While trained and educated as a civil engineer (water supply and sewerage), I functioned in my last few jobs as an ME and sometimes sales guy (the darkside). To me the most important part of an engineering education was learning a methodical way of thinking and analyzing problems. That coupled with a willingness and thirst to always keep learning is a major characteristic of a good engineer in any discipline. There has never ben a day in my career where I didn't learn something new. It's what keeps me working part time at 70. One of the best "engineers" I have ever worked with never got beyond trade high school. He is one of the most inquisitive, creative, and continuous self-educated people I have ever met. To me he I truly a engineer.