BCMA worth it or not

[begleytree]

Board certified master arborist. Worth the extra hassel or not? based on reality, not on personal ego or whatever. Will it really help anyone out by getting it? CA here really means nothing, no one knows about it, or cares, nor wants to learn, although I'm trying to spread the gospel.
whatcha think, seriously. If it helps, tell me why/how.
I want to go for it myself, but am really having a hard time justifying the extra cost, and CEUs. If I did at this point, It'd be nothing more than personal ego.
-Ralph

 

[NickfromWI]

If no one there knows about an ISA certified arborist, I don't see why they'll all of a sudden care that you're a bored certified master arborist. If it's just about the ego, just start a club and certify yourself. Then you can tell people you're a bored certified master arborist.

 

[alanarbor]

In your situation, probably not worth it. In my area with a lot of CA's it would stand out more.

 

[tnttreeman]

I've been in the tree business for eight years and I've never once had anyone ask me if I was a certified arborist. So, for me, there'd be absolutely no value.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Guy did it, and joined ASCA.

At one time I would have concidered going there, since I'm so cynical about the basic exam. Don't know if I have enough years in me for it now.

 

[P_woozel]

I've given it some thought, but I always return to the basic thought that it really has no bearing on the fact that everyone who employs me does so for one reason, I cut wood. Simple as that.

 

[okietreedude1]

I recently saw a breakdown of the certification triangle the Isa put out regarding cert levels and discovered my cert arbo desigantion now means just about nothing. first step above tree worker. a line hack has more distintion than a ca. the liner was in line w/ a nother i dont remember now. at the top of course was the bcma.

will i ever take the test? NOpe. It wont gain me anything.

 

[P_woozel]

It will get the "nonprofit" organization a few more hard earned dollars from you each year.

 

[treeseer]

Bcma

I'm in an area with dozens of CA's and I wanted to show I knew more. Ego was part of it too, I admit--I wanted to show ME I knew more, too. For the many potential clents here who know what a CA is, BCMA means something. That was worth the $$.

The CEU's are so easy to get, that's not a factor. Read the books and magazine articles and take the tests--not hard at all. If you're not interested enough to study up and attend workshops to hear what's going on, then you may be in the wrong biz.