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Comment by throwaway2016a | Hacker News Reader

throwaway2016a

You may notice that Software Engineering indeed does have a Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam, although most jobs do not require it.[1] So SW Engineers can indeed be certified. Although I am not aware of any place with licencing requirements. Likewise for electrical engineers / mechanical / civil / etc you can often work for decades without one as long as the company has one PE to sign off on your work.

I think that Software Engineers should be held to the same standards as other kinds of engineers (and yes, I am aware I am implying Software Engineers are Engineers). The industry just hasn't caught up yet.

[1] http://ncees.org/engineering/pe/

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Yes, but the blocking factor is the precursor to the PE exam, namely the Fundamentals of Engineering exam. Even the generic FE exam contains topics that most CS majors are not likely to have encountered. See http://ncees.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/FE-Other-CBT-spe... for a summary.

The other major blocker is that the Professional Engineer licensure process requires "four years of progressive engineering experience under a PE" (see https://www.nspe.org/resources/licensure/what-pe). There being few, if any, software PEs, there is something of a chicken-and-egg problem.

> The other major blocker is that the Professional Engineer licensure process requires "four years of progressive engineering experience under a PE" (see https://www.nspe.org/resources/licensure/what-pe). There being few, if any, software PEs, there is something of a chicken-and-egg problem.

Agreed, this is a big issue.

Also, it requires that the school have a specific accreditation that is unusual for Computer Science. My school has it but it didn't have it until 3 years after I graduated because it was so new. Although I had to take all the same courses as the eventually accredited version. (my year was the first year to do so but it takes a few years to get the accreditation)

So I'm not sure if I'm even eligible to take it because of that.

Not just accreditation (many schools have that), it needs a specific type that is for engineering.

Either way, as someone pointed out. It is a process. It won't happen overnight.

Building up the infrastructure to support a new profession takes generations. Lawyers have been doing it for centuries, doctors slightly less. It will take a very long time to iron out the details of licensing and cross-state recognition of qualifications. It's not a thing just for industry but for the entire society to adopt.

Responding to my own post because I wound this interest...

Based on that page I linked, the SW Engineering PE has the lowest passing rate and an average passing rate of repeat test takers of any of the exams. I presume because most schools and careers do not prepare people properly for this exam.

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