Precisely the reason I already despise my job at Home Depot after only a month and a half, and I'm most likely walking out first thing tomorrow morning. They hired me after seeming impressed at the portfolio of machines I've restored, and the amount of mechanical and historical knowledge I have of appliances, and they gave all these promises of me being able to become Whirlpool tech certified so I could be a part of their technical service program, in addition to the opportunity of becoming department head and being able to really turn the place around and lead the markets. Nope. There's no such thing. The people I work with know nothing more than what the signs and brochures say. Everyone there seems to worship Samsung as the "leading appliance manufacturer", for what reason I don't know. Ask them about the difference between a washer with a direct drive inverter motor and one with a belt drive PSC; they know of no such thing. On top of that, the appliance department is part of the kitchen and bath department, and we're expected to cover that entire section, countertops, cabinets, plumbing, baths and showers, flooring, toilets, in addition to appliances. Maybe, MAYBE 1/10th of the customers I work with are actually for an appliance.
It's all about numbers and sales at these places. If a person can identify a washer and refrigerator, and read the signs posted above them, that's the only skill they need to become a "certified appliance specialist".