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Software Engineer, a protected job title?

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  • Aug 27th, 2018 9:55 pm
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Member
Sep 30, 2012
305 posts
42 upvotes
Hamilton
Anonymouse wrote: Me, I got an EE degree and after taking a few (I think it was three) courses, the university gave me a CS degree as well. So I feel perfectly entitled to call myself a software engineer if I want, and I'm pretty sure PEO would have no problem with it.
The university gave you a CS degree after 3 or 4 courses? Is this a real university? Because I doubt a real accredited university would give out their CS degrees that easy even if you previously had an EE degree.
Deal Addict
Jan 10, 2007
1863 posts
344 upvotes
Woodbridge
that will lead to the belief that the person may engage in the practice of professional engineering;
this is where a lot of people get hung up. IMO, the term "engineer" in itself does NOT lead the the belief that someone can practice professional engineering. Especially if have whatever job inside a big company and barely interact with clients. No one cares.


If you run around using the term "engineer", advertise and use fake stamps...then ya thats a problem. But those are rare cases and the peo does a good job of dealing with those types.

If you are in a job where a stamp isnt technically needed(the VAST MAJORITY of engineering work is this way)...then what difference does it make?


If you have "engineer" in your title and someone asks you to engage in a professional endeavour, you say...no.
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Nov 19, 2014
910 posts
248 upvotes
LandKing wrote: lots of low self esteem engineers in this thread it seems who seem to lack self confidence in their actual abilities and try to increase their standing by letters after their names of job titles of others with chest thumping of a designation that's not even recognized outside of the province. but it's absurd unless these are jaded unemployed/underemployed engineers why they care so much about job titles of other companies.
It's because they can't code and thus are mad that the good Engineers are down south making twice as much. Therefore, they need their P.Eng to feel better about themselves.
I'm At The W, But I Can't Meet You In The Lobby, Girl I Gotta Watch My Back, Cuz I'm Not Just Anybody, I Seen Em' Stand In Line, Just To Get Beside Her, That's When We Disappear, You Need GPS To Find Her, Oh That Was Your Girl? I Thought I Recognized Her."
Newbie
Jan 3, 2015
49 posts
49 upvotes
Canada
The title does not really matter in software actually. It is just good for the ego. It also indicates your first companies you successfully passed exams which require good amount of work and logic above average.

I also think you should not really care because like said earlier companies give the title they want. Focus on the job itself and how much it pays, the rest is literature.

90% of this industry requires people with pragmatic and logical minds more than anything else. The key is to master your domain.
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User avatar
Dec 11, 2005
20136 posts
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damienc1 wrote: The title does not really matter in software actually. It is just good for the ego. It also indicates your first companies you successfully passed exams which require good amount of work and logic above average.

I also think you should not really care because like said earlier companies give the title they want. Focus on the job itself and how much it pays, the rest is literature.

90% of this industry requires people with pragmatic and logical minds more than anything else. The key is to master your domain.
Got pointed here form another thread and just decided to echo this.

I have been in the industry a fair time, and while I have my BCS I have worked with a lot of people who have their P.Eng, some who have an engineering degree but don't have their P.Eng, some who have BS degree, BCS degree, MS degree, PhDs, and community college or trade school... honestly, it doesn't matter long term, or even medium term. All any of this stuff will do is often get you a better starting salary when you walk in the door out of school... and when i say better, I mean MARGINALLY better.

I worked under a guy who went to a trade school for almost a decade and he was a genius. I now regularly give guidence to people with MS and some PhDs, some of which don't have two clues. None of this stuff matters in software. After coming in fresh from graduating and working 10 years between them, someone who graduated from community college could very well be telling a PhD.D what to do day to day in this field. It depends a lot more how you grow and prove yourself on the job and how quickly you learn, and adapt to the continual change inherent in the field.
To be nobody but yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting. -- E. E. Cummings
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Dec 11, 2005
20136 posts
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Euphoric wrote: this is where a lot of people get hung up. IMO, the term "engineer" in itself does NOT lead the the belief that someone can practice professional engineering. Especially if have whatever job inside a big company and barely interact with clients. No one cares.


If you run around using the term "engineer", advertise and use fake stamps...then ya thats a problem. But those are rare cases and the peo does a good job of dealing with those types.

If you are in a job where a stamp isnt technically needed(the VAST MAJORITY of engineering work is this way)...then what difference does it make?


If you have "engineer" in your title and someone asks you to engage in a professional endeavour, you say...no.
I have never in my life heard of software having an engineer's stamp on it.

In fact I have a hard time believing anyone who practices software development would be confident enough to do such a thing, for any piece of software longer than a couple of dozen lines. And, I don't even know what the goal would be. The reason companies require engineering stamps for insurance purposes... insurance companies don't insure the design of a piece of software.
To be nobody but yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting. -- E. E. Cummings
Deal Guru
Oct 3, 2006
10493 posts
793 upvotes
Toronto
It's hard to argue that the term "engineer" alone would lead people to believe one engages in "professional engineering". Has the PEO ever won a case in court where they successfully argued this point?
Deal Addict
Jan 10, 2007
1863 posts
344 upvotes
Woodbridge
you are thinking too much like an engineer and less like a lawyer. The wording is clearly open for interpretation and debate. So no it is NOT clearly illegal in Ontario.
Deal Expert
Oct 6, 2005
16872 posts
2557 upvotes
LandKing wrote: PEO has also never had a successful case against the title software engineers
Until engineers can guarantee they can build better software than everyone else ... no one will seriously consider Software Engineer a protected title.
Newbie
Aug 26, 2018
1 posts
Since you are writing from BC, The EGBC site will be helpful:
In British Columbia, anyone who practices software engineering, or who uses the title “software engineer” (or a similar title that implies that they are a software engineer, like “firmware engineer”, “mobile app engineer”, etc.), must be registered with Engineers and Geoscientists BC.
From https://www.egbc.ca/Become-a-Member/How ... Applicants
Deal Addict
Dec 27, 2007
4867 posts
2067 upvotes
Edmonton
Call yourself whatever engineer you want, I gotta go around fixing your mistakes in the field haha
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