> A common misconception especially amongst graduates. Most of the 
> electricians
> that I've worked with could turn their hands to repairing a whole range of
> equipment from instruments to power generators including the prime movers.

But that is exactly what causes disasters when they don't fully understand 
something.  Most of the time, sure, it will be fine, but one time they will 
try to turn their hand to something that they are not trained in "because it 
looks the same" and the result will be at best a broken device and at worst 
fatalities.

The list is endless of Engineering disasters that were caused by people 
working outside of their specialist field, for example when a construction 
engineer decides to change the design of a structural engineer:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyatt_Regency_walkway_collapse

> On
> the other hand I wouldn't let most EEs loose with a multimeter never mind 
> a
> screwdriver.

True, the problem is when people don't realise they are out of their depth, 
most of my EE friends wouldn't even attempt to rewire a house.

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