Technically, the Italian word corresponding to engineer is ingegnere. However, there is a profound, structural difference between the two profiles, even though the etymology is clearly the same, given the morphological similarity1. Unfortunately, this similarity often leads to misunderstandings, as it is believed that the two qualifications are essentially the same, regardless of the country in which they are obtained.
The term “engineer” is used in the Anglo-Saxon world to refer exclusively to technical jobs, whether they involve maintenance, implementation, or design-related tasks. While keeping a technical and scientific focus, engineering degree programs in Italian universities have always2 been meant instead to prepare students for more complex professional tasks. If I were to define our old-school engineers concisely, I would say that they are problem solvers who typically employ a technical/scientific approach. I would like to emphasize the problem-solving skill in particular. This was the main goal of the old degree program: to forge the mindset — including a strong critical spirit, despite this being mistakenly considered a peculiarity of humanities courses — necessary to tackle virtually any type of problem with a fundamentally rational approach. Whether it’s planning logistics for a huge project or developing the architecture of a software system, the combination of these talents and abilities means that, in principle, a true engineer knows how to get by, utilizing the approaches they learnt during their studies. In other words, they have enough decision-making and operational autonomy to rely basically on their skill. This flexibility explains why some engineers succedeed when serving as top managers in large, complex organizations, although these types of roles are not traditionally filled by people with technical backgrounds. Some examples:
So, is all that glitters gold? Clearly not. As engineers know well, there is no such thing as a free lunch (as thermodynamics teaches us, and not economics as many believe). What is the dark side of Italian engineering degree programs? Students who typically enter with the expectation of going on a particularly technical and practical route are often disappointed. After a few months, they realize that they have just embarked on a long and tough road, perceived as largely theoretical and providing knowledge that is of very little use once their studies are complete. In my opinion, this is where action should be taken. First of all, at the beginning of each course, at least one lesson should be spent explaining why certain topics are being studied, why they are being addressed in a certain way, and what the applications of all this are in the “real world.” Secondly, whenever possible, classes should include laboratory activities. There isn’t enough time to do everything, but at least a smattering of practical knowledge is essential, not so much to acquire specific skills — to get those, students will spend years in the laboratory once they enter the workforce — but to realize for themselves how true the famous saying attributed to Confucius is: “If I hear, I forget; if I see, I remember; if I do, I understand.” Or what is now pompously called “learning by doing.”
Credits
Photos by Vitaly Gariev and ThisisEngineering on Unsplash.
- Incidentally, this is a classic example of a word imported from Latin into English. The Italian term derives from ingegno, which in turn comes from the Latin word ingenium. ↩︎
- Significant changes occurred in the early 2000s when the university system underwent a profound reform. The old course — which I attended at the end of the last century — lasted five years, while the current one consists of a first cycle of three years and a second, optional cycle of two more years. ↩︎
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