I am by no means arguing against the benefits of learning through experience. I am arguing that the DSC1 is far better than no training or experience at all. The DSC1 is a good way of acquiring knowledge which will inform and help you learn from your experiences going forward.
I am largely a self taught metalworker, I too welded up my own and my little friend’s cars just by picking up a gas torch, a pair of Gilbows and making some folding bars. Frogeye Sprite spring hangers were a specialty. I didn’t take it up professionally though…I preferred hitting hot stuff.
I ran my forge as a blacksmith for 50 odd years mainly designing and making public art projects for national monuments and town centres and I had absolutely NO qualifications to do so…apart from a fork lift driving ticket, "O" level metalwork and a school teacher’s certificate in handicraft and art. I would invariably buy a machine in order to achieve something I had designed, install it, push the green button...and then figure out how to make tooling for it and use it.
After the first 10,000 hours blacksmithing I had a reasonable idea what tooling I needed to make in order to realise the object I could see in my imagination.
A few years ago the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths decided I was okay and awarded me their Tonypandy prize and a silver medal. This came with a certificate which says I am entitled to put FWCB after my name and gave me the title Eminent Master Blacksmith, I have never used that award as any form of accreditation. I always set much greater store by the fact that actual working blacksmiths invited and paid me to lecture, demonstrate, jury exhibitions, give master classes at events around the world and entrusted their journeymen to work with me purely on my portfolio.
Every completed project gave Architects, Developers, Local Authorities and other institutions more confidence to employ me, for exactly the same reasons as your clients have confidence in you.
I am thus fully aware that it is possible to do stuff without paper qualifications, but it is not necessarily better. I have sent many days of head scratching to reinvent the wheel which a bit of education and training could have circumvented. The advantage for an artist though, was that sometimes though ignorance I came up with a slightly different wheel.
The benefits of understanding gained through learning on the job doesn’t mean that DSC1 actually contributes to unsafe shooting practices which is what both you and
@Norfolk Deer Search seemed to be implying. The DSC1 syllabus and shooting test was compiled from the knowledge of many experienced stalkers just like yourselves. It is a vetted body of knowledge and best practice that is more wide ranging than any single mentor is able to provide. Of course some students when presented with that body of second hand knowledge will not take it all on board...but that also applies to bad habits gained from mentors or first hand experience...some people are doomed to repeat poor practice through closed minds.
I agree that the DSC1 safety test, just like a car driving test, can only be a test of competence on the day, but that is still better than no safety awareness training or test at all.
Alan
