [ˈdɔpəlˌgɛŋɐ] ( listen)) is a tangible double of a living person in fiction, folklore, and popular culture that typically represents evil. In the vernacular, the word doppelgänger has come to refer (as in German "doppelt(e)") to any double or look-alike of a person.
LOL!

Udden, udden

 
We've got a real winner here at the office who is a bridge inspector (not even certified yet, training & learning)... high school education, dropped out of college (General Ed.)... He's about the biggest waste of a paycheck you could imagine, bending and breaking any/every rule, disappearing for hours at a time (we call him Sasquatch because we can never find him).... His political ties keep him here..... but anyhow.......... He updates his facebook account from his phone while here at work... he regularly posts things like "Back to the grind, these bridges don't design themselves" or "Long day of designing bridges, I'm ready to head home"...
Now, I have my PE, and I don't feel like I'm designing bridges (feel more like a glorified draftsman)... most of my design decisions/suggestions get changed/ignored by my boss.... And this moron is taking elevation and cross section views drawn by other inspectors 20+ years ago and drawing them in microstation (and not very well, I might add)... I know what he's doing is harmless, but it still burns me a little...
WOW, you are my doppleganger. Either that or we work in the same office.

X3 we have one of those guys here at work also!

 
We've got a real winner here at the office who is a bridge inspector (not even certified yet, training & learning)... high school education, dropped out of college (General Ed.)... He's about the biggest waste of a paycheck you could imagine, bending and breaking any/every rule, disappearing for hours at a time (we call him Sasquatch because we can never find him).... His political ties keep him here..... but anyhow.......... He updates his facebook account from his phone while here at work... he regularly posts things like "Back to the grind, these bridges don't design themselves" or "Long day of designing bridges, I'm ready to head home"...
Now, I have my PE, and I don't feel like I'm designing bridges (feel more like a glorified draftsman)... most of my design decisions/suggestions get changed/ignored by my boss.... And this moron is taking elevation and cross section views drawn by other inspectors 20+ years ago and drawing them in microstation (and not very well, I might add)... I know what he's doing is harmless, but it still burns me a little...
WOW, you are my doppleganger. Either that or we work in the same office.

X3 we have one of those guys here at work also!
there's a move called Doppleganger with Drew Barrymore that keeps recurring on cable. I've seen parts of it and it looks pretty good but I've never seen it start to finish.

 
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