Editing Software engineering (section)

== Profession ==
{{main|Software engineering professionalism|Regulation and licensure in engineering}}

[[Legal]] requirements for the licensing or certification of professional software engineers vary around the world. In the UK, there is no licensing or legal requirement to assume or use the job title Software Engineer. In some areas of Canada, such as Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario,<ref>{{cite conference | first = N.S.W. | last = Williams | title = Professional Engineers Ontario's approach to licensing software engineering practitioners | book-title = Software Engineering Education and Training, 2001 Proceedings. 14th Conference on | pages = 77–78 | publisher = [[IEEE]]| date = 19–21 February 2001 | location = Charlotte, NC }}</ref> and Quebec, software engineers can hold the Professional Engineer (P.Eng) designation and/or the Information Systems Professional (I.S.P.) designation. In Europe, Software Engineers can obtain the [[European Engineer]] (EUR ING) professional title. Software Engineers can also become professionally qualified as a [[Chartered Engineer (UK)|Chartered Engineer]] through the [[British Computer Society]].

In the United States, the [[NCEES]] began offering a [[Professional Engineer]] exam for Software Engineering in 2013, thereby allowing Software Engineers to be licensed and recognized.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://cdn1.ncees.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Exam-specifications_PE-Software-Apr-2013.pdf| title = NCEES Software Engineering Exam Specifications| access-date = 2012-04-01| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130827220334/http://cdn1.ncees.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Exam-specifications_PE-Software-Apr-2013.pdf| archive-date = 2013-08-27}}</ref> NCEES ended the exam after April 2019 due to lack of participation.<ref>{{cite web |title=NCEES discontinuing PE Software Engineering exam |url=https://ncees.org/ncees-discontinuing-pe-software-engineering-exam/ |publisher=National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying |date=13 March 2018 |access-date=6 August 2018}}</ref> Mandatory licensing is currently still largely debated, and perceived as controversial.<ref name=BarbaraSimons/><ref name=KnightLeveson/>

The [[IEEE Computer Society]] and the [[Association for Computing Machinery|ACM]], the two main US-based professional organizations of software engineering, publish guides to the profession of software engineering. The IEEE's ''Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge – 2004 Version'', or [[SWEBOK]], defines the field and describes the knowledge the IEEE expects a practicing software engineer to have. The most current version is SWEBOK v4.<ref name=swebokVol3/> The IEEE also promulgates a "Software Engineering Code of Ethics".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.computer.org/cms/Computer.org/Publications/code-of-ethics.pdf |title=''Software Engineering Code of Ethics'' |access-date=2012-03-25 |archive-date=2015-01-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150123034610/http://www.computer.org/cms/Computer.org/Publications/code-of-ethics.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Employment ===
{{globalize|United States|date=September 2021}}
{{See also|Software engineering demographics}}

There are an estimated 26.9 million professional software engineers in the world as of 2022, up from 21 million in 2016.<ref name="2022-numbers">{{cite web |last1=Labs |first1=Qubit |title=How Many Programmers are there in the World and in the US? [2023] |url=https://qubit-labs.com/how-many-programmers-in-the-world/ |website=Qubit Labs |access-date=7 February 2023 |date=29 November 2022}}</ref><ref name="SO2016">{{cite web|url=http://evansdata.com/reports/viewRelease.php?reportID=9|title=Global Developer Population and Demographic Study 2016 V2|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=[[Evans Data Corporation]]|accessdate=19 January 2017}}</ref>

Many software engineers work as employees or contractors. Software engineers work with businesses, government agencies (civilian or military), and non-profit organizations. Some software engineers work for themselves as [[freelancer]]s. Some organizations have specialists to perform each of the tasks in the [[software development process]]. Other organizations require software engineers to do many or all of them. In large projects, people may specialize in only one role. In small projects, people may fill several or all roles at the same time. Many companies hire [[Internship|interns]], often university or college students during a summer break, or [[externship]]s. Specializations include [[Requirements analysis|analysts]], [[Software architecture|architects]], [[Software developer|developers]], [[Software testing|testers]], [[technical support]], [[middleware analyst]]s, [[Project management|project managers]], [[Software product management|software product managers]], [[educator]]s, and [[researcher]]s.

