Wecan do it wrote:
"Rob" wrote in message
news:si6mm.73140 What I'm trying to get across is that while
the qualification is
necessary, it isn't always, or even often, sufficient.

It'd be nice if you could wash yourself of 'necessary'. When
I left school I worked in a surveying office. After a while
they let me loose and I was out doing surveys, which were
then signed off by a chartered surveyor who'd never seen the
building/land.

In the USA this is called "plan checking" It is illegal and
subjects the licensed party (surveyors are licensed by the
professional engineering boards in USA) to disciplinary action
by the board and could result in criminal liability is someone
is hurt because of your negligence.


While not illegal in the UK (or at least England; Scotland seems to
change by the day), it isn't much more than cheap labour or delegated
trust and responsibility (take your pick). We charged clients many
thousands for reports I'd write from surveys I'd done. This would
include home purchase surveys, but more commonly commercial valuations.
Around £100k pa fees for that type of work IIRC (early-mid-80s).

I got paid £1500pa when I started, and not much more when I left. It was
common knowledge that once you'd 'got your letters' your salary would
increase considerably. Ever one to ride the crest of a wave, by the time
I'd almost qualified I lost interest :-)

But it's the signatory who'd take the liability for professional
negligence/plain bad work. So, they'd be a fool if they didn't take
*any* interest in the paper they were signing, and most were many things
but not fools. I have to say I had a couple of scrapes that nearly got
my boss in deep water.

Rob