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mgliwka | 3 years ago

Do you have an example for Software Engineer being protected in Europe? I haven’t encountered this and did not find any references.

For example in Germany, the German title „Ingenieur“ is protected, but carrying the title Software Engineer is fine.

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querez|3 years ago

The English name "Software Engineer" isn't protected in German speaking countries, but their German equivalents are:

- The German equivalent would be "Diplom-Informatiker" (which roughly translates to "certified computer scientist"), which you're awarded after completing a graduate degree/MSc in Computer Science.

- In Austria you'd be awared a "Diplom-Ingeneur" instead, so a "Diplom-Ingeneuer in Informatik/Software-Entwicklung" would be a "Certified Computer/SW Engineer".

lta|3 years ago

In France (and Italy afaict), the "engineer" title is protected. You can have the function but won't have the title of you're not from a sanctioned engineering school.

That being said, nobody cares about it in CS expect for government and very large companies which will use it against you in salary negotiation.

908B64B197|3 years ago

> You can have the function but won't have the title of you're not from a sanctioned engineering school.

My understanding was that is was true throughout the French world (so French speaking Canada does this as well)? And that the curriculum for Engineers was more rigorous than other disciplines (there's a strong emphasis on math, you have to do some economics and so on)?

shxdow|3 years ago

In Italy Software/Computer Engineer (Ingegnere informatico) is indeed protected, people usually refer to themselves as software developer or programmer unless they hold an engineering degree. The story is somewhat different when it comes to networking where it seems no one goes without the title. As long as you can prove you know your deal it isn't a deal breaker for private companies.

pjmlp|3 years ago

The German example was already given by others. Portugal as well.

ge96|3 years ago

I think Canada too

icepat|3 years ago

Just the term 'engineer' is protected in parts of Canada, and it's at a provincial level if I remember properly. The 'software' part has nothing to do with it. That said, the term is protected really weirdly. The standard is 'would a reasonable person think you can provide professional engineering services'. So seeing software engineers call themselves such is very common. I suspect the lax attitude here is because nobody would reasonably expect a software engineer to sign off on the structural integrity of a building.

In Ontario, the PEO (board that manages these things) hasn't gone after software engineers often. I don't think I've ever heard of a prosecution in general, and may people call themselves XYZ engineer without having the P. Eng designation. They tend to prosecute civil, and industrial engineers, and building related engineers more since civil engineering and a Civil Engineer have very different roles. Even then, you have to be pretty flagrantly disregarding the regulations to make yourself a target.

The only people who'd given me a hard time over the job title 'software engineer' were engineering students during my undergraduate degree.