My first CAA oral (in nineteen-canteen) made me sweat. The worst bit was when the surveyor said "OK, we'll take a break for lunch now. Be back at 1.15 prompt" After that lot I wondered what the written was for, before I realised it was just a filter to spare the examiner from time-wasting on un-prepared candidates.
The syllabus has changed a lot since then, taking account of aircraft that were built to MSG3 and designed for "On condition" maintenance. Those who remember what a maintenance manual looked like in "the good old days" know why the CAA had to grill us so hard. An entire B707 check pack fitted on one desk and you could make a good job of the Certificate of Maintenance in half a night shift. By yourself. Including MAMIS and everything. The licence today is much simpler, but the signatory to a CRS doesn't take on the same responsibility that the signatory to a C of M did. (I'm only referring to Heavy Transport aircraft here) The C of M is now replaced by the CMR and issuing the CMR is a continuous process, not restricted to the latest check pack.
On the whole, I think the current licence fits well into current maintenance practice. The quality of the engineering staff, (from apprentices, through technicians, supervisors and quality assurance) remains as good as it ever was. People only get the credit they deserve from how they do things. The licence you carry is just an authority to do those things in the first place.
Always bear in mind that today will be tomorrows "Good old days"
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Info noted. Plse report further.