Kix,
You're correct. I agree 100%. I still say that in my experience a lot of employers aren't going to let a potential welder go, even if he can't pass. He's cheap. I'm told to get him certified. I lower the test to a 2F instead of a 3G, so they pass. They're "certified."
I'm made out to be the bad guy. Sometimes I think that they think that there's some red button, next to the yellow button, in the back of the welder, that I'm not telling them about. Push it and anyone can weld!!!
Most of the welders at my employers shop couldn't complete, let alone have it look good, the weldments required at the annual Skills USA contest that I judge. That's right, the high school students are better. I bring a stack of résumé's back from the contest each year of the top five from each process. We hire a few (it's pretty hard offering next to nothing). Our "welders" run them off by giving them a hard time.
We were in business for over 20 years before we completed an honest to goodness PQR, with radiographs and tension tests. A lot of places dance around codes.
Keith