atw: Re: FW: ASTC

Professional recognition of TWs is not, and never could be, even remotely comparable to professional recognition of medical practitioners or vets or lawyers or ailine pilots. It's all just a lot of hot air and self-aggrandisement. 

Why do we even debate it?

-Pete



Quoting Ana Young <ana_young2000@xxxxxxxxx>:


I think that the point is being somewhat missed.

Let us see...
1) Is a Vet (or a GP) a good vet (or GP) just because they have a degree? I most certainly say no.
2) Are there people with no qualifications that can treat animals (or people) well? I say yes.
3) Would I take my sick animals (or myself) to someone that is not official recognised as being qualified? Absolutely not.
4) Do I have to pay for the privilege of being seen by a qualified person? Indeed I do. 


--- On Tue, 10/21/08, Christine Kent <c.bkent@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:


From: Christine Kent <c.bkent@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: atw: FW: ASTC
To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2008, 7:15 PM
Forwarded for Geoff

-----Original Message-----
From: lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Wednesday, 22 October 2008 12:51 PM


<CK>
Has a professional association of project managers improved
the standard of
project management and the outcome for projects?  I say no.

<GP>
I sort of agree with this one.  I work with a lot of PMs
and they can be
broken down into three categories:

1. Members of an organisation (there are several) who are
good PMs
2. Members of an organisation who are bad PMs
3. Non-members of an organisation who are bad PMs

While I'm sure there are some, I've never actually
met a PM who is a
non-member and is also good.


<CK>
Has the Certificate IV in Workplace Assessment and
Training, improved the
quality of training and the outcomes for students.  I say
no.

<GP>
I agree.  I did my Cert IV a few years ago and when I
finished I realised
that it gave me a piece of paper but not the ability to be
a good trainer
(I can do it, but there are better trainers out there).

<CK>
The longer we stay outside the system, the better.  At the
moment we don't
have to have a meaningless qualification or membership of
an association,
both of which are so fixated on the process they have
forgotten the goal.

<GP>
Probably.  I don't see the need for an accreditation
system, but I've got
15 years under my belt, a wide range of experiences on my
resume, and a
large portfolio.  The *good* PMs I've worked with
don't give a rats about
my qualifications - they're only concerned with my
experience.  The bad
PMs have always commented on my qualifications (draw your
own
conclusions).

What I think it comes down to is scenarios.

1. Worst case of accreditation = no change (there are good
writers and bad
writers)

2. Best case of accreditation = *some* of the worst tech
writers will be
forced to leave the industry because they can't get
much work.  And don't
forget, the organisation needs the budget to have liason
officers with
other professional organisations and governments, marketing
department,
examinations officers, etc.  Expensive.


I doubt I'd be prepared to pay the high fees associated
with such an
organisation - especially if it wasn't fully recognised
as the sole
organisation for TWs on a national level.  QLD Tech Writers
have an
informal group, NSW seems to very active in many arenas
(but what
percentage of NSW working TWs are members?), and Vic is
still going - what
about other areas.  It is very important that this push
comes from a broad
base of TWs in different industries and different
locations, otherwise it
will fail to address all the necessary issues.

Well, I hope that raises points for discussion.

Geoff


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