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Originally Posted by DMcCunney
<expanding roles> ... and welcome to DevOps.
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In the Netherlands, a software engineer working in factory automation (a "PLC Programmer") is now expected to be able to write the firmware for a machine, based on either a PLC (or a microcontroller for some devices), and also be able to write desktop, web, and phone/tablet applications to control said machine. On top of that, if something fails, you're often also required to be able to drive out to the customer and fix the hardware.
1. Programming the PLC and microcontroller: embedded software
2. Write desktop apps: application software, and the range tools is HUGE
3. Web software: HTML/CSS/Javascript/PHP etc, HUGE range of tools as well
4. Mobile apps: Android, iOS
5. Fix hardware on location: Mechanical Engineer
Yeah, sure... you're going to find all of that in one person.
I can provide you with 1, 2 and 3, if you give me some time to learn the system/language/libraries you are using. (I think that's fairly exceptional already, as they are as close to, and as far away from the machine as you can possibly get, and IMHO, can be considered three different professions.)
I *could* provide you with 4 if I had any interest in jacking around with mobile devices, which I haven't, and I *can't* provide you with 5, because I don't have the necessary education, and can't/aren't allowed to drive a car.
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Be careful what you wish for. What defines a "protected profession"? Who determines that, and decides who a member of the profession is? A government entity? That sounds here like a cure much worse then the disease.
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I haven't heard of many buildings falling apart in the Netherlands, so I think whoever defined Architect to be a protected profession should do so for Software Engineer as well.