I'd say a programmer is to a software engineer as a handyman is to an architect. Can a handyman do the "dirty work" of most projects? Sure. Can they design a skyscraper to spec, tell you exactly what to expect in terms of resources and timeline, and roll with the punches of logistics and competing priorities? Probably not, unless they were already an architect just doing the job of a handyman.

That being said, as someone with a software engineering degree, I can safely say that most companies don't need engineers and can get by just fine with programmers. Anyway, in this industry there are many architects working as handymen and vice versa.

Can an architect actually put the pieces together? Do they know where to source materials? Do they understand how to order and schedule the construction of a design? Do they "just get" why a particular combination of materials at a specific point in a structure is going to cause problems, because they've seen it over and over? Can they even operate all the tools?

Probably not, unless they used to actually do construction before becoming an architect.

The answer to most of your questions is yes, although obviously most architects are not proficient in operating most tools used in construction because that's not their job.

> Can an architect actually put the pieces together?

Unclear what this means, but architects have plenty of training in doing "manual work". Building models requires a lot more precision than most things in construction.

> Do they know where to source materials?

That's part of their job description.

> Do they understand how to order and schedule the construction of a design?

Definitely part of their job description.

The real truth of the matter is "it depends".

I have about a half-dozen friends as architects in the US, and only 1 of them could do any of the things I mentioned. All have been practising residential and commercial and government architects for > 30 years.

I'd rather be called a handyman than a "Generalist Labor Engineer"