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I totally agree that our profession needs some kind of quality control.
I have interviewed ... and worked with... numerous tech writers with decades of experience and tons of glowing recommendations and seemingly impressive qualifications who, as demonstrated in the work they had produced, didn't know the first thing about how to organize material logically; write clearly; develop useful illustrations; etc etc. They considered themselves to be experts, but the quality of their work was woefully inadequate. They couldn't/wouldn't see the shortcomings in their own skills; nor, when reviewing peers' work, could they tell good work from bad.
Same with applicants who graduate from multi-year tech writing programs; I worked with one who lorded her degree and supposed "giftedness" over everyone else, but didn't even have a grasp of what writing in active voice and in plain English meant.
So my skepticism about the STC certification lies in wondering how credible the assessment process is. WHO is going to make the assessments? A bunch of volunteers who will sift through applications in their spare time? Are they going to use their semi-objective opinions in concert with how cranky or benevolent they're feeling on any given day, or will they be given rigorous and quantifiable criteria to follow?
Cause if getting certified comes down largely to being able to fill out an application that makes you look good on paper and coughing up a fee (and submitting samples that the applicant may or may not have actually produced themselves), then the types of people I've described above... the "quacks" of our profession... may well get certified.
Which would then make certification kind of an expensive joke.
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+lynne -dot- wright=tiburoninc -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+lynne -dot- wright=tiburoninc -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Phil Stokes
Sent: Monday, October 17, 2011 1:58 PM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: STC certification program
I'm astounded at the skepticism here. Professional certification is good for everybody. It protects consumers and it confers both recognition and higher wages on practitioners.
Of course, that depends on the certification being both valid and widely recognised. The STC and other worldwide TC bodies (like the UK's 'ISTC', which I belong to) are responsible for the first; we, as practitioners, are largely responsible for the second.
It's the lack of this kind of professional qualification that kills credibility for TCs among many employers and keeps us under the thumb as little more than "glorified secretaries". Doctors were largely considered as quacks and taken on merit till they got professional certification. Now look at them. ;)
Phil
On 18/10/2011 00:47, Porrello, Leonard wrote:
> I have no problem with the STC making money. I would just want to be sure that the certification, in its several bits and pieces, offers a good ROI (all other things being equal).
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+lporrello=illumina -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+lporrello=illumina -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
> Behalf Of Tony Chung
> Sent: Monday, October 17, 2011 10:44 AM
> To: TECHWR-L
> Subject: Re: STC certification program
>
> And Lynne,
>
> It is a money making venture for the STC, after all, the organization
> is broke. However, STC wants to provide some significant value to the
> money you give them, and this is one option.
>
> The jury's still out as to whether I can get certified for the work
> that I do.
>
> Steven Jong and the team were also really open to ideas. I'll be
> watching the process to see how it tracks.
>
> -Tony
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