Re: cert discussion

[Gene Rackow <rackow@mcs.anl.gov>]

I'm not sure what people really expect to get out of "certification". 
Yes, there are sites in the industry that use the fact you are a certified
MS * to get in the door, but as time goes on, people are going to realize what
that really means.  It will be recognized as being worth the paper it's written
on, and not more.

Typically what certification means to me is that someone has sat 
through a few hours of a training session then passed a test.  In many
cases, the training session is set up specificly to give you the info
needed to pass the test.  Look at how many books there are that "aid"
people in getting the perfect SAT or ACT test. 

There are, or at least were when I had classes, the same sorts of books
available to pass the FCC tests needed to work on radio transmission
equipment.  Truth is I still have that piece of paper someplace and it takes
very little to renew it.  I haven't touched a transmitter in 15years, but
I'm still "certified". 

Since we have such a dynamic field, how often is renewal going to be expected,
or is it a membership for life?  If it's lifetime, then usefulness goes down
after a fwe years, as some student gets the paper to pass a class and then
stays out of the SA field for 5 years.

If this is going to be a test based certification we'll probably see the
answer books available weeks after the first tests are given.  Probably
even earlier as people will need to know the type of stuff to study. ;-)

Education is a much better target to go after.  At least then you have
the hope that someone has at least been exposed for a slightly longer
period of time to the things needed to get a degree on the area.

--Gene