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Do what they do for all other engineering fields: require a certified engineer sign off on a product delivered to a regulated entity, and be able to h
by quanticle 10y ago
Do what they do for all other engineering fields: require a certified
engineer sign off on a product delivered to a regulated entity, and be able
to hold that engineer criminally liable if someone comes to harm from the
product they signed off on.
Right, but that's not what OP asked. OP is already assuming that we're in a situation where we recognize the need for certification for software engineers. Let's say, for example, that a plane crashed because of a software bug, and now people are saying that there should be a certification program to ensure that certified engineers have to sign off on software delivered for the aviation industry. The only problem is that no certified engineers currently exist, since this is the first year of the certification program. How would you proceed? Requiring certified engineers to sign off on code is great, assuming you already have a pool of certified engineers available to train up new certified engineers. It doesn't answer the question of how you get that initial pool.
- johan_larson 10y agoI don't see any other way than to grandfather in all or most current practitioners. Take, say, everyone with five years of documented experience and a relevant degree. Congratulations, they are now certified engineers. Provide ways for workers who don't quite meet those standards to get themselves in compliance. But enforce requirements for all incoming graduates from then on. And there might be requirements for ongoing training for everyone, too, the way there are for lawyers and doctors. As to who would do this, there are organizations like the IEEE and the ACM that would be only to happy to help.
- WorldMaker 10y agoThe NCEES which maintains Professional Engineering certification in the US does support Software PEs already. The question would indeed be one of bootstrapping: processes to convert on the job experience into more certifications and conversely to add appreciable demand for the certifications into the job market.
- rafiki6 10y agoSame way every other engineering profession did it. Grandfathering + an initial ramp up period.