[joshcrews]

On the absence of qualifications, licensing and certification for programmers--I think it doesnt exist because its not yet an effective indicator.

People who can pass the tests can easily add no value (or negative value) to a project

People who've never bothered with the tests can quickly build great things, rescue projects, and fix the bad code/designs/patterns of test-passers.

If certifications/licensing/qualifications becomes and indicator of value in the future, I'm sure it will be adopted in the market then.

[ominous_prime]

I agree. I was thinking about trying to compare it to a profession like structural engineer, pilot, doctor, etc., but each of those has rigorous training and certification.

[spenrose]

Those professions are characterized by the value of replicating previous work. The "problem space" involved in removing an appendix or flying a Cessna on a specific route is just much, much smaller and simpler than the problem spaces software developers are expected to navigate. When you have larger problem spaces -- Boston's "Big Dig", experimental surgery, etc., that certification and rigor becomes less relevant, and the results less predictable, just like in software.