Most software engineers and programmers work 40 hours a week, but about 15 percent of software engineers and 11 percent of programmers worked more than 50 hours a week in 2008.<ref name="bloomberg2020"/> Potential injuries in these occupations are possible because like other workers who spend long periods [[Sitting#Health risks|sitting]] in front of a computer terminal typing at a keyboard, engineers and programmers are susceptible to eyestrain, back discomfort, [[Thrombosis prevention|Thrombosis]], [[Obesity]], and hand and wrist problems such as [[carpal tunnel syndrome]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos303.htm#training|title=Computer Software Engineers and Computer Programmers|access-date=2009-12-17}}</ref>

==== United States ====
The [[Bureau of Labor Statistics|U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics]] (BLS) counted 1,365,500 software developers holding jobs in the [[United States|U.S.]] in 2018.<ref>{{cite web |title=Software Developers |url=https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/software-developers.htm |work=Occupational Outlook Handbook |publisher=U. S. Bureau of labor Statistics |date=4 September 2019 |access-date=11 December 2019}}</ref> Due to its relative newness as a field of study, formal education in software engineering is often taught as part of a computer science curriculum, and many software engineers hold computer science degrees.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.acm.org/binaries/content/assets/education/computing-disciplines.pdf |title=Computing Disciplines and Majors |publisher=[[Association for Computing Machinery]] |access-date=6 September 2019}}</ref> The BLS estimates from 2023 to 2033 that computer software engineering would increase by 17%.<ref name="softdev">{{cite web|url=http://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/software-developers.htm |title=Software Developers: Occupational Outlook Handbook |publisher=U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}}</ref> This is down from the 2022 to 2032 BLS estimate of 25% for software engineering.<ref name="softdev"/><ref name="C.S.E.">{{cite web |title=Computer Software Engineer |url=http://www.bls.gov/k12/computers04.htm |publisher=Bureau of Labor Statistics |date=March 19, 2010 |access-date=July 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726002354/http://www.bls.gov/k12/computers04.htm |archive-date=July 26, 2013}}</ref> And, is further down from their 30% 2010 to 2020 BLS estimate.<ref name="CSE2">{{cite web |title=Software Developers |url=http://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/software-developers.htm |date=January 8, 2014 |publisher=Bureau of Labor Statistics |access-date=July 21, 2012}}</ref> Due to this trend, job growth may not be as fast as during the last decade, as jobs that would have gone to computer software engineers in the United States would instead be outsourced to computer software engineers in countries such as India and other foreign countries.<ref name="bls.gov" /><ref name="bloomberg2020">{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-08-04/big-tech-wants-you-to-believe-america-has-a-skills-gap |title=Tech Companies Want You to Believe America Has a Skills Gap |work=Bloomberg |last=Rosenthal |first=Rachel |date=August 4, 2020 |access-date=October 8, 2021 }}</ref> In addition, the BLS Job Outlook for Computer Programmers, the [[U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics]] (BLS) Occupational Outlook predicts a decline of -7 percent from 2016 to 2026, a further decline of -9 percent from 2019 to 2029, a decline of -10 percent from 2021 to 2031.<ref name="bls.gov">{{cite web|url=https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/computer-programmers.htm|title=Computer Programmers : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics|access-date=17 January 2017|archive-date=3 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503144645/https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/computer-programmers.