Engineering as a Profession

Engineering is often compared to medicine and law in discussions of professional status. It would appear to qualify according to the dictionary meaning of the word. Engineers require specialised knowledge and intensive preparation with continued study after leaving the university. The profession has a strong organizational structure, requires high standards, and operates in the public service. These attributes are commonly associated with the word professional as it is used here. This is a rather restricted interpretation and it differs from its use in describing, say, a professional actor or sportsman who is paid for his efforts, as opposed to an amateur who performs for enjoyment. It is also sometimes used in reference to level of experience so that one speaks of a professional job house painting or plumbing. Another use refers to a continued effort over an extended period of time so that one hears reference to a "professional student" as one who spends many years at a university.

Most important is the fact that engineers see themselves as profession­als. They have to be technically competent and operate with responsibil­ity in conformity with accepted notions of professionalism.

The type of responsibility is rather different from that of a doctor. The doctor's responsibility is clearly recognizable because of the directness of the doctor-patient relationship. For the engineer, the result of his labors - be it a bridge, air-conditioning unit, automobile or computer - is interposed between himself and the user. However, since people's lives are often at stake if an error is made, a high level of competence is essential.

There is a certain lack of distinctness about the engineering profession because of the very wide range of activities and individual backgrounds encompassed. The number of people involved is larger than in most other professional areas. For example, in 1960 there were 864.000 engineers, 396.000 accountants and auditors, 214,000 physicians and surgeons, 206,000 lawyers and judges, 81,000 dentists, and 30.000 architects.

Vocabulary to the text:

to compare - сравнивать;

law - право;

to appear - казаться, появляться;

according to - в соответствии, согласно;

prеparation - подготовка;

continued - продолжающийся, непрерывный;

to operate - действовать;

attribute - определение;

commonly - обычно;

restricted - ограниченный;

interpretation - здесь: толкование;

to differ (from) - отличаться (от);

effort - попытка, усилие;

as opposed to - в отличие от..;

amateur - любитель;

enjoyment - удовольствие;

in reference to - относительно, что касается;

level - уровень;

plumbing - водопроводное дело;

extended - здесь: длительный;

in conformity - в соответствии с..;

accepted - общепринятый, общепризнанный;

notion - понятие;

recognizable - различимый, очевидный;

directness - прямота, непосредственность;

relationship - отношение;

labor - труд, работа;

to interpose - стяновиться между, стоять/быть между;

since - поскольку;

to be at stake - быть поставленным на карту;

error - ошибка;

lack (of) - отсутствие, нехватка;

distinctness - ясность, определенность;

essential - существенный;

to mention - упоминать;

range - сфера, диапазон;

background - опыт;

to encompass - содержать, заключать (в себе);

accountant - бухгалтер;

physician - врач, доктор;

surgeon - хирург;

lawyer - юрист;

judge - судья.