Are most people here Electrical/Electronics engineers?

[Gary]

Professional: Traditionally it ment a field that required a four-year college degree or better plus a year or more of practice allowing one to take some kind of comprehensive test leading to certification or licensure of some kind in that field. Doctors, Lawyers, Architects, etc.<p>Now days, the term professional is diluted somewhat, and often means a person with a thorough knowledge of their field, an attitude of professionalism, and does quality work without much if any supervision.

[ad5mb]

Electronics tech since 4th grade.Made my living at it since graduating High School - 4 years in Military Intelligence, 15 years tracking satellites for NASA and 9 years doing research for the DOD. Beats honest work. I believe part of the definition of a professional is a person who exercises judgement that affects others in their line of work. So, Kindergarten teachers, cops, truck drivers are. I am not. Just do what the man says and cash my checks.

[viveguy]

I am an engineering tech for an aerospace company.I am actually an outcast since our department is responsible for analog and power supply designs.If there are any analog engineers out there,my place is looking for them.Actually,they are looking for all disciplines.

[Joseph]

Al, power supplies are my specialty in my work as an analog designer. Due to disability, I have been out of work for a long time. I would love to take you up on your offer, but am not sure if it would be possible. Did you see my work at my Web-site?<p>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/switchmode/<p>[ March 16, 2003: Message edited by: Joseph Meisenhelder ]</p>

[russlk]

I am also an analog design engineer. See my website: http://www.geocities.com/russlk/

[Will]

Thank you all for the varied and interesting replies - which I enjoyed - I think that, as one or two posters said or implied, that nowadays almost anyone who is paid for some activity may claim to be a professiuonal in it. I'm 75 and I don't really know whether I'm retired or unemployed. If some outfit were to offer me a job ib the future (Which seems unlikely) the I'm presently unemployed - otherwise I'm retired.
I came here from the UK and, back there at one time, 'professional' used to me that you had to have passed the entrance exams of and. hence, become a member of some professional body set up by Royal Charter to both regulate and monitor the ethics and technical standards of the profession. If you erred in/against this then you could get drummed out and would no longer be a professional.
My qualifications were in Electronics and Electrical Engineering. I was once thus a Chartered Electronic Engineer (Akin PE here in the US) , but, after the merger of two such Chartered Institutions I became a Chartered Electrical Engineer. I never worked in either of those fields professionally. I have always worked in Instrumentation and Controls in which I do claim to be relatively a top dog - but professional ?? I certainly would never claim to be a professional in either the Electronic or the Electrical Activities.
I enjoyed all the 'chat' about it under this posting.
Will

[ptribbey]

I am a 1985 graduate of Wisconsin Indianhead Technical Institute, where I earned an AA in industrial electronics. Then I started playing around with circuits and actually learning something! I've been at it now for 20 years.(38 years old)
Otherwise I'm a locomotive engineer for the BNSF Railway Company. Yikes! In my opinion, the best book you can get for beginning is Forrest Mims Engineers Mini-Notebooks, Radio Shack # 276-5010A - 62-5020.
They changed part numbers midstream resulting from dropping the Archer brand name.
By the way folks.. Thanks for all your valuable input to this forum. It has helped me many times.
Paul