I think you make a good point here, that the majority of software jobs could be classified as software technicians. I feel that designers have a slightly different role that I can't quite put my finger on. For instance, I feel that clay is a different concept from Python or breadboards -- since clay design usually only has the abstract function designed, and doesn't actually implement it (ie. it is not prototype functionality).

I think Python and breadboards are rapid-prototyping materials (possibly similar to 3D plastic printing?), but especially with breadboards, I've found EEs tend to forgo them entirely during prototyping phase since once you've learned a proper engineering tool it is _really_ hard to go back.

Certainly many advanced tools are a pain-in-the-ass due to poor UX, but there is also the idea that a complicated problem can only get so simple. To deal with complex problems -- which advanced tools should do -- they will need to have some level of complexity that needs to be learned.

Julia is an exciting language, but even there it has its own levels of complexity. A complex problem can only get so simple, and proper engineering tools expose this leftover complexity to the engineer. Whereas beginners tools tend to hide this.