Yes, we do have “paper mills” over here. I can’t defend that practice in any way. Ex-military guys use them, and they get a lot of business when management suddenly has to have their tickets to keep their positions. Some of these “paper mills” have recently been caught by the FAA, and their customers have been asked to re-test. I expect that would be a sphincter tightening experience for those involved.
I went through a two year technical school, my examiners were my instructors, and still the practicals and orals were stern. After that it was working on small planes to see if I could actually handle the trade and to build time until the airlines would talk to me. Back then the airlines wanted five years experience, preferably on jets. I should mention that a class before mine in school was so rowdy and disrespectful that the instructors told them to find their own examiners, which will almost guarantee tough testing since the examiner has no idea of who you are or what you can do, so they start from point zero.
I’m not sure I care for the certificates being good for life. I think occasional re-testing would separate the posers from the actual wrench turners. But that would raise costs for the employers, thinning the available qualified labor pool, so we will probably never see that. Employers are a lot better at lobbying the FAA than labor is.
What is the process for getting a UK license? Two corn flake proof of purchase coupons? Just kidding, keep the gloves on, no need to go to bare knuckles yet. Is there re-testing/re-qualification? Is it hard to move from company to company with a UK license? Is there a shop or hangar hierarchy?