Quote:
Originally Posted by flatbutt
What type of an engineer? I have a friend whose job title is software engineer, but he has no accreditation or any degrees / certifications as such. I would describe him as an applied expert but he's not an engineer.
When I was a lab manager I had technicians working for me whose title was Junior Scientist. They had no scientific education other than the training I provided. So, were they scientists?
As for this "conflating who you are, with what you do for a living" it is not part of the question.
Capt. it is my opinion that the person to whom you refer may be engaging in puffery. Also, if you're using your degree directly then that would be a case of the degree defining your trade.
I have a degree in chemistry which I used to build a career in a chemical lab. Therefore I can claim to be a chemist.
I also have a degree in music that I have yet to use. I no longer play an instrument. So, may I refer to myself as a musician? When people ask if I am I respond by saying that I am an "educated listener" of music.
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it is an important distinction. if someone asks who i am, i would say a racer. if someone asks what i do, i would say im an engineer.
so why are they using the engineer? are they using it claim who they are, or what they do?
engineering is an action. not a persona. if you perform the action of engineer, you are engineering.