Certification recognition for technical communicators: it's time!

The difficult issues surrounding certification in technical communication is a communication frontier that major stakeholders in the field agree can no longer be ignored. If technical communication is a profession, it must have some mechanism for identifying and validating the work that its professionals do. This mechanism must provide a clear entry and exit from the profession and a clear career path for advancement. Everyone would benefit from an objective, fair, and meaningful system of certification. The author defines the terms that are going to be used. Then the author discusses five reasons that the proposition for certification is a valid one. Then he describes five current approaches to certification by different organizations. Finally, the author describes twelve issues that must be addressed and tasks that must be undertaken to move the profession towards meaningful certification.