The No. 1 * Dumbest * Awards Medal must go to the Engineering Council (UK) who regulate Titles and Initials for Engineers and Technicians in the UK and now Plumbers, indirectly. They chose the Initials * Eng Tech * for an Engineering Technician. We all know that * Eng * means Engineer and * Engg * means Engineering, so it should be * Engg Tech *. Unfortunately, Engineers Ireland have blindly followed suit and supported these initials! If * Eng * means * Engineer * in the Initials *C.Eng*, * IEng * and * P.Eng * officially, then surely one can construe that it means * Engineer * in the initials * Eng Tech * ?
Then they have the Incorporated Engineer (IEng). * IEng * which also means International Graduate Engineer. In South Dakota University they use * IEng * to signify Industrial Engineering. Some Incorporated Engineers (IEng's) are Plumbers.!!
See: http://www.iphe.org.uk/acp/acp.html
Also, we have The Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering a licensed member of the Engineering Council (UK) who cater for Real Engineers and so-called Heating Engineers, i.e., Plumbers. Is there a difference? Not in the UK, it seems?!
Examples from the list of Registered Plumbers;
Mr I Barker IEng LCGI FIPHE RP - (Note * RP * means Registered Plumber, and * IEng * means Incorporated Engineer).
Mr A G Brunton IEng LCGI FIPHE RP
Mr D G Tucker BEng ACIPHE RP
* So, can we assume that Registered Plumber (RP), Incorporated Engineer (IEng), and (BEng) in the UK are synonymous !!*
You don't see Doctors advertising themselves as RFA's (Registered First Aiders) or Paramedics.
Other examples from the list of Registered Plumbers;
Mr G A Dodd Eng Tech, LCGI, MIPHE RP
Mr L R Head Eng Tech MIPHE RP
* So much for the so-called coveted , * IEng * and * Eng Tech * initials !! Obviously some Plumbers, even, have these qualifications *.
Then we have the * Chartered Engineer * title that can never become International. Some Chartered Engineers are also Plumbers in the UK. Wouldn't it be nice to have Professional Engineers?? Have Engineering Council (UK) Members never heard of the word * Ethics * ?
* It is sad to see Chartered and Incorporated Engineers in the UK advertising themselves as Plumbers with the approval of the Engineering Council (UK) !! *
* The unfortunate thing is that this unacceptable degrading culture is being exported to other countries who have proper professional standards. *
ECUK don't seem to have yet heard of proper Graduate Engineers or Technologists! This will probably follow in another 100 years, judging on past performances.
How many more Initials and Titles are we going to have? It is all in a mess.
Don't e-mail or write to them - You will get no reply - It shows their lack of business acumen!
You can find the Engineering Council (UK) at, http://www.engc.org.uk
* It is no wonder that our profession has the status of a Trade. Most United Kingdom (UK) Banks classify Engineers as non/semi-skilled workers. In The Royal Corps of Signals (UK), Engineers fall into the category of Soldier Trades. *
The whole Engineering Initials and Titles situation has got out of hand and needs a new International coordinated re-think! Even in this modern day, in a Global economy, there are new uncoordinated Initials and Titles popping up every day!
* Engineers have had several hundred years to get the Profession on it's feet and they have failed miserably. This points to poor Leadership even to this day. The answer to this problem is ........Resignations .... Resignations for starters, and then appoint executives with business acumen, assertiveness, vision, and professionalism! *
* State Regulation is the only way forward since semi Self-regulation has not worked for the past 200 years. Admittedly this was due to a lack of Dynamic Engineer-leadership, and the lack of Assertiveness and Vision. It would be good for jobs at a time when the importation of cheap labour is an increasing worrying issue. *
Engineers: Negative Press -United Kingdom
Fintan Lynch - IRL/UK
The No. 2 * Dumbest * Awards Medal must go to * Enginuity (UK) *, the website that tells you what Engineering and Technology is all about and it is targeting Kids. The problem is that they don't seem to know the difference between Engineers, Technicians, Installers, and Handymen! They are living in the dark ages and are in fact promoting the culture of the misuse of the title *Engineer* by applying it to anyone who decides to call themselves *Engineers*.
Misinforming Kids is not the way forward.
More stupid comments on the Enginuity website;
< Acoustics engineers work with bands and artists to make sure that venues sound as good as possible. In theatre, the set, position of actors and the arrangement of the auditorium are all elements for the sound engineer to consider>.....Bullshit.....Bullshit!
Re: Acoustic Engineers and bands: most are not even worthy of the present day Technician title, let alone Engineer. What they call themselves and what they are can be two different things. In general, these so-called Acoustic/Sound/Audio Engineers are just Operators, Handymen, or Installers.
Fact: Acoustic/Sound/Audio Engineers: The Acoustic/Sound/Audio Engineer works within a team with the responsibility for the Acoustic Design of products. As a typical Acoustic Engineer you may be, for example, working with the Mechanical team to design the Acoustic integration of transducers in addition to verifying the Acoustic performance. Key responsibilities will involve working on developing complete noise-canceling solutions for mobile handset, headphone and earphone applications, including acoustic components and electronic circuits. This will include experimental design work on mobile handsets/headphones/earphones to achieve required noise cancellation performance levels, designing of plastic parts using 3D CAD design tools to create design for prototype, Acoustic measurements, design of small signal audio analogue circuits using op-amps and Schematic Capture. A REAL Acoustic/Sound/Audio Engineer is educated to degree level.
