a technician has the ability to do what the manual tells him to do, the engineer has the ability to apply all principles to a problem and solve with or without of a manual
Agreed! I am an Engineer! Not a Technician.
the degree and experience sets me apart from the technician as an engineer
Not Agreed! I was an Engineer long before I had a degree. Being an Engineer in my view is more about a way of thinking than about experience or qualifications.
Some people (who shall remain nameless) have engineering qualifications but still DO NOT think like an engineer.