RE: certification

Subject: RE: certification
From: "Giordano, Connie" <Connie -dot- Giordano -at- FMR -dot- COM>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2003 16:30:37 -0400


Dick,

I think you're right on the money. Long ago in a galaxy far away, I became
an accredited PR professional. Minimum five years professional, paid,
experience; proctored written exams in several areas (special events
management, crisis communications, etc.); and a very tough oral exam
administered by three senior professionals. Perhaps accreditation would be
a better way to distinguish demonstrated skills and competence? Versus
certification, which often means you took a boot camp and a test, but
doesn't necessarily mean you have real work experience.

An idea to toss around

Regards,

Connie Giordano

-----Original Message-----
From: Dick Margulis [mailto:margulis -at- mail -dot- fiam -dot- net]
Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2003 4:14 PM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: RE: certification



Folks,

Let's try to be clear about what we are discussing. The word certification
has meanings that conflict with each other.

I _believe_ that what we want to be talking about is a program that awards
an oak cluster or an epaulet or a croix de guerre or something to people who
can demonstrate a fairly comprehensive set of skills and some years of
experience. That is very different from talking about a trade school
curriculum that offers a certificate of completion.

Can anyone suggest some simple, clear way of distinguishing these meanings
so that we don't keep circling back?

While I'm on the subject, I also _believe_ that we are not discussing a
device that becomes either a barrier to entry or a job requirement, except
perhaps for certain senior positions. Rather, it would be a personal
accomplishment that might result in a promotion or raise, once its value and
credibility were established.

And I _believe_ that we are discussing some sort of program that we as tech
writers would design and administer through some professional association
rather than a tool certificate awarded by a software vendor.

Some posters have indicated they believe otherwise on these latter points;
but if this discussion is going to be at all useful, we should at least
agree on what it is we're talking about.

Thoughts?

Dick

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Purchase RoboHelp X3 in April and receive a $100 mail-in
rebate, plus FREE RoboScreenCapture and WebHelp Merge Module.
Order here: http://www.ehelp.com/techwr-l/


Help celebrate TECHWR-L's 10th Anniversary starting this month!
Check out the contests at http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/special/contests/
Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday TECHWR-L....

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.



Previous by Author: RE: certification
Next by Author: Skills matrix
Previous by Thread: RE: certification
Next by Thread: RE: certification


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads