becomming certified

[xtremetrees]

books

this is what sherrill is offering.
I just want to be well preped for the exam.
One of the best ways for me to learn is by teaching mind if I teach here?
Keep this thread for teaching? Learning hard tuff test questions?
Bad link sorry

 

[Guy Meilleur]

Originally posted by John Paul Sanborn
My reason fro not getting the cert. yet is simmilar to Brian and NYC-HA (Rob) . Too minimal and too many use it as a sales tool.
It is the only formal cert. we have though.

Bingo. I agree w the minimal and sales points, but what else is there? If they come out with the Master Arborist test by August I'll go for that. For you jps why not go for RCA? Maybe same reason as mine--no great need, haven't gotten around to it,$,...

xtreme, I'm sure manywould respond to posted sample test ?'s. Some of the responses may be more useful than others, but the discussion may help all who partake. Recommend you start a new thread with them.

 

[NYCHA FORESTER]

I did the ASCA thing about 10 years ago. I belive at the time you needed a current (ASCA) memeber to be you mentor. Then you had to attend their Academy, etc...... to become registered. Great program for those people that want to consult on a full time basis.

Every ASCA person I have ever met were straight shooters. I also stopped persuing it because I did not see myself consulting on a full time basis and my employer at the time felt that the three other RCA's on staff were adequet. (funding became an issue)

ASCA does have a history of terminating a person "registration" if they break the rules. I have not heard of ISA doing that. As a result I feel it will continue to be used as a sales tool.

Perhaps ISA could create a link to their site to allow clients, customers, and other tree dudes to file complaints. ISA follows up etc.. with warning letters or worse. I DON'T CLAIM HAVE ALL OF THE ANSWERS. But we do have a problem. We need to improve the credibility of the ISA certification.

This will especially benefit those fellas that never had a chance for college but are now ISA Certified. ( It took me 11 years to finally get my B.S.)

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Originally posted by Guy Meilleur
For you jps why not go for RCA? Maybe same reason as mine--no great need, haven't gotten around to it,$,...

It's more in the lack of points and documentation on seminars, to even becoem an ASCA member.

 

[Guy Meilleur]

Originally posted by John Paul Sanborn
It's more in the lack of points and documentation on seminars, to even becoem an ASCA member.

You do have to pile em up to get the 100's they ask for. college courses count for a lot, same as for CA. I pile up those not thru class time but independent study, finding a prof I want to bounce ideas off of, then writing a paper to sum it allup, 4 credits bingo.

But living <30 min from 3 major colleges is a huge advantage for me; if I was still stuck in beertown I'd have to go via e-correspondence.
re seminars, there's a pile of ceu's there for you in MN next month--why not hop over? I've NEVER seen such a bunch of diverse and worthwhile offerings at any regional conf; rivals tci and isa imo.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Going to MN would cut into my work here too much, little that it is this time of year.

I'm still vascilating on weather to go to CA to for a rec climb. I've been joking that I'm waiting for tickets to become too expencive before I buy the flight.

 

[Guy Meilleur]

Originally posted by John Paul Sanborn
Going to MN would cut into my work here too much,I'm still vascilating on weather to go to CA to for a rec climb.

your call, but I cannot understand the appeal of spending $ on a rec climb rather than a workshop. I get all the climbing fun I need at work and on my own trees. The 2 best climbers I had here last year (present company excluded) were so focused on rec climbing imo tree care seemed to be a far distant second.

Seemed backwards to me, but different strokes...for me climbing is great fun, but a means to the end of increasing trees' value and lifespan. ps there will be rec climbing possibilities in MN; in their arboretum I'll be finding some big tree species I don't see in NC, to check out up close and personal.:blob6:

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

I may be sponsering a rec climb, at my house. Climbers will recreationally climb and remove all the deadwood. Then when they get down they are invited to stay and join the recreational brush drag, after which, there will be...you guessed it, a recreational chip!
The afternoon highlite will be a recreational gutter cleaning! Dates, times, and fees to be announced.

 

[NeTree]

Will you be providing the recreational beer and pizza?

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

I can't be expected to do everything. It will be "bring your own".

 

[Dadatwins]

Posted this over in residential forum my opinion of certified arborist, not sure if I am supposed to post in two places I guess someone will set me straight
I am new to this forum also but have been doing treework for 20+years and recently became certified. My opinion about certification is that you need to ask WHY am I doing this first. Prepare yourself for some expenses Cost me about $500.00 for test, study guides, and prep classes. Cost money to get CEU to continue to hold certification, classes, books, videos, training, etc. So far that has cost about $200.00 and I have not reached total CEU yet. My reason to get certified was advancement in current job. It is not a requirement but put me ahead of everyone else. Certificate also looks good to homeowner vs. the guy in the pick-up with the pole saw. Although pick-up guy might be better treeman. I guess my point is think about it as investment and return. Will you book more work with certificate maybe, but if you are bad tree-man it will not help. As stated in other threads on this subject ISA does not regulate members. As long as you SAY you have 3 years experience they ALLOW you to pay money and take their test. I took pre-test class an 1/2 the people there had NEVER climbed a tree. Hope this helps and good luck.


__________________

 

[MasterBlaster]

Originally posted by Mike Maas
I may be sponsering a rec climb, at my house. Climbers will recreationally climb and remove all the deadwood. Then when they get down they are invited to stay and join the recreational brush drag, after which, there will be...you guessed it, a recreational chip!
The afternoon highlite will be a recreational gutter cleaning! Dates, times, and fees to be announced.

Hahahaha!!! That sounds like a good deal!

Will there be some kind of certificates issued upon completion?

 

[rumination]

I agree with all who said that ISA certification is more of a selling point than anything else, especially because there is no enforcement of any standards. I mentioned this to a friend of mine who works for the the Western Chapter, and I believe used to work for the main ISA. He fully agreed with me. He said that standards enforcement and certification revocation had been considered but the costs would have bankrupted the organisation. too bad.

that said, I'll be taking the exam this April anyway. If anything it'll be grounds for a raise. After all I gotta sell myself somehow

 

[NeTree]

Originally posted by rumination
After all I gotta sell myself somehow

Have you tried Ebay?



Certification is only as good as the organization that's behind it.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Revocation of certification is so touchy that ASCA did away with it and made the ethics sorta vollentary. They vet their candidates a lot better then the ISA does though, so I would think it is moot for them.

Try to go after someone and they seu you for defimation.

 

[xtremetrees]

Ive never met a ISA cert. ARborist that does not adhear to the spikes only on removals. I think that says alot of folks being certified and they are putting the sweat into ISA and what it stands for.
I plan to as well. Spikes only on removals
Cant get a exam schedule past march. I wont finish this Op until a later date. Leave and pass have been suspended. So Ive got to EAOS out of the Army before I can take the test. Hopefully FL/GA will have a exam in May/ June.

 

[Guy Meilleur]

Originally posted by xtremetrees
Cant get a exam schedule past march. Hopefully FL/GA will have a exam in May/ June.

Check this link.

http://www.isa-arbor.com/certification/tests.asp

Test 5/1 in Orlando, 6/12 in Cayo Hueso

 

[xtremetrees]

Thank you Mr. Meilleur.
Most helpful.
Be joining ISA this week. Then requesting exam.
Im most grateful.