On being an Engineer

[squigfried]

There have been times in the past where I have felt I wasn't good enough to do my job as a software developer, but these times have been mostly down to inexperience. I like to think I'm always getting better

Comments

[welshmalign]

Here's an idea, using you mad web skillz to create a recognised group of "good programmers" in the vein of other proffesions and work together to determine what makes "good programming" and then start dishing out certificates or charters or whatever for a fee.

[squigfried]

I know there are LOADS of accreditations like that out there already, but very few of them hold any weight. Also I don't believe any of them convey any legal degree of competence.

That's kind of my point :(

The best option I've seen is to go for a "Eur Ing" title. Kinda cool.

[welshmalign]

combine all the accreditations into one legally recognised body! you can do it. even if it involves setting up an additional year of training on the end of a degree in order to achieve.

[dracven]

Bud, I wouldn't worry about the engineer status. My offical title is Planning Engineer but I've only experience to thank for me getting said title.

[malcygoff]

Aside from the standard accreditations you can get from Microsoft's Dev track (and similar from other establishments) the only option I'm aware of is the British Computer Society (well, the BCS, I think that's what it stands for), they are pushing quite hard to make computing a profession rather than a job.

In short though, the entire IT industry is as broad as it is young, so much of the infrastructure you'd expect from other industries that have been around a few years (such as the medical profession or any form of engineering) isn't there yet.
On the plus side, this means you can get great jobs with no qualifications if you can prove yourself; on the bad side, you can't prove yourself if the interviewer doesn't "get" the type of work you're doing.

btw. best Orange Box review evvah!

[squigfried]

Truth.

:D