AA Technician Certificate – Written Exam in 4 weeks

Hi,

I have my written exam for my AA Technician Certificate in 4 weeks time and was wondering if anyone has any useful pointers? Also anyone in the same boat and want to discuss any topics further? The subjects to be tested on are as follows:

1) Plant function, growth and the soil environment

2) Personnel and organisational management + Business, Finance and support

3) Trees and the laws

Generally finding 2) a bit slow going

Cheers Steve

The following helped me out a few years back...

1. Go through all the old papers in a time constrained (exam-like) manner and learn how to manage your time when faced with the real deal.

2. Go through the unit content in the syllabus and make sure there aren't any suprises lurking there.

3. Talk to as many people as you can who are in the same boat, sometimes you'll realise that you need to focus a bit more on a particular subject.

4. Revise and read like mad... you still have 4 weeks to go!

5. Go through your revision notes once on the day before the exam then isolate yourself (staying in a hotel close to the exam centre the night before is a really good idea), go for a walk / pint / meal and try to focus.

6. Stay away from other people on the morning of the exam, they might be panicing and destroy your calm mood.

Where are you taking your exams? Best of luck!

The following helped me out a few years back...

 

Where are you taking your exams? Best of luck!

Hey thanks for the pointer...much appreciated...I am taking the exam in Mycerscough college Preston...OK going to get my head down …cheers Steve

I'll be there Steve, so if you fancy a drinking competition the night before...

I've read all the stuff apart from the last booklet. I feel like I've learnt a fair bit, but I'm not sure if it's enough - I'll be testing myself with a few written papers.

In the past I've found it useful to practice the following approach:

Read through paper and choose questions to answer.

Write very brief notes on what you want to say in your answer.

Write the answer neatly.

I found that I had time to spare doing this, wheras if I launch straight into question answering, I'd have difficulty finishing.

My worry is that I may not have had a enough time to dedicate to reading through and learning, because work has been really busy - I'll try not to loose too much sleep though - there will be oppurtunities to sit the exam again.

Try to find out subjects they are concentrating on, when I did mine there was a lot going on with the high hedge law etc. Read up on as much current changes, legislations etc within the industry, the rest will be luck of the draw - hopefully there will be questions that suit you and your experience.

Good Luck!

Allow yourself enough time for each question. I think each paper is 1hr30mins right? So allow 30 minutes for each answer and don't go over this. Nothing worse than running out of time as you are writing the last answer and knowing that you have more to say...

To use time well and maximise point scoring, use bullet points, tables and diagrams to communicate in less words what you are trying to say.

I seem to remember that 'theories of motivation' came up in our personnel management section - revise at least 3 theories that you can summarise using flow diagrams/pyramids etc.

And finally, don't do the exam 'post-mortem' with fellow students where you compare answers etc. It's too late to change anything anyway and generally just makes you more worried about the results.

Im doing past papers today. In preperation.

Im doing past papers today. In preperation.

how you getting on?....am on tree law at the moment and finding it OK...starting passed papers next week....which year of passed papers are you doing and where are you sitting the exam? cheers steve

Im sitting the exam at Merrist wood.

Im on the December 2007 paper at the moment.

I hate the way the questions are worded. I really have taken in nothing when it comes to the business stuff. I need to focus on that.

Any way back to it.

Will

Im sitting the exam at Merrist wood.

 

Im on the December 2007 paper at the moment.

 

I hate the way the questions are worded. I really have taken in nothing when it comes to the business stuff. I need to focus on that.

 

Any way back to it.

 

Will

Same here the Business section is not my thing …I think unit 6 (Personnel and Organisational Management) and unit 7 (Business Finance, Accounting and Support) are tested together so it may be worth learning certain areas like the safety regulations LOLER, PUWER,COSHH, HSW etc…not the most interesting but just a case of learning a load of facts…the business accounting stuff my brain goes numb at so may not spend to much time on that and spend more time on other areas and hopefully there will be enough to chose from in the exam (3 from 4)….also fair play if your exam is in December and your revising now….good effort!

cheers steve