So to make sure the expereince and requirement was not overly burdening I took the class and test, obtaining my certification. I did it not because I ever expected to wire a building but it showed the staff I was willing to do anything I asked them to do. It also confirmed in my mind the need for the skill and the time needed to properly prepare.

Interestingly there was a minor down side, we had some folks that failed and it did not go over well with them that the boss who had not done the work hands on in years passed and they had not. But we turned it into a coaching opporuntity and discussed with the individuals what areas they needed help with and we tried to adjust their work assignments to give them expereince in those areas and help them prepare for the retest.

I beleive it is very valuable to get a well rounded exposure to a business, in the technology field folks tend to isolate themselves to the systems, in almost every case understanding the business first makes implementing, managing and supporting those systems much more effective.

I give the Chief credit for getting a better understanding of the business he is involved with.

When I worked at Best Buy we had a philosophy that everyone in corporate needs to spend time in the stores… that’s where the most important work is happening. Even the top executives would go out and spend time with the Blue Shirts, and they would always emerge with a new perspective and renewed appreciation for the company.

I think the Chief has his heart in the right place and he is calling attention to an important institution that many of us take for granted. He will emerge from this exercise changed for the better. I applaud his effort.