Talk:Professional Guilds

The guild system would mean that each guild would take on the responsibility of credentials independently since the members would be knowledgeable of what skills their craft needed. Educational institutions present curricula to the guild for approval and the guild tailors the needs according to how things go.

As well the guild sets rates for work of various kinds and the qualifications required for each designation: Apprentice, etc.

Usually to join the guild, there has to be work done independently first at proven level. In film, this is usually working on indies. Using the guild system means that people can still work outside of it as well. Most people like the guild system because it validates their expertise in a public way and differentiates over confident newbies from real masters at their craft.

Guild membership is highly prized and valuable but not without contention. It is an evolving system by its very nature in that it reacts to the needs of its members. And guild members, like SL residents, are a highly vocal and exacting bunch. If the guild doesn't meet the needs of their members, they lose membership and presence in SL.

There is usually a general meeting once a quarter where all guilds meet to discuss general issues and overarching problems. The guilds themselves usually meet monthly if there is not an issue. There is a quorum needed to make changes or to accept new members. The chairs and co-chairs are elected for a term only. And usually there is a honarium paid from dues collected. People apply to become guild members and if rejected must be given reasons why and what they can do to improve. It is not a popularity contest; if people like you, you work so the marketplace takes care of that.

From my experience, there are some wonderfully talented and skilled people out there that people would accept without question as masters of their crafts. They are the people to start with. And everyone who takes the time to involve themselves in this process can be given guild status for the time being; I think most of us are pretty clear about what our level is in our field.

As for me, I love to build and create but at this point I would only be an Apprentice. :)

Though we also need a teacher's guild!