If writing code can be considered a trade, what about debugging? What about debugging a complex embedded system?
I'm not sure what i should call myself. I usually just say programmer because it's easier to say that.
I did an electronics and communications engineering degree at an Aus uni, focusing on DSP and FPGA.
I had 2 FPGA jobs, one in defence and one in medical devices.
Now I've been working with embedded software for 7 years for a chip company.
I'm still not sure if I should call myself a Software Engineer, even though that's what it says on my contract. I occasionally find gaps in my software engineering knowledge, but i learn as i go.