isa assessment-based certification

Victor Lindsay

Here's an e-mail ISA sent me asking for input. I think it's a step in the right direction.

Good Day,

You are receiving this email because the ISA Certification Board needs your help. The ISA Certification Board is always looking at ways to provide professional development opportunities for ISA credential holders but the Board wants to make sure we are developing programs of value to you.

In a previous survey, ISA credential holders sent a very clear message that they did not want additional certifications to confuse their customers. The survey also found that an overwhelming majority would still be interested in professional development opportunities. Over the past few years, a type of ANSI approved program has been recognized. The ISA Certification Board believes these types of programs will provide the opportunities our credential holders are looking to achieve.

ISA Certification programs are really a voluntary process where the ISA Certification Board grants a time-limited recognition and use of a credential to individuals who have demonstrated that they have met predetermined and standardized criteria for required knowledge and/or skills. To retain the credential, certificants must meet requirements for renewal.

The type of programs that the ISA Certification Board are looking to develop are called assessment-based certificate programs. These types of programs are quite common in other countries are called qualifications and they are very well organized and developed. An assessment-based Certificate(qualification) program is a program that:

a) Provides instruction and training to aid participants in acquiring specific knowledge, skills, and/or competencies associated with intended learning outcomes;

b) Evaluates participants’ accomplishment of the intended learning outcomes with a test at the end of the training period; and

c) Awards a certificate only to those participants who meet the performance, proficiency, or passing standard for the assessment(s) (hence the term, “assessment-based Certificate program”).

Basically, these programs are training programs with a test on the training at the end of the program. Currently, the ISA Certification Board has a committee working on one of these types of programs for Tree Risk Inspection.

kflood74

I think its retarded that the certification has to expire after three years if you dont meet the CEU requirements. Always seemed like a way for the ISA to make more money to me.

Eric Frei

Seems the ISA is copying the superior Australian system, pity it's still a privately owned club.

The advantage we have is no one organisation controls training, you Yanks are sort of stuck with one palce controlling everything .... the Taliban of Arborists.

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Jeff Darby

That a unique way of looking at it Ekka, all about money and control..what they need is competition..it always sorts monopolies out. In America they seem to have nothing else...here we have a number of professional bodies who do training down to private trainers a big advantage over the yanks.

There seems to be a movement to be certified by the ISA here, Which I think is stupid it's an American thing and we really dont need to ride their coatails,,,,we can stand on our two feet..imo !

Independant and proud of it

JayD

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Member: Australian Tree Association

Join the Australian Tree Association...Have your voice heard !

Arboriculture, A life long study for some, a passing phase for others

© Jeffrey J Darby 2011

Eric Frei

I assure you that the vast majority who support the ISA movement in Australia are OLD FARTS!

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Victor Lindsay

Just keeping you guys updated on ISA's takeover.

Eric Frei

It's no take over and sadly from the nation that prides itself on choice .... appears to be none. Wisen up America.

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Victor Lindsay

ISA needs many changes, but it's all we have here. Certification gets me government bids. In my area there are only six ISA certified arborist, (it's a one hundred mile long island). Many of our trees are protected, so if a home owner wants a tree removed, an ISA certified needs to write a report explaining why, or why not. Your distaste for ISA only fuels their change, and change is good...thx for that.

I'm only joking about their take over...relax.

Eric Frei

Chill.

Hey, what we know and see is this.

A whole nation, 300 million people plus, at the mercy of 1 place to get nation wide recognised certs. I think even Russia is more liberal than that. The worst part, it's a private company/business.

Monopoly's like that usually get carved up like Microsoft and soon Apple with it's Iphone etc.

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Victor Lindsay

Monopoly's, I totally agree with you on that!

Eric Frei

It removes competative pricing and benefits.

I think the educational standards should be open for all to review and comment, and the guidleines should be in the public domain, then colleges etc can deliver and learners have choices where they can go.