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> and then a decline of -11 percent from 2022 to 2032.<ref name="bls.gov" /> Since computer programming can be done from anywhere in the world, companies sometimes hire programmers in countries where wages are lower.<ref name="bls.gov" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bls.gov/opub/btn/archive/publication.htm#regional-reports|title=Archive By Publication : Beyond the Numbers: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics|website=www.bls.gov}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.designnews.com/design-hardware-software/soon-be-extinct-embedded-software-engineer|title=The Soon-to-Be-Extinct Embedded Software Engineer|date=May 10, 2018|website=designnews.com}}</ref> Furthermore, the ratio of women in many software fields has also been declining over the years as compared to other engineering fields.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://developers.hp.com/public/blog/hp-international-womens-week-women-computer-science-dropping-1980s|title=hp's Developer Portal &#124; HP International Women's Week: Women in Computer Science dropping since 1980s|website=developers.hp.com}}</ref> Then there is the additional concern that recent advances in [[Artificial Intelligence]] might impact the demand for future generations of Software Engineers.<ref> {{Cite web |date=2023-04-06 |title=Software engineer jobs in danger due to ChatGPT-like tools? Here's what Google CEO Sundar Pichai has to say |url=https://www.businesstoday.in/technology/news/story/software-engineer-jobs-in-danger-due-to-chatgpt-like-tools-heres-what-google-ceo-sundar-pichai-has-to-say-376341-2023-04-06 |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Business Today |language=en}} </ref><ref> {{Cite web |last= |first= |last2= |first2= |last3= |first3= |date=2023-01-25 |title=ChatGPT could make these jobs obsolete |url=https://nypost.com/2023/01/25/chat-gpt-could-make-these-jobs-obsolete/ |access-date=2023-05-12 |language=en-US}} </ref><ref> {{Cite web |last=Kay |first=Grace |title=Software engineers are panicking about being replaced by AI |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/software-engineers-tech-panicking-golden-age-over-chatgpt-ai-blind-2023-4 |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}} </ref><ref> {{Cite web |last=Fowler |first=Gary |title=Council Post: How Will ChatGPT Affect Jobs? |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinessdevelopmentcouncil/2023/03/16/how-will-chatgpt-affect-jobs/ |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Forbes |language=en}} </ref><ref> {{Cite web |last=Ito |first=Aki |title=ChatGPT spells the end of coding as we know it |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/chatgpt-ai-technology-end-of-coding-software-developers-jobs-2023-4 |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}} </ref><ref> {{Cite web |last=Zinkula |first=Aaron Mok, Jacob |title=ChatGPT may be coming for our jobs. Here are the 10 roles that AI is most likely to replace. |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/chatgpt-jobs-at-risk-replacement-artificial-intelligence-ai-labor-trends-2023-02 |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}} </ref><ref> {{Cite web |last=Cohen |first=Mikaela |title=These are the tech jobs most threatened by ChatGPT and A.I. |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/15/these-are-the-tech-jobs-most-threatened-by-chatgpt-and-ai.html |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=CNBC |date=15 April 2023 |language=en}} </ref> However, this trend may change or slow in the future as many current software engineers in the U.S. market flee the profession or [[Age wave|age out]] of the market in the next few decades.<ref name="bls.gov" />

