Re: Network Security Certification

[David Collier-Brown <davecb () canada sun com>]

> On the other - and to my mind, more important - hand, one thing that
> such a qualification will never provide is a demonstation that the
> possessor of said qualification has got a "CLUE"(TM) [1] - viz: a deep
> comprehension of the issues of network security, rather than the mere
> ability to parrot-rote the "N" different software security
> certification systems that are in use worldwide.

        Actually, certifications have a long and (dis-)honorable
        history, and often start at a level **between** parroting
        and expertise.

        Consider the old terms '`apprentice'', ``journeyman''
        and ``master'':

        An apprentice is learning something, and probably
        spends a lot of time parroting his masters without
        interpretation. He does not know the rules, just
        parts of them. He works under direct supervision.

        A journeyman has learned something, and is ready to put 
        it to use.  He knows the rules, and how to put them
        into practice. He may have been selected to 
        journeyman rank by his master or may have passed 
        an examination.  He works without supervision, 
        but his work is inspected by a master.

        A master knows the rules, how to apply them and when
        to break them.  He has proven this by doing a ``master piece'',
        and his peers have elected him to their rank.

        (phew!) 
        I just went through a course on (analytic) project management,
        to put beside my experience doing the work.  If I aspired
        to the rank of journeyman, and expected to do that task
        all the time, I might be well-advised to stand the certification
        exam for journeyman.

        And if I did it full-time, I'd expect to wave my certificate
        at the customers to say ``see, I'm a journeyman. I can do this
        stuff''.  The customer might want to bring in a consultant
        (a real one: a master) to write the requirements and inspect the
        completed work, but that's their call.

--dave
        In a different life, I was the consultant brought in to 
        specify and inspect.  The person doing the <work> was a journeyman
        <worker>, but a master project manager.
-- 
David Collier-Brown,  | Always do right. This will gratify some people
185 Ellerslie Ave.,   | and astonish the rest.        -- Mark Twain
Willowdale, Ontario   | davecb () hobbes ss org, canada.sun.com
M2N 1Y3. 416-223-8968 | http://java.science.yorku.ca/~davecb