1.

0 ABSTRACT
Engineering and Engineering Technologist both have work to their best to make our
world today a place where it is suitable to live in. They together innovate and producing
many inventions to make our life easier and better. But, there have been a crisis about their
title since long ago and finally the engineering and engineering technologist fight seem to an
end in Malaysia with resulting in technologist have been accepted under the Board of
Engineering Malaysia (BEM). Even though Engineering is a famous career among
Malaysians many people could not differentiate between Engineer and Technologist. They
always think that all of the professionals that work in engineering profession as an engineer,
but there is major difference in their job scope and even in their study. Engineers basically
the one that focusing on the theoretical and technologist is mainly the one that involving
hands on.

2.0 INTRODUCTION
2.1 Definition on engineering.
Engineering is a course that uses theories by combining the advance mathematics and
science to construct and design a complete project. Graduates in this courses usually been
called as Engineer. In a job scope, engineering graduates usually spend more time on
planning and give a detail about parameter needed to produce a product that has a high
quality and purity. Engineers also do a deep research, complex analysis, and development.
Engineers can also be called as designer in certain country. (Engineering vs engineering
technology, 2002)

2.2 Definition of engineering technology.

Engineering technology is a course that used basic knowledge of mathematics and
science and required them to manipulate it into application. Graduates in this course usually
been called as Technologist. In a job scope, technologist usually spend more time on how to
makes the design by engineer into reality. To make the design into reality is by understand
how technology is developed and transferred. Besides that, technologist also involve little bit
in product design, manufacturing, production, operation, service and maintenance. To make it
simple the technologist a job that use soft skill. (Engineering vs engineering technology,
2002)

2.3 Engineering and Engineering Technology in Malaysia.

Malaysia is one of the leading countries in the South East Asia in term of the faster
develop country. In 2013, Malaysia GDP growth is USD 450 billion which make Malaysia is
the 3rd largest economy in ASEAN and 29th largest economy in world (Brown, 2013). To
achieve that such high standard achievement, all sectors need to give full effort and
engineering is one of the sectors that contribute. Engineering in Malaysia always has an
issued that will affect the growth of development in economy. One of the issues that always
circling in engineering sectors is an issue related to the job scope of engineering and
engineering technology.
2

Engineering and engineering technology seem like in the same page but in reality
there are really have a big differences. Others country used The Accreditation Board for
Engineering and Technology (ABET) to differentiate the job scope but in Malaysia the board
that handle the accreditation is handle by the Board of Engineer Malaysia (BEM).
(Engineering vs engineering technology) In Malaysia engineering technology usually been
downgraded as a second class engineer although technology are in the same level as an
engineer. Not like Canada and United States of America (U.S.A), they do not have such issue.
The Canadian and American technologist have been treated equally as the engineer and been
recognize by their government so no wonder their achievement in technology is at different
level. Only recently in Malaysia, the Board of Engineer Malaysia (BEM) have been
recognize the engineering technology after a long fight involving the MOSTI and Malaysia
government. The technologist demanding their right been restored in the engineering sector.
The right that technologist want is using a professional title in their names. Generally
knows that professional engineering can use Ir in front of their name to mention that they
are professional engineers. But since the technologist have different base of education from
engineer so they are forbidden to register and become a professional. Nowadays since the
technologist has been accept by the BEM, so the technologist and technician can be
accredited and use Ts and Tc in front of their name to show that they are someone who is
legal to perform a duties as professional.

3.0 DISCUSSION
Canada and United State of America are the pioneer countries which offering
engineering technologist courses in 1950s and 1960s. Technologist might not as popular as
the engineer especially in Malaysia since technologist is just starting to raise their name.
Society normally get confuse between engineering technology and engineer. Both might
looked as a dead ringer but they are two different profession.
Engineering technology has its own specialty comparing to the engineer. Their
education is inclusive in specialize and applied engineering education. In education,
technology engineer or being called as technologist is focusing more on applying than
theoretically. Basically, technologist also focusing on engineering subject but one thing that
makes technologist special is the course need hands-on application studies. Moreover, most
company these days need a worker with a high soft-skill for handling the machine that using
high technology since our world is already in modern era. With this, technologist got that
specialty compared to the engineer since engineer studys only focusing on theory. Thus,
technologist is special because they have more knowledge about how things will work.
Normally, technologist will innovate something new from the present technology where they
would help society to ease any job. They also could help society in increasing the job
opportunity since they may assume senior management positions in industry or become
entrepreneurs.
Engineering technology is very useful in daily life for all people throughout the world.
This profession is the platform for technologist to make some changes by innovation. For
example, there are around 1.5 billion people in this world who are living without the source
of electricity. According to the statistics, that is 25% of the worlds population who are still
living in difficulties in this modern era. However, some technologist manage to come out
with an idea to design a simple portable light to help making their life easier. The portable
light was designed by using the concept of solar panel but much simpler. The portable light is
cheaper and affordable for the people to buy. This innovation might look simple but it gives a
positive impact towards needy people.