=== Certification ===
The [[Software Engineering Institute]] offers certifications on specific topics like [[IT security|security]], process improvement and [[software architecture]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sei.cmu.edu/certification/ |title=SEI certification page |publisher=Sei.cmu.edu |access-date=2012-03-25}}</ref> [[Information Technology Architect Certification|IBM]], [[Microsoft Certified Professional|Microsoft]] and other companies also sponsor their own certification examinations. Many [[Information technology|IT]] [[Professional certification (computer technology)|certification]] programs are oriented toward specific technologies, and managed by the vendors of these technologies.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1180991|title=The Top 10 Problems with IT Certification in 2008|last=Wyrostek|first=Warren |date=March 14, 2008|work=InformIT|access-date=2009-03-03}}</ref> These certification programs are tailored to the institutions that would employ people who use these technologies.

Broader certification of general software engineering skills is available through various professional societies. {{As of|2006}}, the [[IEEE]] had certified over 575 software professionals as a [[Certified Software Development Professional]] (CSDP).<ref name="ieee2006">{{cite web |author=[[IEEE Computer Society]]|url=http://www.ifip.org/minutes/GA2006/Tab18b-US-IEEE.pdf|title=2006 IEEE computer society report to the IFIP General Assembly|access-date=2007-04-10}}</ref> In 2008 they added an entry-level certification known as the Certified Software Development Associate (CSDA).<ref>{{cite web |author=IEEE|url=http://www.computer.org/portal/web/certification/csda|title=CSDA|access-date=2010-04-20}}</ref> The [[Association for Computing Machinery|ACM]] had a professional certification program in the early 1980s,{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}} which was discontinued due to lack of interest. The ACM and the [[IEEE Computer Society]] together examined the possibility of licensing of software engineers as Professional Engineers in the 1990s,
but eventually decided that such licensing was inappropriate for the professional industrial practice of software engineering.<ref name=BarbaraSimons> {{cite web |author=Barbara Simons |title=Past ACM Presidents Reflect on Their Service to ACM |series=Celebrating 75 Years of Advancing Computing as a Science & Profession |url=https://www.acm.org/75th-anniversary/past-presidents/barbara-simons |access-date=May 18, 2024 |publisher=[[Association for Computing Machinery]] |quote=After the panels' recommendations were submitted, ACM Council concluded that the framework of a licensed professional engineer, originally developed for civil engineers, does not match the professional industrial practice of software engineering and would preclude many of the most qualified software engineers from becoming licensed.}}</ref> John C. Knight and [[Nancy G. Leveson]] presented a more balanced analysis of the licensing issue in 2002.<ref name=KnightLeveson>
{{cite journal |author1=John C. Knight
|author2=Nancy G. Leveson
|title=Should software engineers be licensed?
|journal=[[Communications of the ACM]]
|volume=45
|issue=11
|pages=87–90
|doi=10.1145/581571.581601
|date=November 1, 2002}}</ref>

In the U.K. the [[British Computer Society]] has developed a legally recognized professional certification called ''Chartered IT Professional (CITP)'', available to fully qualified members (''MBCS''). Software engineers may be eligible for membership of the [[British Computer Society]] or [[Institution of Engineering and Technology]] and so qualify to be considered for [[Chartered Engineer (UK)|Chartered Engineer]] status through either of those institutions. In Canada the [[Canadian Information Processing Society]] has developed a legally recognized professional certification called ''Information Systems Professional (ISP)''.<ref>{{cite web |author=Canadian Information Processing Society|url=http://www.cips.ca/standards/isp|title=I.S.P. Designation|access-date=2007-03-15}}</ref> In Ontario, Canada, Software Engineers who graduate from a ''Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB)'' accredited program, successfully complete PEO's (''Professional Engineers Ontario'') Professional Practice Examination (PPE) and have at least 48 months of acceptable engineering experience are eligible to be licensed through the ''Professional Engineers Ontario'' and can become Professional Engineers P.Eng.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.peo.on.ca |title=Professional Engineers Ontario: Welcome to PEO's website |publisher=Peo.on.ca |access-date=2012-03-25}}</ref> The PEO does not recognize any online or distance education however; and does not consider Computer Science programs to be equivalent to software engineering programs despite the tremendous overlap between the two. This has sparked controversy and a certification war. It has also held the number of P.Eng holders for the profession exceptionally low. The vast majority of working professionals in the field hold a degree in CS, not SE. Given the difficult certification path for holders of non-SE degrees, most never bother to pursue the license.

