TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: certification From:Damien Braniff <Damien_Braniff -at- PAC -dot- CO -dot- UK> Date:Wed, 18 Nov 1998 14:30:56 +0000
Perhaps certification, as such, isn't the way to go. Perhaps a possible
middle road might be to bump up the standing (right word?) of the STC. In
the UK I hve been involved in both TW and Quality and I am a member of the
professional bodies associated with each - Institute of Scientific and
Technical Communicators (ISTC) and the Institute of Quality Assurance.
Membership of both is at various level depending on education, experience
etc and being a member does add a certain kudos when applying for jobs -
if two people have the same experience etc then this may tip the balance
(one way or the other!). The institutes arrange talks, conferences etc and,
like the STC, have various regional groups, the activity of which varies
dependent on the enthusiam of the members. From all I've heard on this list
this is very similar to STC chapters with some being very active while
others of debatable use to members.
What I'm saying is that membership of the Institutes is in itself a very
basic form of certification in that you have to show (by experience etc) to
your fellows that you can do the job. I could read something produced by
another writer and give a reasonable opinion if it was well written or not.
I may not understand it but I could tell you if it read OK (essentially a
grammar check!). Someone in the same field could read it and check it was
technically correct etc. Nothing need be too rigid.
As with any organisation you join you only get out what people are prepared
to put in and it's easy to sit back and let others do the work for us. If
we want something like this to work then we need to put in some effort. I
know in the UK that the ISTC is involved in education, raising profile of
TW, setting standards etc and I assume the STC does the same in the US but
it needs to be an ongoing process.
