Lol, software engineering would not be where it is if not for tinkerers.
Safety regulations are written in blood that is too easily washed-off.
;-))
There are plenty of ways for CE's to "tinker" using civil and mechanical engineering statics and dynamics simulators.
Last month, I made Alexa-enabled "tea candle" lanterns by gutting WiFi bedside lights and using privacy paint on said lanterns. As diffusers, I reshaped the diffusers from the original lights. Where the circuit boards appear, I painted the back walls and PCBs matte black to hide them when the lights are on. I dremeled slots in the lantern bases for USB power.
What appears to be happening is the over-regulation of title combinations to collect more money by "solving" a professionalization problem that didn't need solving.
PE is good enough.