Features editor
Visiting the Institution of Civil Engineers yesterday, I found the new president, Peter Hansford, settling into his new office and assembling the accoutrements of his presidency year. Naturally, he was very keen to point out his portrait, which has just been hung in the space reserved for presidential portraits, directly opposite the reception desk.
It’s pretty rare these days to be immortalised in oils, and Hansford was very keen to be represented in the position of which he is most proud — that of a working engineer. ‘I’m sitting at my desk with the tools of my trade; that is, the tool I use most often, which I can’t be without,’ he told me. Having a good look at the picture on my way out of the building, it transpires that the tool in question — the one which Hansford thinks is vital for a senior engineer — is a smartphone, in Hansford’s case (and, in fact, mine as well) the one with an i in its name.
We talk a lot at Engineer Towers about what engineers do, and it’s a perennial subject in the magazine and online: the role of an engineer is not what the general public think it is. But it’s such a pervasive issue that we’re not apologetic about bringing it up. The UK might be unusual in that the term ‘engineer’ is used — and used correctly — to describe the person in overalls with the toolbox who comes around to fix your washing machine, the people who designed the current distribution of the electric motor that drives it, and the people with the soldering irons who put it together. The problem is, to the public, it’s the former who generally comes to mind first.
That has real and serious effects about the standing of engineers. To most people, the vital tool of an engineer isn’t an iPhone. It’s a spanner. This is certainly an issue when it comes to attracting people into engineering as a career — most parents, and indeed many teachers, don’t point creative, technology-minded pupils with an interest in society towards engineering, because they don’t appreciate what the career entails.
It’s a problem which we have on The Engineer as well, to an extent. We’re journalists, but the label ‘journalist’ has different connotations. It can cover the dashing foreign correspondents, flak-jacketed in a jeep on the way to the latest war zone. It could be the crumple-suited hack, doggedly taking notes in the local court and trying to get quotes out of reluctant policemen. It could be the hard-bitten gossip hound, frantically fabricating scurrilous scandal about soap stars and footballers. Or it could be us, combing through research papers and talking to universities and industry to find and report on the trends that dictate how we interact with technology now and in the future. And naturally, we don’t like to be mistaken for tabloid merchants.
That’s why, when I’m asked what I do, I say that I’m a science and technology writer. It might be a slight betrayal of the noble calling of journalist (and yes, it is noble and I’ll fight anyone who says it isn’t), but I prefer to be known for what I do, rather than labelled. Perhaps that’s something that engineers could do too. Say you design medical devices. Say you work on jet engines. Say you make buildings stand up to earthquakes. And then say you’re an engineer. Put a specific to the label, and a face to the profession, and use your iPhone — or your spanner — with pride.
A much better approach than “you can only call yourself an engineer if you have a degree.” Although I fear I shall never be remembered for my engineering efforts the fact remains that I have been involved in the cutting edge design of space craft, have a patent to my name and was at one point Drawing Office Manager of an aircraft company. However, as I do not have a degree the idea of not being able to refer to myself as an engineer should such limitations come about (as has so often been mooted) has always irritated me.
I often introduce myself (especially to nice young ladies) as a ‘Mad Inventor’ first, definitely sounds more interesting than Engineer.
As a chartered engineer designing oilfield tools I have seen both sides of the fence (I completed my degree on evening class) and I have met many highly skilled non-degreed ‘practical’ engineers and amongst the academically qualified engineers one or two who should not be trusted with scissors.
I don’t think many will disagree that engineers are recognised by their technical knowledge and ability and that should be recognised irrespective of where it was gained.
That leaves us with the problem of sorting out the difference between spurious use of the title such as ‘flatware lavage engineer’ (dishwasher) and the genuine uses like ‘flatware lavage engineer’ (industrial dishwashing machine designer)
Unfortunately, wherever we draw the line, some deserving people will be on the wrong side and some undeserving people will also be on the wrong side
The best engineers can use a spanner and an iphone!
Just as Doctors at dinner parties get asked about everyone’s little ailments, engineers (yes, I guess some actually do dinner parties) get asked about problems with the car or washing machine. I like this suggested approach, and I shall put more emphasis on the problems we are solving than the name of the profession, but we should also emphasise the responsible professional nature of the business too, perhaps later in the conversation.
The one that annoys me is “Software Engineer”. Not that I have anything against programmers, and there is certainly some overlap in skills, but as a profesion it is very different.
None the less, whenever I need to look for a new job I inevitably end up wading through ads for software developer roles and getting calls from stupid recruiters after programmers who only read the title of my CV…..
With regard to Mr Douglas’ suggestion, does he think that somewhere between the cheeseboard and “Why don’t we sneak out of here my dear? I know of this delightful little club where they mix the most sublime Manhattans.” would be the appropriate time to expand on one’s profession?
I think the reason many teachers and parents don’t encourage children to go into engineering is that it is not respected as profession in the U. K. and a child will earn far more money and respect and probably have better job security from going into a different sector. I realise money isn’t everything but it is important.
Whenever British Gas refer to “one of our Engineers will call to fix your boiler”, I wince. Regardless of qualification, someone who is doing no more than repair a simple device such as a boiler or washing machine is at best a Technician and certainly not an Engineer. Until we can get the British Gases of this world to stop misrepresenting Engineers, the general public will continue to misinterpret who we are.
Is there any evidence of the problems that the profession faces regarding the use of the term engineer? I have seen a lot of opinions that engineering is a profession that is not held in high enough esteem in the UK but I’ve never seen any actual evidence of the problem.
Speaking personally whenever anyone finds out that I am a Civil Engineer I get nothing but respect and fascination, far more than colleagues in many other professions such as doctors. Personally I don’t think we should restrict the use of the name for fear of making the profession elitist. As a profession we face huge problems getting enough good quality engineers into the system and the more doors we lock to outsiders the fewer of the truly exceptional engineers will make it into the profession.
The misuse of the word engineer is a UK disease. All non English speaking countries hold engineers in high esteem and they are never confused with repair people. Other English speaking countries – especially Canada and to a lesser extent the USA and Australia protect the word engineer. The UK is doing its economy serious damage because engineering is collapsing – it wont have the brains to compete – bankruptcy and decline awaits