'City and Guilds qualified'

[arbogrunt]

I passed my City and Guilds with a distinction, years ago. Am I the only one that gets peeved by 'NPTC City and Guilds qualified' stickers?. Its great that NPTC units can count toward a formal qualification, but it does imply that the holders of units already have it. Is this a justified gripe or am I just bumping my gums?

[daltontrees]

Anyone that has passed one unit, say chainsaw maintenance and crosscutting can say they are NPTC qualified, because NPTC describe that as a 'qualification'. As I recall I got given a sticker when I passed it. I have gone on to get a few more, but I am still only qualified.

It's the statement 'fully qualified' that I find irksome. Does it mean the person has every single NPTC certificate or would it be more honest to say 'adequately qualified' or 'appropriately qualified'? Can't see a sticker or marketing statement like that being as popular.

Edited April 18, 2013 by daltontrees

[arbogrunt]

In my opinion, NPTC units are a certification...not a qualification...after all, its a maximum of a 5 day course!. A Level 2 City and Guilds in Arboriculture was a 6 week full time course, with 3 months home study and a written paper. Its only a craft level qualification...but it is that...a qualification...NPTC are just confusing the issue for people selecting a 'qualified' arborist. The other issue is, a lot of companies are advertising 'NPTC certified staff' when the owner/climber of the company is the only one with a ticket...'staff' means the whole crew fellas!

[hedgesparrow]

re qualifications do those of you who carry out tree work have a organisation that only allows you membership if you have all the nptc papers.

i have nptc PA1 PA6 i am a qualified sprayer but to keep it i have to earn 30 points over 3 years to still be a member of NOROSO and NAROSO. i then have to do a refresh every 3 years to get my certificates up to date.

maybe that is the way forward for arb work that you have a organisation which you can join with certain criteria placed and you go to talks practical days etc to gain points to stay a member this might sort out the good wood from the chips.

[WorcsWuss]

Doesn't really count for anything special of you ask me.

Even I'm NPTC qualified in that respect.

I've got a driving license but i'm not Ayrton Senna....

[daltontrees]

I think there is chat elsewhere on the forum about a system that is being developed to recognise qualifications better. Meantime the stickers are really just a gimmick, as someone said the whole team should be qualified appropriately but if one guy has one ticket the whole squad can stand behind the sticker.

Just be good at what you have been taught and the rewards will come. The chancers may or may not get caught, hurt themselves or someone else, find they aren't insured when the appretice screws up etc. but lack of enforcmen tin the industry is something you just have to get used to like you do when you see the ladder-and-bow-saw merchants fly tipping in a farmer's field.

[agrimog]

a bit of paper from a few days course doesnt make you qualified, years of training and experience does that... too many newly "trained" "arborists" out there thinking they know it all.....the bubble has got to burst soon

[hedgesparrow]

maybe you need to go down the route of the worshipful companies. do not become a member until you have the years and qualification behind you then you are accessed by members who are top of their profession before you can call yourself a master and belong to the company. hedgelaying you can be a accredited hedgelayer. Dorset will be able to give more info. but you have to have done national comps have to won and be assessed by the gods of hedgelaying to be accredited. yet to get there. one day. re spraying you say you have a driving licence yes but i joined tNOROSO so i could keep up to date and keep getting points so i was familiar with what is going on and not be out of date. the whole nptc needs overhauling. to stop people walking out after qualifying and say they are trained

Edited April 18, 2013 by hedgesparrow

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

I think there is chat elsewhere on the forum about a system that is being developed to recognise qualifications better. QUOTE]

 

That'll be the proposed Professional Skills Framework incorporating the 'Register of Tree Work Operatives' (R2) whihc, in part, is modelled on NRoSO but won't be a legal requirement.

 

Cheers..

Paul

 

PS There are other threads on here whihc cover this in more, much more, detail.