How many Arbtalkers are AA members

[skyhuck]

The point to be taken was not that they were similiar it was had the AA set up arbtalk would it be so successfull with near on 25500 members as it is now. There will always be doubters and it is upto people who are doubted to show there worth.

 

Have you ever or are you a member skyhuck? How could the AA gain your support and membership?

 

Thanks.

 

Have been a member in the past, but not now.

 

I see AAAC as nearer to a "franchise" than an accreditation scheme, I do not want to be told how to run my business.

[Ian Flatters]

Ermm without stating the obvious, ISA is an international organisation whereas AA is national....so those figures are hardly relevant unless you're planning on doing a few quotes in the states anytime soon

 

Not the states but europe i get asked by more authority's if im a member of the isa or fca. Once and only recently i lost a felling contract as an AA approved contractor told them you had to be a member of the aa. After they had given they contract realized cancelled the works and issued it on certification and reference works.

 

As long as your a member of some tree related organization i guess it doesnt really matter if your a member of aa,fca or isa.

[Doug Blease]

I am a member (Tech.Arbor.A). I enjoy the periodicals, the staff are helpful over the phone. Adam Reidi is an excellent scottish secretary.

 

However as a scottish member, we do not benefit from a healthy CPD calendar and the scottish section had to ask nicely if a BS5837 seminar could be held north of the border. Prior to that, the scottish membership appeared to have been ignored in the seminar roadshow.

 

I note that the recent CPD calendar announcements in the publication still lacks any Scottish events. It makes the membership fee of £140ish per year a bit of a bitter pill. Basically a very expensive seasonal magazine?

 

I compare this too IEEM (I am a member for my ecology interests). My equivalent grade membership costs £50 per year. The publications are bigger and better and the other benefits are equal to the AA. Their CPD calendar is still dominated by the English sector however there is at least one event in Scotland most seasons. IEEM is more of a community where members are encouraged to share knowledge, whereas I feel the AA is a following.

 

In 2013 I will likely re-join the AA however I would like Scotland to be granted better access to the wider resource. After all, I could take the £140 and spend it directly on CPD courses which make me practically better at my discplines. I could pay for two IEEM courses every year for that price, or spend the money increasing my literature collection.

 

The AA isnt currently helping me be a better Arboriculturalist.

 

Doug

[Jamie M]

Yep I'm in.

[sawman]

Yes, have been for many years.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Steve, thank you for an interesting post here (and Jaime, apologies for 'jumping in'.)

 

The idea of an 'AA Approved Arborist', i.e. an accredited individual as opposed to a business as we currently have with 'ARB Approved Contractor', has been mooted before but I'm unsure of the benefits it could bring and indeed the need for it. We currently have the ISA Cert Arborist / the Euro Tree Worker / the NPTC etc. system so what could we add? (That said I do acknowledge these are prinicpally qualifications and not necessarily demonstrating competence and proficiency.)

 

Thoughts???...'et al'!

 

Thanks again..

Paul

 

If you want my opinion Paul/Jaime, this lack of a TRULY worthwhile individual cert of arboricultural competence is as important and as big a step as the recent changes made to the Arb approved scheme, and your really missing a trick here.

 

I tried many times to gain Tech arbor A by assessment, to no avail, and this has been a great frustration for me, as I know it is for others. The AA saying there is no path to this mode of accreditation of the grade, as with the other grades, this leaves people only CAS or ISA options, offering a step path approach to acknowledged grades, outside of academic quals.

 

The AA could and should develop a system of exams and tests not like those offered elsewhere but new, and truly worthwhile, nothing easily gained is worth having or investing in.....

 

Take my own personal experience here, wont be relevant to most but this is my reply, so can only speak for me!

 

You know ive taken my education very seriously and pursued knowledge that is really rather worthless in the current model, and actually is of no value to anyone, accept me!

 

This is going to come across a bit ego!

 

what I taught myself is where this industry is heading essentialy ahead of the game, but until the industry and it may be 20 years away catches up and recognises the massive holes in the system of knowledge and training my skills are essentialy not going to earn me a living!

 

sure I can operate at a high level and engage with my peers on an even footing but without some pathetic piece of paper to quantify where I am at I cant even get my foot in a door for interview, let alone be taken seriously as a consultant.

 

So for me, seeing the AA (my prefered body) offer a path (for a substantial fee) to a worthy and respected qualification or (pay grade) is my greatest wish at this time.

 

I am not talking about some (widely critisied NPTC) worthless bit of paper that most in the industry consider a mere formality, but something NEW and significant for those who actualy want to be great arbs/consultants and not just be a cool dreadlock rasta smoking spliffs and driving a landy to house their bling pulies and 4ft barred stihl 088 for lumping out the big wood!

 

Im ranting... but this is a sore point for me!

 

in summary- find me a way, set me a fee give me the exam agenda and give me a cert, o I can get a job that will fit my purpose:thumbup1:

[Pommie]

Tony

 

I usually find myself nodding in agreement with your posts both on arbtalk and other forums where you converse. But not this time. There are qualifications out there which you can get the syllabus pay your money and get the piece of paper you seek. These qualifications are evaluated by an independent body and should your opinion as a consultant be questioned or challenged you have proof of knowledge rather than just trying to explain your experience. I like you as you know have come up the hard way on the tools. That experience is priceless but the addition of a recognised system of learning broadens the mind.

 

Ramble over.

 

Regards

 

Sent from my HTC Incredible S using Tapatalk 2

[armybloke]

I'm AA and IEEM but I get lots more from the IEEM guys.

[TREE-SURGEON-ESSEX]

To many chiefs not enough Indians !

[HCR]

Interesting comments about the IEEM. I joined coming up for 10 years ago and in some ways you do get more - I think the journal is excellent for example. However, the training days are quite expensive (a Habitat Regs assessment day that I wouldn't mind going to next month is £225) whereas an AA training day pitched at roughly the same level (Risk Assessment for Commercial Arboriculture) is only £100.