What Makes Someone an Engineer? One Tech Worker's Search for Identity

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A technology worker at a school reflects on whether their problem-solving mindset and curiosity qualify them as an engineer, despite lacking a formal engineering title or degree. The question was sparked after they discovered their name listed under an 'Engineering Team' at a previous employer, where their official role was a network installation and computer technician apprentice. Working in a school environment, they describe frustration with outdated procedures and a personal drive to improve systems and help colleagues, including independently learning to operate an industrial laminator outside their job description. The author notes a tension between self-identification and formal credentials, pointing out that engineering titles carry strict legal weight in Canada but are applied loosely in the United States. Ultimately, they question whether the engineer title holds genuine meaning, and whether a philosophical, questioning mindset is itself the defining trait of an engineer.

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ProgrammingDEV Community ·

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