The problem more and more nowadays is of licences being issued without sufficient experience in some NAA's, but proves the removal of a technical oral exam before licence issue was a great mistake when JAA then EASA took over from Section L.
Engineers who do not understand simple matters of how to use an AMM or what ppm is then should not be allowed anywhere near an aircraft. Days have gone when there were plenty of engineers around in hangars or on the Line, Operators have cut numbers to cut costs. However that is no excuse for not understanding how to carry out a basic task IAW AMM!