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>From: brant
>To: Designercouncil
>Subject: PWB Designers Certification
>Date: Friday, June 16, 1995 10:39AM
>
>To whom it may concern:
>
>        I am a founding member of the Austin, Heart Of Texas, Designers
>
>Council. I felt that we, as designers, needed more respect from the Eng-
>
>ineering and Manufacturing community and saw the IPC Designer Councils
>
>as the vehicle toward that end. The Certification Test is our proof that
>
>we deserve that respect.
>
I have to disagree with Brant on this last point.  What proof is offered by 
our test?  The test has not been fully evaluated by Drake (that's happening 
now), nor has it shown credibility in the industry or among designers(yet). 
 Passing a test does not (and should not IMHO) automatically impart respect.

                      <cut>
>
>        Our Certification Test is currently the only way we have to prove
>
>our expertise, to show the world that we, too, are professionals. Consider-
>
>ing the interest shown in item writting for the test, I am very surprised
>
>at the actual test participation up to this point. I took the test three
>
>days after it was available thinking I would be lucky to be in the first
>
>100 tested after all that time had passed. Here we are, months later, and
>
>still 100 tests have not been taken.
>
                                 <cut>

Unfortunately Brant, the interest in item writing was pretty minimal in most 
areas.  We had a few people involved from our area (Atlanta), but the 
participation decreased as time went on.  It seemed the same thing happened 
on a national level.  I only know one individual from this area that took 
the test and their review was not stellar.  As you can imagine that kind of 
feedback discouages others and leads to credibility problems.

I would like to suggest that you and any who have taken the test post your 
opinion of the test.  You are among the small group that can actually 
comment from the point of knowledge.  It may help to alleviate some fears 
and help add to the credibility of the test in general.


>Brant McClellnd, P.D.
>
>Senior Designer
>Texas Instruments
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>

Ben Davis        [log in to unmask]
AT&T Global Information Solutions