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CA and ESC key

In short; I just figured out the esc key deletes everything so if this is not terribly succinct...
- I received the 100 tree list 3 days before my ISA exam, nice; I was more lucky then knowledgeable and leaded in the required 6 out of 10 tree iDers.

In my area the municipal trend in smaller jurisdictions [those not having their own arborists] is to require an ISA arborist letter before a protected tree can be removed; the standard rate for that is 100. So the ISA cert has paid for itself already in my case.

My motivation to do it in the first place was career and knowledge. An exam that costs good money and time was motivation enough to study hard. I have less overall knowledge then most of the 20 year types I have worked with but I'm narrowing the gap quickly [some I have more then already]. But even these fairly progressive long toothed guys that have no interest in scholastic development have gaps in their knowledge.

I have not met a CA that has similar gaps in their knowledge. Obviously it has more to do with motivation and personality then the CA ticket. For me anyways, the ISA route lays out the steps and learning that I don't have the time or inclination to figure out myself; Bill Gates might have gotten away with dropping out of Harvard but I sure would not have.
 
Update

Took the tree ID/slection domain in Mississippi last Thursday. Checked the ISA website today and I'm now certified. Glad its over with and glad I can start putting it in my advertising now.
 
Took the tree ID/slection domain in Mississippi last Thursday. Checked the ISA website today and I'm now certified. Glad its over with and glad I can start putting it in my advertising now.
Excellent--you took a very good step on a very good journey!
 
Excellent--you took a very good step on a very good journey!

It's a Journey alright, after being around arboristsite and learning from guys like you and studying for the test i realize how much i dont know. There is so much to learn and you can never know enough. I'm looking forward to getting my ceu's now.
 
I was hired today for a position with a large corporate tree service. I have a good resume with solid experience. Now, I don't even test until November. I was told that the main reason I was hired was that I'd taken the initiative to get the CA process started and that I'm taking college classes pertinent to arboriculture, which beyond the experience showed my desire to improve myself as a professional. Again, I haven't even tested yet. I'll be making steady and good money with a raise when I do get the CA. I'll happily be paying my testing fees. I wouldn't suggest that CA makes me better than veterans, but it does in fact pay.
 
I'd hire a CA in a heartbeat if I were putting on employees. But I would still only pay based on their ability to actualy work and produce revenues.

I do not pay based on a document saying so and so did so and so and is certified to be a so and so by such and such educational institute.

We work hard, if you cannot then I've no use for you.
 
It's a Journey alright, after being around arboristsite and learning from guys like you and studying for the test i realize how much i dont know. There is so much to learn and you can never know enough. I'm looking forward to getting my ceu's now.

You know about getting free CEUs from the online seminars site for arborists right? Short articles and a short quiz for verification. They email you your results and you forward to the ISA.

It's one option.

10 new topics every two months, at about 1/2 CEU each. So if you score good, you can get 5 CEUs every 6 months.

Once you take a quiz, you can't repeat. One try, one score. So take your time.
 
You know about getting free CEUs from the online seminars site for arborists right? Short articles and a short quiz for verification. They email you your results and you forward to the ISA.

It's one option.

10 new topics every two months, at about 1/2 CEU each. So if you score good, you can get 5 CEUs every 6 months. .
Gee Mario your math skills indicate you have been hanging around that bogus online seminar place too long. 5x3=15 last i checked.

The best ceu source is right there in arborist news articles, which have real tests instead of the gimmes on infomercials. online forums still has a long way to go toward legitimacy; try taking the tests without reading the articles--it is often possible.

treesquirrel I agree, certification alone is not a reliable criterion for doing the job, especially with the recent ceu inflation for special interest groups like online seminars and 30 ceu's for ONE college course (!!?!!). But it does show a quest for competency that is a valuable trait in an employee.
 
You know about getting free CEUs from the online seminars site for arborists right? Short articles and a short quiz for verification. They email you your results and you forward to the ISA.

It's one option.

10 new topics every two months, at about 1/2 CEU each. So if you score good, you can get 5 CEUs every 6 months. .
Gee Mario your math skills indicate you have been hanging around that bogus braindead online seminar place too long. 5x3=15 last i checked.

The best ceu source is right there in arborist news articles, which have real tests instead of the gimmes on infomercials. online forums still has a long way to go toward legitimacy; try taking the tests without reading the articles--it is often possible.

treesquirrel I agree, certification alone is not a reliable criterion for doing the job, especially with the recent ceu inflation for special interest groups like online seminars and 30 ceu's for ONE college course (!!?!!). But it does show a quest for competency that is a valuable trait in an employee.
 
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