[TheForge] Fw: forging contest

[Andy Gladish]

This makes me chuckle, because for the five years before I moved west, I  
apprenticed with an old time (he was almost ninety, third generation in  
the trade) house painter. The standards he held us to seemed ridiculous at  
the time, and we used to make fun of his emphasis on attitude and a  
professional approach. We learned wallpapering, color mixing, customer  
relations, bidding, adaptability, respect, on and on- familiar story to  
most of you, who can think of a mentor like that in your past.
Moved to a state where instead of a day long test where you needed to know  
all that to pass, you had only to wake up in the morning, look out the  
window, and decide that since you have a pickup, a ladder, and enough  
money for a cheap paint brush you're a contractor in the eyes of the  
state- just as soon as you pay your protection money- i.e. license (now a  
bond is required, which helps just a wee bit in sorting out who is serious  
about the trade).
Good news: lots of work for me
Bad news: lots of people willing to throw paint in the general direction  
of a wall for pennies on the dollar.
Worked out ok, but I had to do a lot of educating, so the customers would  
know that there's a huge difference between a passable job and one done by  
a skilled tradesman.

Licensing? Usually just a revenue stream for the state and a biscuit to  
throw to the lawyers.

On Wed, 04 Mar 2009 13:30:51 -0800, Schade <schade at acegroup.cc> wrote:

> It's not really that much different here in the USofA. You have to
> have a special license to drive a truck. Even more special if you are
> hauling hazardous materials. You have to be licensed to be a medical
> doctor or a lawyer. Here in Minnesota you have to be licensed to be a
> barber or cosmetologist. You have to have a special license to be a
> plumber or electrician. Certified public accountants have to be
> certified as do certified weldors.
>
> Farmers around here have pass a test if they are going to be spraying
> certain chemicals. Teachers have to have a teaching license and
> continuing education in their field.
>
> I would have to be convinced that there could be any problem with an
> unlicensed butcher tho. Or an unlicensed barber. And it might make
> sense to be a certified forger if you are forging crane hooks but it
> wouldn't really worry me if the guy who sells candleholders in the
> park has a license.
>
> But  thats just me.
>
> Bob