Whoever writes the script for the website obviously knows nothing about real modern day Engineering. They are living in the dark ages. What about, among other things, mentioning to Kids the fact that all the Astronauts who landed on the Moon were Engineers, etc., etc. This is the type of information that Kids should be getting at a young age. We need to be discerning when it comes to educating Kids.
The lax use of the word * Engineer * is killing the Engineering Profession especially in the UK. We need to be precise in our terminology and descriptions, even with young Kids, if we don't want to cause confusion at a later stage. Let's give them the true facts about modern-day Engineering and be positive in our attitude at all times. Kids are quite capable of absorbing facts, so let's give them the true facts!
Enginuity website can be found at, http://www.enginuity.org.uk/
Maybe they could learn from the website, http://www.Engg-Kids.com OR http://www.engology.com
See Official International Engineering Glossary, http://www.engology.com/enggglossary.htm 
Silvester (C.Eng) - Richmond, London
The No. 3 * Dumbest * Awards Medal must go to the UK based SKY Media Group ( a sister company of Fox News, U.S) who insist on calling their Manual Workers * Engineers * without protest from their so-called Chartered (Professional) Engineers. The latest addition to their list is the " Satellite Engineer " who is in fact a TV Satellite Dish Installer! This title is arrogantly and disrespectfully being promoted by the SKY Media Group in foreign countries, irrespective of local standards, for financial gain.
Bill (A disillusioned Chartered Engineer) - New York/ Eaton
The No. 4 * Dumbest * Awards Medal must go to Science Chicago and SEforA who classify Engineers as Scientists when it suits. For menial tasks they are Engineers!! Sorry Scientists, but we can stand on our own two feet, proudly, and we should point out that Engineers are not Scientists and vice versa! By the way, is Robotics not Engineering?
http://www.sciencechicago.com/content/scientist-details?id=7
http://www.sciencechicago.com/content/scientist-details?id=55
Snippet from their Website at, http://www.sciencechicago.com/content/other#9
<Learn mechanical and architectural principles building with Legos. Then test your structures. Instructors will demonstrate principles and help you try new strategies based upon what you learn.>
What does mechanical principles have to do with assembling LEGO building blocks? Would someone tell them ...i.e., Nothing.
Where ignorance is bliss !
At a meeting with members of the U.S. Congress , Fiorina said;
" There is no job that is America's God-given right anymore "
A SPECIAL AWARD - The " Marie Antionette Award for Selfishness " goes to Carly Fiorina, (Ex HP CEO, now McCain's Economic Advisor) who is an enemy of the American worker, and a pain in the arse!!
Carly: Your beautiful, so could I have your phone number. I'm looking for a job!
Fintan Lynch
The No. 5 * Dumbest * Awards Medal must go Cornell University who do not know the difference between Engineers and Scientists. If an Engineer is successful he is called a Scientist, and we wonder why students are not studying Engineering !!
See * Way Cool Scientists * for Kids at, http://athena.cornell.edu/kids/cool_scientist.html
Snoopy - California
The No. 6 * Dumbest * Awards Medal must go to the one and only OBSESSED Artisan Bill Gates of Microsoft. We cannot but mention the amusing FAKE Engineer-qualification, * Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) *, devised by Artisan Bill Gates of Microsoft. This non-engineer qualification, which would not be acceptable even as that of a modern day Engineering Technician let alone a Technologist or Engineer................ a hobby horse of Artisan Bill Gates of Microsoft. His inability to become an Engineer himself seems to have caused him much resentment towards Engineers, even though he has depended on Engineers over the years for the Microsoft success. This non-Engineer qualification with an *Engineer-title* seems to boost his ego and calm his obsession!!
Prof. Mike Deary, Ph.D - United Kingdom
The No. 7 * Dumbest * Awards Medal goes to the International Engineer Committee who chose the initials * INTPE * for the new International Engineer Title. These initials look more like diploma initials of a Hair Stylist and not that of a MAIN Professional title! One cynic suggests that they are the initials of the German International Pig Exporters! The initials are far too long. The organization controlling these initials is the * International Engineering Alliance *. Why such a long name? Why was it not called * Engineers International* which would be in keeping with modern day names. We have, Engineers Canada, Engineers Ireland, Engineers Australia, etc - more mismanagement. Would you believe, their URL is http://www.washingtonaccord.org/ - More of it! How appropriate!
Are they going to surprise us with the initials * EngTech *, once again, for the International Engineering Technician. These initials read *Engineer Technician* and not * Engineering Technician (EnggTech) * which it should be. The Title * Engineer Technician * exists in some underdeveloped countries. If * Eng * means * Engineer * in the Initials * C.Eng * , * IEng * and * P.Eng * officially, then surely one can construe that it means * Engineer * in the initials * Eng Tech * ?
As well, this incompetent and fumbling Committee allowed the domain name * INTPE.COM * to expire and be sold to a third party!
* I think that it is time for Committee resignations and a new committee formed who would use common sense and vision *.
One wonders if Professional Engineers exist any more. Their leadership, in some cases, is pathetic.
Fintan Lynch.
See: Official International Engineering Glossary, http://www.engology.com/enggglossary.htm
" ......... For you never get a second chance to make the First Impression "