Moreover, engineering technology can be a driving force for healthcare innovation.

Nowadays, healthcare industry always strive for a better quality of medication. The
innovation of healthcare is driven by the technology of information. As an engineer
technologist, there are always some improvement could be done in order to maintain the
quality standards. This is because the innovation has become a priority for a healthcare
industry. Today, the technologist had introduced the technological innovation regarding the
digital information, nanotechnology, semiconductor products and many more. These
innovation could enhance the medication quality, healthcare system and provide a better life
expectancy for patient. Therefore, engineering technologist plays an important role in
improving the presence technology to a high quality technology.
As we are looking forward for the future, obviously there would be a lot of challenges
and obstacles to be faced. Human population could be increased, transportation system could
grow bigger than our expectation, and the nature and environment may be polluted. However,
this can be a platform for engineers to implement their ideas in order to solve any problem
and make a better living for people. The engineering fields are very wide and can be
classified such as in environmental, mechanical, biological, chemistry and many more. Every
aspect of all of these industries in the future are going to need engineers. Engineers are able
to change the future and make it better as they are playing the role as a problem solver.
Engineers should be able to design a product that are much more optimal in their use of
resources. For example, as human populations are increasing nowadays, the amount of trash
and waste material are also increasing. Thus, to maintain a healthy environment, engineers
had designed the recycling method. Moreover, they also had introduced the new method to
generate power and electricity from the waste material. Besides, they had made the waste
materials as one of the main sources to obtain methane gas. There many ideas to come day by
day as engineering profession is growing bigger and getting popular among society.
Furthermore, the engineering technology profession has become one of the most
important profession around the world. Engineering technology is a proficient that focus
more on problem solving, innovation of technology, and soft-skills application. This
profession is very useful for the future. It can help to develop a technological future by the
application of mathematical and scientific knowledge for a new innovation. Technologist
have the ability to modify a present technology to a higher rate of technology. As the
engineers developed the idea, the technologist will implement their knowledge and soft-skills
to make the ideas come true. The future needs a technologist to find a solution regarding any
5

technical problems. Therefore, both engineering and engineering technology fields are
important for the future. These professions should get along in order to achieve a better
future.

4.0 CONCLUSION
Engineering and engineering technology completely different. In Malaysia, we
usually hear only the engineering profession but rarely do we hear engineering technologist.
But in other country, technologist have known very well. They have stand same level with
engineer these days. As an engineer, they just learn theory but as a technologist they have to
learn hands-on, which suits these days. As technologist, they more to skills and hands-on.
Engineering technology focus more to problem solving but in field of engineering
they are more focus to plan what they are going to do or do some innovation in technology.
Even though profession as engineer and technologist are completely different, but the reality
is they are need each other to help community and help the country to become more
successful.
In Malaysia, there are some universities that offer programs to produce technologist.
The main mission of all universities offer these programs is to produce more technologist so
the more developed countries in the future and they want our country to fully use the
technology in the future as in Japan. In Malaysia, there are some universities that offer
programs to produce technologist. The main mission of all universities offer these programs
is to produce more technologist so the more developed countries in the future and they want
our country to fully use the technology in the future as Japan. So, to achieve the status of
developed countries such as Japan, Korea and the United States, engineer and technologist
must unite to advance ideas and opinions and can help people in the future.
Even engineer and technologist have different job prospect, these two profession are
very important in every country to make sure their country can compete with other country to
have high technology and to get attention from other country.

5.0 REFERENCES
A comparison of engineering and engineering technology. (2016). Retrieved from:
http://www.pittstate.edu/dotAsset/10561.pdf
Brown, J. (2013, January). Southeast Asia: Region on the rise. Retrieved October 11, 2016,
from Inbound Logistics: http://www.inboundlogistics.com/cms/article/southeast-asia-regionon-the-rise/
Engineering vs engineering technolgy. (2002). Retrieved October 11, 2016, from UNC
Charlotte: http://et.uncc.edu/about-us/engineering-vs-engineering-technology
Engineering vs engineering technology. (n.d.). Retrieved October 11, 2016, from ABET:
http://www.abet.org/accreditation/new-to-accreditation/engineering-vs-engineeringtechnology/
Engineering vs engineering technology. (2016). Retrieved from:
https://www.polk.edu/engineering-technology/engineering-technology-vs-engineering/