[poobear22]

I agree with your comment on the licensing exam. But, I do not think any one role is better than another. But if a highly skilled person capable of performing engineering takes a non-engineering job, they are not doing engineering (or are out of scope with the required work). So, for me, it tweaks me a little when people refer to themselves as "engineers". And when I managed federal government system administrators, they were "administrators" and that was a GS-2210 Information Technology Specialist. Not an engineer. And they were really smart, but I had to keep an eye on them or they would start engineering solutions not in line with the chief engineer (who was an engineer) and these rouge solutions were very difficult to unwind from. So, I have always held a special status for true engineers and following an engineering direction. But I also recognize there are many important people working in roles that are not engineering.