OV9

JLv3.0 wrote: Mon Apr 23, 2018 8:26 am Thoughts on not being able to call yourself an engineer until you have an actual, recognised qualification in engineering?

The definition is....

a person who designs, builds, or maintains engines, machines, or structures.

You also have the shipyard definition which is 1st, 2nd and chief engineer. A pilot does the driving now though mainly on ships but I think the term still stands.

Obviously you have chemical engineering etc but that’s not an area I understand.

I always class myself as a diesel mechanic first but as a service engineer I do much more than just fix engines. I’m currently laying down a power station, which is a huge job and mainly not involving much mechanical work.

I would class myself as an engineer as I engineer things, I would not though call myself that officially, so no letters after my name or business cards

Also, I would class a fitter as someone equal to a mechanic, mechanical fitting work is a very highly skilled trade in itself.

Dave!

Interesting. And now back to my unanswered question?

In a previous job, one of my customers was the Chartered Institute of Engineers - nothing pissed them off more than someone calling themselves an "engineer" when they weren't.

Someone there once wrote "technician" on a piece of paper and stuck it over the "engineer at work" sign when someone was fixing a lift in their building .

My contact there also told me there are two types of engineer: chemical engineers - they make bombs, and civil engineers - they make targets.

I caught a bit of that thing about the aircraft carrier purely by accident and loved it. 80m per gallon. And a range of 10k miles, If I've done my counting properly, that means about 200k gallons of diesel on-board

Although I'm wondering why it's not nuclear powered? A brand new, diesel powered aircraft carrier seems like a backwards tech, depending on oil supplies etc...

I don’t think I’ve come across a “mechanic” in terms of people who work on cars. They all seem to be called technicians, even in the videos they send of the cars... “I’m Darren and I’m your technician today...”

Almost every van in London seems to be labelled with specialist or engineer which has somewhat eroded those terms, especially as most of them know the bare minimum.

JLv3.0 wrote: Mon Apr 23, 2018 9:35 am Interesting. And now back to my unanswered question?

If you are doing an engineering job as defined by the dictionary, then you can call yourself an engineer in the general work environment imo.

Dave!

Bollocks you can. That's like reading a contract and calling yourself a lawyer.

And I don't give a rat's arse what the dictionary says so don't hide behind that any more.

Next.

DaveE wrote: Mon Apr 23, 2018 10:14 am Although I'm wondering why it's not nuclear powered? A brand new, diesel powered aircraft carrier seems like a backwards tech, depending on oil supplies etc...

I imagine the politicians and accountants would both have favoured conventional power over nuclear, cheaper to build, doesn't cause a shitfight everywhere it's docked etc. Could also be something simpler and less hazardous to maintain is simply better operationally too.

"Mechanical engineers build weapons, civil engineers build targets"

Although I've been put off working in defence since a uni mate of mine described looking up a reference table for optimising shrapnel size.

One of my first full time jobs was as a "Hydraulic Assembly Engineer". I was on £100 a week and made hydraulic and pneumatic hoses to aerospace specs for companies lke JCB, Foden, ERF, Alstom. It involved machining parts, designing and carrying out test protocols etc. I wasn't a Chartered Engineer, obviously, but I did have a BTEC in General Engineering. Was it right that my job title included engineer?

Well, yes, more than most people who use the same word in their title.

This one really has got some legs, hasn't it?

Anyway all this hate within me is predicated on trying to function out here in Sandland:

Me: "you've applied for a job as Hotel Chief Engineer"
3rd-worlder: "yes boss"
Me: "OK what area of engineering did you qualify in?"
3rd-worlder: "OK boss"

* facepalm *

I once heard a steel erector refer to himself as a structural engineer. No you are very not.

Years ago I had a job title of Datacentre Engineer. Basically installing servers, swapping parts, bit of cabling. I didn't engineer nuffink.

The term Engineer should be restricted to roles which require Engineering degrees - as the whole point of formal qualifications is to enable differentiation.

This doesn't mean that degree qualified engineers are all capable, and it doesn't mean that people without degrees aren't capable.

I can't call myself a Teacher 'cos I help my son with his homework - even if I get all the answers right .

In saying that - youngest miklet popped in to the Laptop Doctor on Saturday as his SSD died ("luckily" he is 2.5yrs into its 3yr warranty). Even though the bloke asked "are you OK?" when my boy walked in, I don't think he is a real doctor.

mik wrote: Mon Apr 23, 2018 12:09 pm The term Engineer should be restricted to roles which require Engineering degrees - as the whole point of formal qualifications is to enable differentiation.

This doesn't mean that degree qualified engineers are all capable, and it doesn't mean that people without degrees aren't capable.

I can't call myself a Teacher 'cos I help my son with his homework - even if I get all the answers right

I love you Mik - always have, tbh.

I shall from now on inform the customer that I am simply a Dave.

For what it’s worth, you can’t work in most countries unless you have a job title of engineer but a lot of countries see schooling or university as the only sources of education.

Also g as they pay me a fair wage I’m happy

Dave!

Me too mate xxx

OK I'm done with this subject now

JLv3.0 wrote: Mon Apr 23, 2018 12:48 pm Me too mate xxx

OK I'm done with this subject now

Good.....

Right, my name is Captain Doctor Engineer David and you will all bow down to my Peterborough Regional College kwalifications.

JL3.0 is wrong.



Dave!

Randomly: my wife has a PhD in genetics but she never formally (i.e. on passport etc) refers to herself as "Doctor"

Mainly because she doesn't want to have to explain to the parent of a choking child on a plane that she's not that kind of "doctor"

It's amusing (to me) too because of her, and her circle of friends, I'm just about the only one without a PhD - so I've become rather blase to them. I forget the impact they have in "normal" society though - it's really an amazing achievement, I sometimes forget that...

Anyone have interesting plans for the bank holiday w/e? I'm up in Oxford at the in-laws so if anyone is around in the Cotswolds on Sunday, give me a shout.

Funnily enough I'm in Oxford Sunday and Monday but it's a brief break of tranquility so I'm not going to arrange any meet-ups

Today:
Works dinner, which i'll be bunking out of early to go to Herts and see the missus, after not seeing for for a fortnight.

Rest of weekend: Annoy kids, play with cat, lunch at some point with the missus' family, generally chill out a bit.

Work has been fucking awful this week, and I intend to avoid working at the weekend as much as it's possible in this place

Centre parcs - first time away from home with the nipper. The car is packed to the roof (and beyond!)



Comical how someone weighing about 7kg “needs” about 200kg of stuff!