Where I work now the fitters are generally dismal,their called "engineers" up here in scotchland,I always thought you needed a degree to be an engineer?
Still,back in ford they were trained identically to the electricians as we did a "multiskilled" 4 year apprenticeship and only when we came out of our time were we assigned either mech or elec,there was no science to it just demand at the time.
Well,that's what we told the hammer throwers!!!!