[BITList] Anything goes, apparently

[HUGH]

This morning my eye chanced to light on an advert in the Professional, Technical and Engineering job vacancies section of The Herald.  I leave aside some questions I have about who and what might occupy the 3 categories, and turn to the advert.  An "expanding Engineering Consultancy" are looking for a "MICROSTATION CAD TECHNICIAN".  Must be competent in the production of drawings using Microstation CAD software.  A background in civil/geotechnical, building or architectural design would be preferable.  One assumes no background at all would be considered.

Many years ago, back in the 80s, Kincaid in Greenock had a Personnel Manager.  He used to be a joiner, and he knew eff all about marine engineers, as he amply demonstrated one day when he announced to me as chairman of the Office Committee that henceforth we'd all be classified as technicians (with or without a capital T).  We told him to go bugger himself, and apparently that is what he did, for the word was never used again in our hearing.  He didn't last long.  The CAD we used was in its infancy at that point, and the ability to switch on a pencil was still a prerequisite.  My later experience was that knowledge of version A of CAD was useless when one moved to somewhere using version B, there being wellnigh no standard way of working, so each move was preceded by an induction course.  Already, there were people moving in via "training courses", some of only a few weeks duration, and software arrived that would warn the inexperienced that two pipes were occupying the same space, even if, as was sometimes the case, the operator/technician hadn't a clue either way. I know of one office where the boss, not all that long ago, asked a member of staff, "What's a fitted bolt?"  He got an answer, but today he might not. The UK is now building some very big aircraft carriers using the above resources.

Hugh. 
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