What Do You Do?

What engineers do is hard to define.  There are different types of engineers, such as under the traditional disciplines of civil or mechanical, and there are also new categories such as “technical specialists” and “managerial engineers”. 

Along with the ambiguous functions of engineers, there is a gap in expectations between organisations and career progression.  Some engineers expect to progress quickly to management; others with technical aptitudes may have no interest (or lack the skills) in managerial roles.  The past decades have focussed on managerial skills for engineers.  It should come as no surprise that technical training and experience have suffered.