Alberta proposes legal changes to software engineer job title

The Alberta government is proposing changes to a tech job title to help make it easier for tech firms to recruit workers. Premier Danielle Smith’s government has introduced a bill to allow for broader use of the “software engineer” title within the technology sector.

The change would allow workers to use that title without a licence from the regulatory body, the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta. Members of Alberta’s tech industry called on Smith last year to relax the rules. At present, someone who isn’t a professional engineer can’t use the word “engineer” in a job title. The province says the tech sector is experiencing unprecedented growth and it wants to support the industry.

“Alberta’s government is committed to supporting our growing technology sector without compromising the high standards maintained by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta,” Advanced Education Minister Rajan Sawhney said Monday in a statement. “In proposing this legislation, we’re supporting the growth of the economy while keeping the safety and security of Albertans at the forefront.”