In Canada, it's quite simple. You must have a professional engineer sign and stamp all engineering drawings. It's a legal requirement, just as similar requirements apply for an architect, or a chemical engineer, or a mechanical engineer. It's the way it is.
I didn't make the laws, but many years ago I wanted to be an Electrical Engineer. The quickest way was to get my BScEE (in Canada, 5 years), then spend the apprenticeship, and only then be allowed to claim yourself an Engineer, be allowed to write "P.Eng." or "ing." after your name, and work as an Engineer.
It's a grueling process. In my first year, there were 350 students; when I graduated, there were 46 EE's. The process is an attempt to filter out incompetance and produce engineers as efficiently and effectively as possible. On rare occasions a rotten apple will slip through, but they won't last long, because it's even more grueling in industry than it is in school.
I don't know if it should be like this, but it is. So I buckled down and went through it, because I wanted to be a Professional Engineer and perform significant work. And I did. I'm retired now, but would do it all over again in an instant.
God bless!
“In Canada, all Engineering comes under the umbrella of a “profession”, likewise medicine, nursing, architects, etc. Similarly, you can’t call yourself a “doctor” or a “nurse” in Canada if you don’t have the credentials. “
It is the same in the US. The problem, particularly in engineering, is that it is regulated by individual states. There is no smooth mechanism for reciprocity between states - and it is really just a fee-extracting exercise.
Engineering boards do not care about the profession in the US - and so they do not enforce standards consistently and do not keep up with technological developments.
Try hanging out your shingle as a doctor or a lawyer or CPA - you won’t last two weeks before you are fined and threatened with criminal prosecution if you do not stop.
Unfortunately, the engineering profession, while covered by statute and law like other professions, we are not respected because many people think they can “prove themselves” without experiencing the academic rigor required to become an engineer. They point to Bill Gates, or whomever - very successful people and businessmen, but they do not get to call themselves “Engineer” - because they are not Engineers.
This is the way it is done - for no other reason than to know who is responsible when something goes wrong. Some one has to say “I’m responsible”.
If we want to build bridges, buildings, machines, and power plants without consideration for how it is done, then we can dispense with the title. If we don’t, the various state regulatory entities should take the profession seriously, make it easier for truly qualified folks to cross state lines, and adapt the profession to fast-growing technology.
Right now we’re in a sort of professional limbo as engineers. If someone objects that it is unreasonable that they cannot legally be called an “engineer” - they may have a point, because those that regulate the profession, through their actions (or inaction), show they do not care to do anything but collect fees for licensing.
Right now the legal term “engineer” lacks the prestige of other professions (but still has some prestige or unqualified people would not seek out the title) and stands to identify who gets sued if something goes wrong.
I still recommend engineers pursue the professional credentials, but I increasingly ask “why”?