> there haven't been enough engineers to fill all the open senior-level positions. Licensure would make that problem worse
The point of the licensing is to make sure they can do the job; hiring people without the licensing means you're hiring amateurs. It's not a good solution. You need more job-training programs to fix the existing lack of engineers, which still works with licensing. There's no quick fix for a lack of qualified expertise, other than H1-B's.
Sure a board can make things more complicated, but it's because they're trying to improve things. This is a positive.
> should engineers be permitted to pick a language with known poor performance characteristics?
In electrical work, you are restricted to what parts you can use for what work, based on its application/use-case. If it's touching a house or grid it needs to be UL-listed (mandatory testing). If it's outdoor it needs to be NEMA-3 (weather-resistant) or better. If it's direct burial it needs to be UF-B (resists common outdoor issues) or better. More than 3 conductors in a raceway requires derating the condutors. You can't join dissimilar metals (aluminum, copper) without some kind of tin-plated splicer (with oxidation treatment) to prevent corrosion.
I'm sure when these standards were introduced, electricians were annoyed that they were "being limited in choice". Today we take it for granted. Our safety and stability, both as individuals and as a society, is more important than the personal preferences of engineers.
The point of the licensing is to make sure they can do the job; hiring people without the licensing means you're hiring amateurs. It's not a good solution. You need more job-training programs to fix the existing lack of engineers, which still works with licensing. There's no quick fix for a lack of qualified expertise, other than H1-B's.
Sure a board can make things more complicated, but it's because they're trying to improve things. This is a positive.
> should engineers be permitted to pick a language with known poor performance characteristics?
In electrical work, you are restricted to what parts you can use for what work, based on its application/use-case. If it's touching a house or grid it needs to be UL-listed (mandatory testing). If it's outdoor it needs to be NEMA-3 (weather-resistant) or better. If it's direct burial it needs to be UF-B (resists common outdoor issues) or better. More than 3 conductors in a raceway requires derating the condutors. You can't join dissimilar metals (aluminum, copper) without some kind of tin-plated splicer (with oxidation treatment) to prevent corrosion.
I'm sure when these standards were introduced, electricians were annoyed that they were "being limited in choice". Today we take it for granted. Our safety and stability, both as individuals and as a society, is more important than the personal preferences of engineers.