Microsoft ignores prohibition on using “engineer” for its systems experts

Despite an earlier agreement and ignoring provincial legislated rules, Microsoft Canada has decided that it will allow graduates of its IT programs to use the designation “Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer.” The Canadian Council of Professional Engineers (CCPE) representing the professional engineering licensing assocaitions across Canada is vehemently opposed to the decision.
In a statement, CCPE present Marie Lemay said: “It is pretty obvious that the certificate holders would see value in the use of the title “engineer. … But engineering is a profession and with that comes an obligation to protect the public. It is important for the public to know that the term “engineer” refers to a person with a university engineering education and engineering experience who follows a professional code of ethics, not someone with just a few months of IT training.”
For its part, a Microsoft spokesperson argues: “the term systems engineer is a well-recognized title that has been used for many years in the IT industry and it does not represent that one is a professional engineer.” The corporate giant says Canadian graduates of their courses “should be able to carry the same designation that is used by their colleagues throughout the rest of the world.”