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> And I believe the best vehicle is genuine professional certification -- the
> same type of vehicle that protects the public by making it impossible for a
> self-taught surgeon or trial lawyer to get a toe-hold if they can't prove to
> their peers that they know what they are doing.
Have you ever taken your car to a mechanic and been dissatisfied with the
results? Well, chances are both the mechanic and the shop were ASE certified
(whatever that means, but it seems to be the gauge by which mechanincs
measure themselves). When I need to find a new mechanic, do I look for the
initials ASE? No. I ask friends, co-workers and/or relatives for their
advice and recommendations. When we're looking for a new tech writer,
the pubs manager does the same. Someday when the writers' professional
network runs dry, the first thing we'll look at is the quality of the
writing.
In Texas, interior designers banded together and got the state legislature
to force "real" designers to be licensed by the state. I suppose that
certification would prevent a home owner from being forced to decorate
their house in avocado green, harvest gold, and that yucky orange that
was so popular in the 70s. It's a joke, I tell you.
