Okay, I've got this idea and since I don't have the time right now to do it, perhaps someone else will:
There are websites for reviews of all kinds of things--audio, automobile, etc. How about a site of some kind where people can rate/review a trades pro? Obviously, the certificates don't really tell us what we want to know--is he honest or not? Does he/she work in your best interest or not? How was your experience? etc. If it was done in a respectful way (with the goal of celebrating the good guys), it may actually be a legit resource... like the Consumer Reports of pros... all we need is a flashy name ("Rate-A-Pro") or ("Pro-Rater") or something and a system where respondants must submit proper ID info to avoid bogus stories. Any takers?
Peace, Dan