Calling all engineers

[rictus01]

Oh I don't know, I sat on several interview panels a couple of years back and even some of the better universities* didn't seem to turn out any better muppets than the rest.

So if you're Only an Engineer if you have degree, then what's an Engineering apprentaship for ?
(Oh and someone had better let the REME know they got it wrong).

*so Iwas told

Cheers Mark.

I am definately an Engineer;

I have an Engineering degree
I have CEng after my name (sometimes)
I cant sing
I have crashed my bike
I work in a factory that is about to be closed down
I dont pay anyone to do anything I can do myself even if i have no time to do it,
and best of all I finish work at 1 on a friday.

Originally Posted by ivantate

I work in a factory that is about to be closed down.

Along with the p.poor money we get outstanding job security to compensate!
(closing Summer '07)

Just been filling in an application for a job that asks for references from last two employers... none of my previous employers are still in business/in the UK



RR

I think one of the main definitions of Engineer is that you design stuff as part of your job.

Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

Umm, no. Pretend universities are lowering the bar somewhat by handing degrees over to people who'd otherwise never get one, but certainly flat pack kitchen fitters/mechanics etc aren't engineers.

In my experience, people (some not all) who graduated from "proper" Universities do seem to have somewhat of an superiority complex over those who graduated from the ex Polytechnics.

And yes I went to a Polytechnic, by choice, having turned down a place at a "proper" University.

I don't really have an Engineering degree (Engineering Software). Although I do have qualifications in electrical and motor vehicle engineering. I have made parts for bikes and cars when originals where not available. I have been complemented on the standard of my engineering drawings when I have had to get parts machined by engineering firms.

I have known people with mech eng degrees from "proper" Universities who I wouldn't trust to start my lawnmower.

I can understand why people get upset though when people start calling bin men "refuse disposal engineers" etc.

[Viney]

Originally Posted by ivantate

I am definately an Engineer;

I have an Engineering degree
I have CEng after my name (sometimes)
I cant sing
I have crashed my bike
I work in a factory that is about to be closed down
I dont pay anyone to do anything I can do myself even if i have no time to do it,
and best of all I finish work at 1 on a friday.

Do you have a sense of fashion?

Originally Posted by rictus01

Oh I don't know, I sat on several interview panels a couple of years back and even some of the better universities* didn't seem to turn out any better muppets than the rest.

So if you're Only an Engineer if you have degree, then what's an Engineering apprentaship for ?
(Oh and someone had better let the REME know they got it wrong).

*so Iwas told

Cheers Mark.

Fancy seeing if we can get a woefully underqualified school matron to operate on your knee? Thought not.

You don't call nurses doctors when they're not, you dont call spanner monkeys engineers when they're not. Just because you've met a few qualified engineers that still happened to be muppets doesn't change anything because lets face it, some doctors are idiots too.

Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

Fancy seeing if we can get a woefully underqualified school matron to operate on your knee? Thought not.

You don't call nurses doctors when they're not, you dont call spanner monkeys engineers when they're not. Just because you've met a few qualified engineers that still happened to be muppets doesn't change anything because lets face it, some doctors are idiots too.

well said!!! the whole engineer/technician thing really bugs me too.

[jambo]

Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

You don't call nurses doctors when they're not, you dont call spanner monkeys engineers when they're not. Just because you've met a few qualified engineers that still happened to be muppets doesn't change anything because lets face it, some doctors are idiots too.

No doubt that some qualified engineering graduates are hopeless, but I'd be very happy working with an engineer that had not got a qualification from a university, but had got one from an apprenticeship instead. Some types of engineering are probably best learned by being more practical than others.

Just a thought.

Jambo

Edit: P.S, On the flip side I do get annoyed at the sheer number of people that describe themselves as technicians and engineers. I once totally lost a sales call by patronising a woman who described herself to me as a "domestic engineer" I felt that I should enquire as to what part of the domestic environment she designed and fabricated and eventually pointed out that she was a house keeper / house wife. She got very annoyed and hung up on me. I also spoke to plenty of blokes that would cheerily describe themselves as "house husbands" or "home makers" and found them to be very easy to get on with!

Originally Posted by jambo

No doubt that some qualified engineering graduates are hopeless, but I'd be very happy working with an engineer that had not got a qualification from a university, but had got one from an apprenticeship instead. Some types of engineering are probably best learned by being more practical than others.

See this is the problem. People are so used to anyone who's involved with anything the least bit technical, (especially if they're practical, hands on people) being called engineers. Engineers aren't practical! Half the time I never even see the site I'm doing work on, for example.