[ben_jones]

But you can't deny there is a pervasive overuse of the label 'engineer' to cover everything from junior web developers with < 1 year experience all the way to senior roles at major companies. The label has an important meaning to non-technical readers and should be used more sparingly.

[imafish]

So a mechanical engineer with < 1 year experience should also be called a junior mechanical developer.. or am I missing the point here?

[richardwhiuk]

A mechanical engineer with < 1 year of experience likely has a degree in Engineering, which has been certified by a professional body. In some countries that's a requirement for using the term "Engineer".

A junior web developer, with less than 1 years experience might have spent two days reading https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sams-Teach-Yourself-PHP-Hours/dp/06... (if that).

Let's not pretend those are the same.

Software Engineering has a history of trashing any benefits of formal education, and refusing to believe that any of it has any worth.

[imafish]

> In some countries that's a requirement for using the term "Engineer".

This is more or less the case where I am from, so I assumed that to be generally applicable, but no? In that case, I agree.