Evolution of the engineer

If the institutions could get British Gas, BT and Virgin to use ‘technician’ in their ads it would enhance the status of their staff and engineers

Chris Cheater in his letter complains that the engineering institutions “naval gaze” about protecting the designation ‘engineer’ (PE August). Yet there has never been such an opportune time to act. The meaning of words in the English language evolves all the time – look how words such as ‘gay’, ‘wireless’ and even ‘wicked’ have changed in recent years. 

The description ‘engineer’ has a modern scientifically-endowed graduate meaning as shown on TV science programmes and in schools careers advice, but it is mixed up with a dated cloth-cap and greasy boilersuit meaning.

The Royal Navy recently dropped ‘artificer’ – a term used since the transition from sail to steam – for the modern term ‘technician’. If the institutions could get British Gas, BT, Virgin et al to also use ‘technician’ in their TV ads and printed materials it would enhance the status of their staff as well as raising the economically damaging low standing of engineers.

Clive Bone, Bideford, Devon

Next letter: Studying the Swiss