FCC staff collected fees, gave exams and graded exams. Back in PA, a room full of clerks checked exam results, recorded results, assigned available call signs from a sequenced list, typed wallet-sized license forms and sent the licenses via mail. The clerical staff often lost valuable processing time by fielding inquiries from anxious, new hams who thought their licenses were overdue. Thus, you impatiently waited for the postman, or contacted Gettysburg. VEs are not FCC employees.
VEs are usually members of local or regional radio clubs.
Within 24 hours of receipt, the FCC's Internet information systems issue call signs to successful applicants. The FCC system still sends a printed copy of new licenses via mail. However, new hams no longer must wait for the arrival of the license in the mail before operating. Many radio clubs provide inquiry into the daily results of the FCCs call sign assignment process via the Internet. These clubs download same databases used in my classes.