isa certification

[tockmal]

i just wondered if many had done the isa exams and what's involved etc. how much more employable would i be if i had this and are the alternatives more worthwhile (rfs and aa tech cert.)

 

I have the ISA cert arb and RFS Cert in Arb.

 

The ISA is a good award to have, you have to stay up to date with industry standards and development...its a great starting point and contrary to popular opinion it is not that easy to pass.

 

I attempted the AA Tech Cert, got 44% in the exam. This is a big step up from ISA and RFS and needs real concentrated study. If you pass the exam you move onto the next round of verbal questioning by examiners etc.

 

I'll attempt it again when I have more time to study.

 

The Professional Diploma is extremely difficult to attain. Maybe in the future.

 

I recently got the LANTRA Professional Tree Inspection Certificate which is a good Cert to have for doing surveys.

 

Do you have good practical skills in climbing and are you a grafter?

 

Most employers look for trustworthy, sensible, hard working staff, if you got these and a good basic knowledge of tree biology you'll be a great addition to any company. Oh and a driving licence.

[Quickthorn]

 

I recently got the LANTRA Professional Tree Inspection Certificate which is a good Cert to have for doing surveys.

 

 

What level would you place that certificate, just out of interest..RFS cert/ISA? AA Tech? or above.

 

That arbor centre site leans more towards tree officers and consultants, who are normally quite well in with the AA and ISA. Sorry, but I found those two organisations too much of a mutual back slapping club.

[Rentachimp]

Most employers look for trustworthy, sensible, hard working staff, if you got these and a good basic knowledge of tree biology you'll be a great addition to any company. Oh and a driving licence.

 

Pre-97 driving license

[Frimsley]

had an issue the other day a a web site

http://www.tree-care.info/findanarb

they

wont list us with the rfs, but will if you have the isa & aa certs

 

Let's be clear here. Tree-care.info will list ISA Certified Arborists and AA Approved Contractors. Having the AA Tech Cert will not get you listed unless you are also an AA Approved Contractor.

 

This decision was based on the industry wide leaflet "Choose your Arborist" produced a couple of years ago as a joint effort by all industry bodies, the HSE and the major insurers. What sets the ISA Certified Arborist scheme apart from other qualifications is the requirement for continuing education through CEUs, and it was on this basis that it was included in the Choose your Arborist leaflet.

 

tree-care.info do not have the resources to assess the competence of arborists on an ongoing basis. So we list only those who are recognised by schemes that do require ongoing assessment. We will also be listing companies that are Trustmark registered once the Trustmark scheme is extended to arborists - expected soon.

 

I have to say that the ISA Cert Arb scheme is the one I'm least happy about including on tree-care.info; it is there because it was in "Choose your Arborist". My problem is that we're not just aiming to list good arborists, but companies with good, customer focused business practices. The AA Approved Contractor assessment looks at business practice, as will Trustmark, but the ISA scheme does not.

 

Doesn't help that it's proving difficult to collate a list of ISA Certified Arbs who are available for instruction, but that's another story...

[Yorkshireman]

Thanks for being clear , So Just to clarify a little further then

 

Who was the body that assisted with ' Choose An Arborist ' The AA perhaps !!

 

Iso 9001 & 14001 also look at business & its infrastructure.

 

We could join trustmark via Association of Professional Landscapers run by the HTA but hey maybe thats cheating.

 

quite franckly I appluade you for the attempt to promote good Arb practitioners

 

 

Sadly their are many Excellent companys who wont or cant join the AA so people wont find them

[Andy Collins]

 

Most employers look for trustworthy, sensible, hard working staff, if you got these and a good basic knowledge of tree biology you'll be a great addition to any company. Oh and a driving licence.

 

Ha, just about every company i can think of in my area, dont give a damn about most of these points. Just hire in cheap, (and foreign) labour. trustworthy..... wouldnt let em look after me dog, sensible..... hard-working... joke, knowledge...... just cut it where you're told. Basically they aint interested in whether you can id trees, diagnose the problem, or know the botanical name of a Turkey Oak.

[tockmal]

What level would you place that certificate, just out of interest..RFS cert/ISA? AA Tech? or above.

(

 

LANTRA Professional Tree Inspection Certificate -

 

Somewhere near the Tree Survey/Report requirements of the AA Tech.

[tockmal]

know the botanical name of a Turkey Oak.

 

Quercus cerris???!! I think maybe?

[tockmal]

the AA and ISA. Sorry, but I found those two organisations too much of a mutual back slapping club.

 

Most associations/clubs are like this. Grown men discussing stuff and debating then after what seems like far too long coming to a decision which is totally irrelevent to the practising arborist in the industry.

 

Bit like forums

[Frimsley]

Who was the body that assisted with ' Choose An Arborist ' The AA perhaps !!

 

The leaflet was put together by the Arboricultural Liason Group and financed by the member organisations. Who are the ALG? A group representing most of the organisations in our rather fragmented industry, plus the HSE and main insurers, pulled together during the crisis in arborists employers liability insurance a few years ago. Yes, that's all the organisations you seem to hate working together to make sure EL insurance prices didn't put you out of business.

 

Arboricultural Association

Forestry Contracting Association

Institute of Chartered Foresters

ISA

Lantra

NTPC

National Association of Tree Officers

Tree Care Industries Association

Health and Safety Executive

 

 

We could join trustmark via Association of Professional Landscapers run by the HTA but hey maybe thats cheating.

 

I don't see why that's cheating. I don't see what the advantage is either, it's a similar process whether the APL or the AA do your Trustmark assessment. But if you do, be sure to let me know so that I can list you at tree-care.info