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Here in the UK there isn't the same proliferation of TC courses and the traditional writer here was almost invariably an programmer/engineer/etc who could actually write! :-)
The only qualification previously available to technical communicators was the City and Guilds 5360 (now gone), an academic qualification following the traditional method of classroom instruction and formal examinations. It was therefore not possible to demonstrate the competence of people who did exactly the same job, but who did not hold the formal academic qualification.
Over 10 years ago now the ISTC (UK equivalent to the STC but older!) recognized the need for a work-based qualification for their staff/colleagues and started the process... not certification but with some similarities. May be worth while having a look at what was done there:
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