Unlike the USA where anyone can be an "engineer", there are countries where words mean something and terms are protected: <a href="https://engineerscanada.ca/become-an-engineer/use-of-professional-title-and-designations" rel="nofollow">https://engineerscanada.ca/become-an-engineer/use-of-profess...
> there are countries where words mean something
You're using engineer in a highly context specific way; yes, in some contexts, engineering is a licensed field, but the general meaning of the word is:
> Engineering is the practice of systematically applying natural science and mathematics to design and improve systems, devices, or processes that solve problems under constraints.
Which is a word-for-word description of the sort of work (…some…) software engineers do.
(Perhaps less and less "systematically applying science" these days with the slop fest out there … but the field should be doing engineering.)
Most software "engineers" never got a degree in engineering, and even fewer ever bothered to do what is necessary to enter the profession where it is regulated.
In Canada, members of the Royal Canadian Engineers have just as much right to the title of engineer as professional engineers do, and the operators of locomotives are also referred to as engineers.
Same is true for software "engineers". We don't take a professional exam or adhere to any professional licensing. We aren't legally engineers in some states/nations.
You'll often find a lot of engineers, and in my experience, a lot of former navy nuke personnel, overseeing the power and facilities at large data centers. There also tend to be a number of others with engineering backgrounds working in data center operations even if a lot of their work may not be what would commonly fall under "engineering". Technicians who perform some of the break/fix and routine maintenance do tend to be lower skilled but, again, it's not uncommon to find advanced degrees. I knew someone with a Phd in Chemistry working as an entry level data center technician because they were simply looking for something different outside of academia and it was a career that had rapid advancement potential.
Yes, I worked for a bit on site at a datacenter in Fort Worth and was surprised by how many ex-nuclear-submarine engineers there were. I guess it's similar, you have a lot of high tech equipment in an environment where the climate is closely controlled.
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You're using engineer in a highly context specific way; yes, in some contexts, engineering is a licensed field, but the general meaning of the word is:
> Engineering is the practice of systematically applying natural science and mathematics to design and improve systems, devices, or processes that solve problems under constraints.
Which is a word-for-word description of the sort of work (…some…) software engineers do.
(Perhaps less and less "systematically applying science" these days with the slop fest out there … but the field should be doing engineering.)
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Wiping tears with my Portuguese tax return this year.
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The licencing of some engineering is simply a relatively recent regulatory capture but that does not limit the types of work that engineering covers.
<a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/engineer" rel="nofollow">https://www.etymonline.com/word/engineer
<a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/engineer" rel="nofollow">https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/engineer
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