[ghaff]

A developer union/guild system probably would build off of professional engineer certifications which exist for other fields of engineering (predominantly civil because of interactions with regulators). So if you don't have a 4-year degree from an appropriate institution and mentorship (or don't pass the appropriate exams), you're going to have some lower-status tech status. But, yes, would absolutely check the boxes for someone like myself--who admittedly isn't in a position to care any longer.