The title of "ingénieur diplômé"

 

Engineer : a title and a job/ Graduate engineer : a title controlled by law/The Engineering Title Committee

Engineer : a title and a job

In France, to be an engineer first means to exert a profession that requires a good level of technical expertise, directly or undirectly bound to producing goods or services for the community. An engineer designs new products, has a manufacturing responsibility or is a project manager. He may discuss technologies and methods being used or argue about them if need be. That's how he differs from a lower level technician who only implements in conformance with guidelines.

To be an engineer has a second meaning : earning the engineering degree after rather long training period (usually 5 years after Baccalauréat), with a curriculum that includes a balance of scientific, technical and even economic studies.

We stress these two definitions since they sometimes don't overlap within companies :

• it is possible to get an engineering job without having an engineering degree ;
• the career of graduate engineers often leads them to managerial positions where technical aspects may disappear or, at least, be reduced..

Graduate engineer: a title controlled by law

Only the title of «graduate engineer» («ingénieur diplômé») is controlled and protected by law

The exercise of an engineering profession is neither controlled nor regulated by French laws. There is no professional organization of engineers like the "Order of Physicians" for medical doctors.

Only the title of "graduate engineer" is controlled and protected by law. The usual naming of "engineer" is not.

A higher education college may only deliver an engineering degree if it has been allowed to do so by a special committee controlled by the Minister of Education : the Engineering Title Committee (CTI), created by the law of July 10, 1934.

The Engineering Title Committee :

The Engineering Title Committee

• studies any problem related to engineering education ;
• examines engineering degree habilitation requests coming from engineering schools and monitors the authorized engineering education programs ;
• intervenes to preserve the quality of education ;
• investigates within engineering schools or companies.

Through monitoring the engineering education system, the Engineering Title Committee (CTI) ensures the quality level of engineering education programs and alumni evolution ability.

The high consideration and notoriety which are bound to the French engineering degree, especially when delivered by the best known schools, allows graduates to access high positions. Such fast-paced careers are not available to engineers in many other countries.

The CTI appears to be the main basis of the French engineering education system.

Unlike any other degree, the same engineering degree covers a large variety of programs. Each engineering school may exercise a rather large variety of admission modes, programs and methods. But it still has to maintain a high level of quality and a certain educational profile.

Engineer : a title and a job/ Graduate engineer : a title controlled by law/The Engineering Title Committee

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