Engineer Title 1

[jike]

In Wisconsin they have licensed "designers" and licensed "engineers". Designers being a 2 year graduate and engineers being 4 or more years with different test requirements for licensure.

Is it legal for a person to use the title "Project Engineer" on their business card when they are only a lisenced "designer"? This person is not advertising themselves as a "PE" although he often refers to himself as an engineer. "Project Engineer" may be only the title the company gave them.

 

[IRstuff]

You need to check the laws of the state you're in. If you are representing yourself, you might not have any legal right to use the title of "engineer" under any circumstances.

TTFN

 

[mrMikee]

jike,

In Wisconsin a licensed designer is not a PE, although in their specific limited fields do have considerable authority. As far as a job title goes however just about anyone can be called an engineer in Wisconsin. You don't need a 4 year degree, a 2 year degree, or even a high school diploma. It's up to the companies here to give whatever job title they want.

If you need to know more try the following link, but I'm not sure exactly where. Comm 61 thru 65 concerns the building code.

http://www.commerce.state.wi.us/SB/SB-DivCodesListing.html

Regards,
-Mike

 

[kenvlach]

Re "just about anyone can be called an engineer in Wisconsin. You don't need a 4 year degree, a 2 year degree, or even a high school diploma. It's up to the companies here to give whatever job title they want."

Step outside of that company, however, and try hiring yourself out as an engineer: You may go to jail. The PE requirements are similar to those of other states, with degree, the national EIT & PE exams. (Maybe a little easier: Looks like an accredited 4 year degree, 8 years experience & 5 appraisal letters might do it.) See

http://drl.wi.gov/prof/engi/form.htm

 

[mrMikee]

kenvlach,

You are right, hiring yourself out as an engineer is a whole different thing. But job titles and business cards can be just about anything, or least it was in the past. Maybe it's getting better now.

-Mike

 

[JAE]

I'm not sure about [red]Wisconsin[/red], but in some states you can, some states you cannot, and some states you can within an industrial position, call yourself an engineer on a business card.

The simplest and most direct way to find out is to call you state engineering board office and simply inquire. They are all usually very eager to assist in clarifying the state's laws on engineering practices.

 

[RDK]

Alike IRStuff said, check your local laws.

In every jurisdiction in Canada only professional engineers can call themselves engineer in any way shape or form with three exceptions. Railway engineers are train drivers, Power engineers operate boilers and military engineers are sappers. In each of these cases they can only use the term engineer along with the applicable modifier.

Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer is illegal in Canada unless the individual is also a Professional engineer with one of the Canadian associations.


Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[Ashereng]

RDK,

Just curious. How about the business title "Engineering Technician"?

 

[kenvlach]

I have heard Engineering Technician used within companies, but not aware of it having legal status in the USA.

The UK has a licensed Engineering Technician profession:

http://www.engc.org.uk/documents/Engineering Technician Standard.pdf

 

[RDK]

We have a designation known as CET for certified engineering technician. Other jurisdictions have slight variances on this title such as Registered Engineering Technician which is used in your home province or Alberta

I’m not 100% on this but as long as you do not use the certified or registered part or the associated initials CST or RET then you can call yourself an engineering technician.

I believe that it’s more a copyright issue than a right to title issue.


Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[Ron]

As others have noted, you should check with the state board. Wisconsin's law seems a bit scattered and doesn't seem to have the specificity of other states. In my home state, it is clear that the term "Engineer", "Professional Engineer", and associated titles with those terms are protected under state law. As an example, you cannot use the term "Project Engineer" unless you are licensed. At one point, they even prevented those with EI certification from using the term "Project Engineer", but they've relaxed that a bit.

I'm a firm believer that the term "Engineer" implies to the public that the person has special expertise in a technical area and that the person can be relied upon for appropriate ENGINEERING based solutions to issues or problems. For non-engineers to use the term is misleading to the public and, in my not-so-humble opinion, an infringement on the rights of properly qualified and licensed engineers. Most states do not put enough "teeth" into their laws to enforce this.... a shame for engineers.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I'm in FL, passed the EIT, and my job title is 'Design Engineer.'

Honestly though, in the biomedical field I don't think any company cares one eay or the other about the PE, and it's my understanding that most Aero. or M.E. firms are the same.

I think this topic has been done to death, but I see the P.E. as being a mostly Civil thing.

 

[jsummerfield]

Civil stamp documents lots more than others. However, in Texas and many states, the title engineer is reserved for licensed engineers. Exceptions or exemptions exist. Punishment exists for violators.

John

 

[buzzp]

Morale of the story for US companies: if you perform services for the public then a PE is required to put engineer on your card, if your company does not perform services for the public you can call whoever you want an engineer, legally.
So if your company consists of consultants hired out to the public then no engineer on your card, if they are not, then put whatever you want on the card.

 

[MrMojito]

My understanding is that PE Licenses are required when you are doing engineering for "the public". But when I look around, I see most engineering done by consultants being done for other businesses and the government. So who is exactly "the public"? Does this mean that PE Licenses are not necessary as much as we think?

 

[RDK]

In Canada we have both personal licenses and usually company licenses as well.

The personal licenses are required for anyone doing engineering work of any description but the corporate license, often called permits to consult, authorizations to practice, or other term are required for provision of engineering services to the public.

For this license the public is considered to be any client to whom we are selling engineering services to and not engineering services coupled with some other physical good.

Thus an engineering firm partnered with a construction firm for q design build project would require a license to sell the engineering services to the construction firm but a design build firm employing both engineers and construction workers would not require a corporate license for the engineering part since the final product is not engineering services but a completed project.

Personal licenses would however be required by all the engineers in both cases.

Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[IRstuff]

Bear in mind that, at least, in the California PE Act sect. 6704:
"In order to safeguard life, health, property, and public welfare, no person shall practice civil, electrical, or mechanical engineering unless appropriately registered..."

This is the crux of what the PE laws provide. Even here, there are some technical loopholes, since most commercial products that are engineered in California are not generally subject to PE control, even though it might be argued that your stereo or computer could have an adverse effect on your life, health or property.

TTFN