=== Impact of globalization ===
The initial impact of outsourcing, and the relatively lower cost of international human resources in developing third world countries led to a massive migration of software development activities from corporations in North America and Europe to India and later: China, Russia, and other developing countries. This approach had some flaws, mainly the distance / time zone difference that prevented human interaction between clients and developers and the massive job transfer. This had a negative impact on many aspects of the software engineering profession. For example, some students in the [[developed world]] avoid education related to software engineering because of the fear of [[offshore outsourcing]] (importing software products or services from other countries) and of being displaced by [[Foreign Worker Visa|foreign visa workers]].<ref>{{cite web |first=Patrick|last=Thibodaux|url=http://www.computerworld.com/article/2555175/it-careers/as-outsourcing-gathers-steam--computer-science-interest-wanes.html |title=As outsourcing gathers steam, computer science interest wanes |publisher=Computerworld.com |date=2006-05-05 |access-date=2016-12-06}}</ref> Although statistics do not currently show a threat to software engineering itself; a related career, [[computer programming]] does appear to have been affected.<ref>{{cite web |title=Software developer growth slows in North America: Study shows Asia will lead in software developer jobs by 2010 |author=Robert Mullins |date=March 13, 2007 |website=InfoWorld |series=Software Development |url=https://www.infoworld.com/article/2660992/software-developer-growth-slows-in-north-america.html}}</ref> Nevertheless, the ability to smartly leverage offshore and near-shore resources via the [[follow-the-sun]] workflow has improved the overall operational capability of many organizations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cognizant.com/html/content/news/GartnerMQ_Cognizant.pdf |title=Gartner Magic Quadrant |publisher=Cognizant.com |access-date=2012-03-25 |archive-date=2008-09-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920182857/http://www.cognizant.com/html/content/news/GartnerMQ_Cognizant.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> When North Americans leave work, Asians are just arriving to work. When Asians are leaving work, Europeans arrive to work. This provides a continuous ability to have human oversight on business-critical processes 24 hours per day, without paying overtime compensation or disrupting a key human resource, sleep patterns.

While global outsourcing has several advantages, global – and generally distributed – development can run into serious difficulties resulting from the distance between developers. This is due to the key elements of this type of distance that have been identified as geographical, temporal, cultural and communication (that includes the use of different languages and dialects of English in different locations).<ref>{{cite journal |last=Casey |first=Valentine |title=Virtual software team project management|journal=Journal of the Brazilian Computer Society |volume=16 |issue=2 |pages=83–96 |date=2010-08-20 |doi=10.1007/s13173-010-0013-3 |s2cid=14383734 |url=http://eprints.dkit.ie/116/1/VCaseyRevisedVersion.doc |doi-access=free }}</ref> Research has been carried out in the area of global software development over the last 15 years and an extensive body of relevant work published that highlights the benefits and problems associated with the complex activity. As with other aspects of software engineering research is ongoing in this and related areas.

=== Prizes ===
There are various prizes in the field of software engineering:
* [[ACM-AAAI Allen Newell Award]]- USA. Awarded to career contributions that have breadth within computer science, or that bridge computer science and other disciplines.
* [[BCS Lovelace Medal]]. Awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the understanding or advancement of computing.
* [[ACM SIGSOFT]] Outstanding Research Award, selected for individual(s) who have made "[[Importance|significant]] and [[Sustainability|lasting]] [[research]] contributions to the [[theory]] or [[Empirical research|practice]] of software engineering."<ref>{{cite web |title=Outstanding Research Award |website=[[ACM SIGSOFT|SIGSOFT]] |url=https://www2.sigsoft.org/awards/outstandingresearch |access-date=1 April 2024}}</ref>
* More [[ACM SIGSOFT]] Awards.<ref>{{cite web |title=SIGSOFT Awards 2024 |author1=David Lo ([[ACM SIGSOFT|SIGSOFT]] Awards Chair) |author2=Thomas Zimmermann ([[ACM SIGSOFT|SIGSOFT]] Chair) |website=[[ACM SIGSOFT]] Blog |url=https://sigsoft.medium.com/sigsoft-awards-2024-ce34b9ee23a6 |date=17 January 2024 |access-date=1 April 2024}}</ref>
* The [[Software and Information Industry Association#CODiE Awards|Codie award]], a yearly award issued by the Software and Information Industry Association for excellence in software development within the software industry.
* [[Harlan Mills#Harlan D. Mills Award|Harlan Mills Award]] for "contributions to the theory and practice of the information sciences, focused on software engineering".
* ICSE Most Influential Paper Award.<ref>{{cite web |title=ICSE Most Influential Paper Award |url=https://www.sigsoft.org/awards/icseMIPAward.html |publisher=[[ACM SIGSOFT]]}}</ref>
* [[Jolt Award]], also for the software industry.
* [[Stevens Award]] given in memory of Wayne Stevens.
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