Originally Posted by
cny-bikeman
"Certified Mechanic" has very little practical meaning. There are training programs that issue certifications, but that only means one has been exposed to certain information, and perhaps been (usually on paper) tested on it. In no way does that guarantee ability to apply knowledge to a problem.
You should try working in the software industry with people who have recently completed a PhD. You won't find smarter people with fewer practical skills anywhere in the world. They usually get the hang of it after a few years though. I guess any field is like this. You can't teach experience.