HAS THE TITLE ENGINEER become meaningless?

Of course not.

Merriam-Webster, among other dictionaries, defines engineering as "the application of science and mathematics by which the properties of matter and the sources of energy in nature are made useful to people." Nowhere in that definition do I see any indication that 'the application of science and mathematics ...' requires a certificate or government imprimatur.

In my nearly 50 years of professional experience, I've found that the only ones who want to restrict the title under the rubric of 'make it meaningful' are the wannabe guildmasters and others who can't make it in the competitive marketplace.