Advice needed re: AA Tech Cert...

[Gaynor]

I started Tech Cert this week having done level 2 last year and it just seems so much higher than level 3. Just seems like a massive jump from where I am educationally, to there. Am I just being a girlie? Coz right now I feel like packing it in. Am I at a disadvantage for not having the practical experience most of the other candidates have? It certainly feels like it. Should I hang fire and maybe think about it next year? Any advice appreciated, I'm in a real quandry...!

[Andy Collins]

Id say stick at it, push yourself to a higher level. it may seem tough now, but get the quals under your belt, and try and get some part-time work in the field too. You're the only person limiting your abilities, and no its not cos you're a girlie!!

[John Hancock]

It is hard work. Tech Cert should be level 4, RFS Cert should be level 3. Dont worry about practical experience as that wont effect you. Good-luck !

[Paul Barton]

Hang in there Gayn - the whole year is a learning curve. Besides, if you don't get it the first year you can always retake the assessments. Alot of people do....possibly including me next year....

[Arbocop]

Gayn

Hi sorry to hear you are struggeling on your cource, i used to teach certa/tech and PD and having been through them all i wont lie, they are hard work.

 

with the Tech cert you do make a big leap up from the cert, but the subject matter only get a little bigger. practical experiance is great and will help in many ways, as will things like the nptc trainig, there were a few Q's arround that last year.

 

but probably the best thing you can do is take a step back amd make sure you have learnt to learn and revise effectivley, sounds daft, but that is what lets many students down, preparing for lessons and revising after them.

 

if you pop in to waterstones there are some great books on the subject, or ask the college for information.

 

but above all dont be afraid, stick with it and study in small chunks no moore than 30 to 45 mins at a time. make some flash cards and get your mates to help you, andbar in mind when you get to the practical part there is a plant id bit, so find a plant of the week label it and study it every dat, and do lots of shrubs too.

 

i hope that helps, stick with it youll do grand

 

arbocop

[Gaynor]

That's exactly what Im worried about. I'm also trying to get a new business off the ground and I'm also a single mum.. not that I wanna whine on about how hard I've got it- many, many people have a much tougher time, no doubt, Just seems, with the amount of research there is to do, nevermind the expense, maybe it's just not the right time for me. I'm frustrated coz I want to do it, but my gut feeling is I'm taking on too much at once. Bugger.

Thanks for advice...

[Tully]

I think you should stick at it and mainly try to enjoy it. Pratical experience is great as you can see and interact with what you read and study about. I've just finished the RFS cert so this is an interesting point you make.

Good luck

[jonboy]

I just applied to brigdewater college to do the aa tech cert and they left it till the last minute to tell me they've decided not to run the course. I noticed you're in somerset and I just wondered where you're studying the course?

[Will Hinchliffe]

Ive just started mine to. Im doing it in Guildford which is a bit far but Im hoping to see it through.

 

If you can get it done now, you might not have time to do it in the future either.

 

Our Television broke 2 weeks ago and I'm finding that I am achieving so much more since it died.

 

Good luck

 

Hope you stick with it.

[madm]

Hi Gayn, don't think my input is of much value as I've only just started studying for the cert myself, and also as I'm not following any course, my only guide is the spec from the ABC website (!!), so I don't really know if I'm above or below the standard required.

BUT I do think that if you have past experience or qualifications in horticulture that's worth an awful lot, you'd know a lot more than you realise about botany, soil, ecology, planting and design etc, you probably can already identify most of the shrubs on the list.

Aswell as that, I learned from the RFS exams how much it makes a difference to be smart about how you study. Read through topics, take out the tricky stuff that needs to be learned off, write it on some cards and keep them in your car, don't go back to the topic till a couple of weeks later when you've had the chance to get to grips with the stuff on the cards. Divide things up, always have some stuff handy in small chunks eg. a fungal disease or whatever that you can do if you have a spare half hour. You'd be surprised how much material you can actually get out of the way without sitting down for a marathon session.

I know that this is just what works for me, and that by the sounds of it you have a fair bit on your plate already. But I reckon you should keep at it, keep positive, there's nothing to lose, and it'll hopefully start to look less scary after getting into it.