Why being an Engineer means nothing in this country

laissez-faire said:
Not in the least.

I'd just tell people I fly planes, or helicopters. I'm going to be a naval aviator, no-one is ever going to confuse me with a bloody bus driver! And no-one will ever confuse a decent engineer with a builder - there is sufficient other noisy information to create a perfect separation. Read the FHT article.
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How about automotive engineer with a tyre fitter? You can really use car designer either as they dont have fancy pens and draw things relating to mood boards with wheels on. They actually have the ability to make the concept stuff into metal that sells for a profit which generally people dont understand so ironically any explaination into what you may do day to day just adds more weight to the bearded boring blokes who tinker with MGB's at the weekend stereotype.
 
Wicksta said:
I've heard F1 drivers being called 'pilots' before, should they be annoyed that some commoners who fly planes use the same job title as someone who does a job that only about 20 people a year can do?
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Your example is backwards and unrelated to anything.

How annoying must F1 drivers be, 20 can do their job but Gordon Brown is the only prime minister so they will never all get a go.
 
Wicksta said:
I've heard F1 drivers being called 'pilots' before, should they be annoyed that some commoners who fly planes use the same job title as someone who does a job that only about 20 people a year can do?

Imagine Ron Dennis' confusion when he's looking for a new F1 pilot and accidently employs some ***** or monkey who flies Easyjet planes.
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lol
 
Bomag said:
Royal
Institute
for
Bleeding
Annoyances

Architects may make nice pretty buildings, but it would be nice if they understood that there needs to be enough materiel in a building to keep the roof up.

I very quickly moved to into bridges.
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But that's why we have Structural Engineers, SE and Architects perigee stems from the same point in history, we simply separated in the 19th Century, before that time there was no separate school of thought.

One cant really function without the other and often rely heavily on each for work in many cases.

Back on track though, protected titles are vital for consumer protection. End of.
 
LOAM said:
But that's why we have Structural Engineers, SE and Architects perigee stems from the same point in history, we simply separated in the 19th Century, before that time there was no separate school of thought.

One cant really function without the other and often rely heavily on each for work in many cases.
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Which was a silly move to separate them, now some-"architects" as well as designers (for cars and so on) are nothing more than glorified artists as they simply come up with a look of the thing and then leave it for the engineers to work out how to actually build it.
This is evident in a number of concept cars and sketches, where they come up with this amazing looking shape with 3 wheels (on backwards) [like that futuristic Ferrari thing] that have no basis on reality as to how the thing can be built or can function.
Designs need to be based on reality and incorporate exactly how they will be made and function, not just be general ideas with no basis in life.
 
Jonnycoupe said:
Your example is backwards and unrelated to anything.
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At least you spelt 'your' correctly this time. :D

My example is backwards because so is the suggestion that someone fitting central heating calling themselves an 'engineer' somehow puts wages down for bona fide engineers.
 
rypt said:
Which was a silly move to separate them, now some-"architects" as well as designers (for cars and so on) are nothing more than glorified artists as they simply come up with a look of the thing and then leave it for the engineers to work out how to actually build it.
This is evident in a number of concept cars and sketches, where they come up with this amazing looking shape with 3 wheels (on backwards) [like that futuristic Ferrari thing] that have no basis on reality as to how the thing can be built or can function.
Designs need to be based on reality and incorporate exactly how they will be made and function, not just be general ideas with no basis in life.
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separation was inevitable due to the industrial revolution, Many Architects at the time were very slow on the uptake of the benefits of Iron and wanted to stay in the safety of Classicism, In many respects the Engineers were for a period of time the innovators and the promoters of the a new style.

With regards conceptual design, its vital for progression, Form may well begin life in an un buildable manner but is often evolved to fruition (by either the original artist or subsequent ones). Cubism for example allowed Le Corbusier to design and build some wonderfull Architecture. Another example is the Sydney Opera house which in its original concept was probably unobtainable but through various expressions was built (although in 1973, 20 years after the competition was won).

So, you should never under value the idea of concept.
 
Psycrow said:
People who need to inflate themselves with titles like that have some personal issues.
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I think people that are bothered by it have other issues, namely jealousy.

If you've got the qualifications, why not use them! I don't mean in everyday scenarios, but an e-mail sigature... why not?!
 
It's sounds like you want the job for the status it gives you rather than for the work you will be doing.

Do what makes you happy, we will all be dead in less than 100 years anyway, who cares what some **** thinks about you lol. :)
 
There seems to be some confusion here, Engineer is not a title like Doctor or Architect! Engineer is just a word to describe a skilled group of people in varying field. When you have a job that needs doing you dont call an engineer, you call for a person with a specific engineering skill such as plumber, structural engineer who are protected in there own right; plumbers would be corgi registered and a structural engineer would be chartered.

This thread is making out that engineer is a title when it is in-fact an adjective used to describe someone of skill.
 
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Ricochet J said:
An engineering degree usually lasts 4 years including the Masters year to achieve recognition from the body of Chartered Engineers, CEng. An engineering degree is very demanding and not many people get through to become a chartered engineer. It involves problem solving techniques, heavy mathematics and science principles, such as Physics (Mechanical & Aeronautical Engineering), Chemistry (Chemical Engineering) and Biology (Medical Engineering) amongst many other fields. In order to succeed you would need to understand concepts from first principles such as Newtons Laws of Motion and Fluid Viscosity. Bernoulli concepts and electrical laws such as Ohms and Faradays laws. How a capacitor works and how it can analogue real life situations. It also involves thorough research using the most accurate and precise instruments and skills that are not taught over night. Such as CAD programs (AutoCAD), programming software (MatLab), economic value engineering to determine the cost to usefulness ratio.
I’ve also missed a hell of a lot more but you get the message.

So that’s 4 years of hard learning, plus many more years of experience in the industry and you’re still learning some more.

Then a plumber/electrician/boiler man/car mechanic comes a long to your home to fix what ever needs fixing and calls him self an “engineer”.
When something goes wrong, these companies send out “engineers” to fix the problem.

It is now a case that engineers and these “call out helpers” are now categorised in the same league as non/semi-skilled.

Did those people go to university to get a degree? Did those people receive recognition (not that it even means anything any more)?

When was the last time a plumber/electrician/boiler man/car mechanic used the Euler Buckling Theory to design a bridge that will span the Severn River?

:mad:
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Wow, you must be pretty smart then, huh?

Fancy having a look at my bathroom sink? :D
 
Pffft, everyone knows physics is the real degree. :rolleyes: Engineers, think theyre so smart.

Fact is there will always be people looking down on you, why do it to others?

I appreciate the difference and will always ask a follow up question to someone claiming to be an engineer. As mentioned I do believe that engineers are people who apply scientific principles to design something. But these definitions vary person to person and I will acklnowledge that.
 
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Just because someone makes the decision to spend about 8 years in education after school, it doesnt make them much superior to others who havent.

A lot of people are clever enough to do degrees but choose not to.

obviously this isnt what the rant is all about, but theres lots of stuck up people coming out the woodwork. Feeling they are something super because theyve studied something.
 
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