[wplug] Best mid-life career advice

Bryan J Smith b.j.smith at ieee.org
Sun Sep 2 20:45:16 EDT 2007


Well, the "internal" titles are one thing, they happen. Not really "anal"
on that. My problem is when they are used to represent a consulant
or other "professional." Why? Because it then becomes a public trust
and safety issue.

People thing the NSPE and state BoPEs are "anal" when they sue
companies like Microsoft or Novell. Understand it's only because they
get enough complaints from the public when they finally do.
PEs are *LICENSED* professionals to the exact same *CRIMINAL*
liability as a doctor or lawyer -
a combined 10 years of education *AND* experience.
Microsoft has been especially guilty of marketing "Professional Engineers."

Historical Note: It was the Franco-Prussian legacy that engineering
was a post-graduate program, plus a 2-year internship.
The British were the first to put forth that PEs needed at least 4 years
experience, so that's what the Anglo-American now uses.

The post-grad was compressed into 4 hours pre-core + 40 hours core
+ 40 hours option (semester hours). Gutting the typical 60 hours
and forcing a "fixed track" of first 2yr undergrad of 4 semmester of
math, physics, microeconomics (pre-core), plus the 80 hours into
the second 2-3 years. This then followed by the 2 part candidacy,
the "funamentals" exam, followed by 4 years experience, references,
related review and the "practices" exam before you are licensed.

Once licensed, the state can reprimand or even sue you on behalf
of the public, finding you guilty of criminal negligence for not
upholding statues. That's why licensed environmental engineers don't
feel threatened of being fired by their employers, it's not jailtime.
Same reason why I'm pusing the NSPE to start licensing software engineers.
engineering technologists, etc...,
because software security is now a public safety and health issue,
and I've been in the "we are overriding your decision" and "whistle blowing"
does absolutely nothing - just like it didn't for environmenal before
they started licensing Environmental Engineers.



--  
Bryan J Smith - mailto:b.j.smith at ieee.org  
http://thebs413.blogspot.com  
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile  
    

-----Original Message-----
From: Jonathan Billings <billings at negate.org>

Date: Sun, 02 Sep 2007 12:08:29 
To:General user list <wplug at wplug.org>
Subject: Re: [wplug] Best mid-life career advice


Mitch Kehn wrote:
> I am a Linux enthusiast and I have an decent aptitude for technology in 
> general. I have worked for ISPs and web development companies in a sales 
> and promotions capacity, and I am extremely good at sales.  I am a very 
> young and forward thinking 48 year-old considering a career change.
> 
> My question is this; is it madness to go back to school to become a 
> "nix" administrator, or would it be wiser to take some less rigorous 
> overview courses to become a qualified "sales advisor."

I encounter people with the title of "Sales Engineer" quite often when 
dealing with large companies (think IBM or SGI).  I'm not sure how they 
came into existence, if they're someone who used to be technical but now 
is in sales, or vice-versa.

I admit, I'm usually frustrated with the experience, because they 
usually aren't technical enough to solve my problem, yet try to sell a 
product that's already broken.

-- 
Jonathan Billings <billings at negate.org>
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