Educational accreditation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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arborjockey

Back to the old certification gig huh. $$$$$$ have to agree its all about the $250 a year to be part of the clan. or $2500 for a life time or what ever it is. Certified arborist. Again certified by who? ISA.. and who sets their standards? How long has that method been in use. Are they tried and true? Are they going to mandate certain equipment as in tower or high steel work. When i erricted towers i never descended once. I climbed down a ladders for 400-500' because otherwise we would have to run two descending lines, use a fisk descending device (which is worthless) and so on and so forth. Educated idiots. People with horicolture degrees (being back backed by beurocrats from OSHA) that never leave the ground will start setting the standards. You think their going to listen to a 3rd generation logger who was taught by and 70 year old consulting arborist. Forget it!!! were going with a 28 year old kid who got his masters degree learning the latin terms of weeds. To me the ISA is ONE THING A LIBRARY. Take the knowledge thats tangeble and laugh at the rest. I can get certified off the e-net these days to do just about anything. which comes back to the ? certified by who. Ausies dont think i'm not for education. To me the knowledge we gain is a direct advantage for the tree. Applicable Knowledge!

Eric Frei

In the beginning there was the ISA, many many years ago. It focused on amenity trees unlike forestry and farming/horticulture.

But things change and evolve.

whislt we all know the value of education it's the source that I detest, a private company and monopoly.

In this day and age much research emanates from universities, the research being done is at a cellular level. Large chemical companies are researching fungicides etc too, the ISA has hundreds of articles, many are just re-badged from other places.

Look through Treeworld, look at all the PDF's, Coder, Shigo etc were from universities not ISA.

Look overseas, look at Europe, UK, Australia etc .... a lot of research outside of the ISA, yet ISA somehow has managed to get a national accreditation system that local govts have embraced. Why? Consistency and availability. There's likely no national standard.

Then they take that model overseas to countries with alternatives,and the members within exert pressure on the industry to join, pressure local govts to mandate their certs in addition to our own. To me, such activity is not far from the old union closed shop days.

The right to education and the freedom to work should not be placed in the hands of any private place, so what I see is manipulation of the market place brought from a country that has no national system like ours.

To a degree the USA system is broken, but don't bring your broken ideals here. Sure sell your memberships if people want to join, sure sell your literature etc ... it's all fair game, but to exclude me from working because I have other most suitable qualification or do not belong is wrong, that is akin to some fascist/communist ideal frankly.

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arborjockey

I CONCUR.... I CONCUR. BUT LET IT VISE VERSA.

Eric Frei

They could be real smart and package it, sell the training package and allow other universities and colleges to train it out.

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arborjockey

Ekka id take a kid who went to a 1 day traing course with you before id hire a guy with a P.H.D horticulture

Eric Frei

LOL, the thing about this job is it's hands on .... the more times your hands have been on the tools the better you'll be. It's a physical job like other trades.

Now on the consulting side yeah, there can be a lot less physical stuff, but how good will the consutants be who never got their hands dirty? How good will they be when they prescribe work that cannot be performed?

Hands on, that's what we're about, this is trees not flowers and roses.

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TrevMcRev

How does TCIA compare to ISA over there???

Does it carry any weight?

Is it another option or not realy seen the same way???

kflood74

TCIA is just another trade organization that wants to make some money. My personal opinion is that if your company is accredited by the TCIA and certified by the ISA then you are appealing to government or large property management companies. If you are not, then you are just another fly by night company that consumers are warned about. Not to take away from the standards they set but it is frustrating when i have the same knowledge and standards, but my certification is expired so i guess i'm just another hack. If you are accredited with TCIA then your workers comp and insurance rates are lower, but of course you have the association costs instead.

Eric Frei

How convenient would it be for govts to enforce people to use your business, imagine that, everybody has to use you, no choices or options.

Here's an example from the so called land of the free.

Muncie ordinance would require city license for those working as arborists - WXIN

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Garry Brockley

Councilwoman Linda Gregory says the ordinance would help homeowners know that companies are reputable.

i see thier point but $2500 fine for not being a member holy god they are stamping out the competition at government level.

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Eric Frei

Exactly.

And sending all the business to 1 private company .... oh such freedom eh.

Anyway, ya need a small donger!

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newguy18

the isa sucks.And just like that the truth is revealed.You guys are welcome.

I'm out for the night.

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arborjockey

Is it me or is the fine the same as a life time membership.well id take the fine and tell the isa to shove it. But keep in mind they arent cataring to one company or starting monopoly like the aussies think. Im gunnah guess muncie has 5-6 certified isa tree companies. Larger companies actually pay your isa dues. but even if the isa's a joke if thats what people think is the hot ticket to a good tree job you better get your dues ready.