I don't work in the software industry. But I'm often frustrated by nitpicking over who is or isn't A Real Engineer. Implicit in these discussions is the concep

I don't work in the software industry. But I'm often frustrated by nitpicking over who is or isn't A Real Engineer. Implicit in these discussions is the concept that engineers are superior to mere technicians or operators. As an engineer I have worked with technicians who want to go back to school to become an engineer, because of the perceived prestige and earning power that would come along with it. Often, they don't even realize that they make more money than I do [1]. In my industry the chief divide between engineers and technicians is that engineers design systems whereas technicians construct and operate them. These are fundamentally different jobs, each with its own challenges and benefits, although they often overlap. Pay is roughly the same, though engineers tend to have more generalized knowledge that can help them shift into a different sector more easily during a downturn. Both roles are essential, and I like to joke that if all the engineers disappeared, the technicians could keep things running for at least a decade, but if all the technicians disappeared, the lights would be out within 24 hours. Good engineers can't function without good technicians. Both have a good deal of specific knowledge that the other does not. And somebody who is good at one role is rarely good at the other. Be an engineer because that's what you want to do, because you genuinely feel that designing systems using the application of engineering theory is better situated to your skills and personality, not because you think it might be more prestigious or respectable that what you're currently doing. [1] I work in the power industry where a skilled technician commands a similar or higher hourly rate to an engineer, more overtime and usually does a hell of a lot more work, like fixing overhead power lines at 2am during a winter storm.