evo
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- My Island, WA
CEUs are kool-aid. I just plan to retest every few years. It's cheaper. When CEUs are free and on YouTube I'll take them instead of re-certing.
YouTube offers way more return in knowledge I actually need and want (especially per unit time) than CEUs ever could, imho.
The corporate structure of CEUs (charge for people to show up at expensive beach hotel to eat endless buffet lunch and see tree guru speak) leads me to conclude that they exist to perpetuate the ISA and the associated network. I genuinely appreciate all the gurus, btw. There is *nothing* that can't be archived on YouTube or conversed about via teleconferencing. The "how about crane rigging and bonsai trimming?" argument doesn't even float when present technology is enthusiastically deployed. I mean, buy VR goggles and learn from the best crane guy in the world, the most experienced device user, or a bonsai pruner in Japan. The cost is the same or less, and the quality is tops. If you wish, water down the VR to YouTube or teleconferencing and you still come awfully close. Who wouldn't prefer a virtually-trained crane rigger from a notable distance trainer over a guy trained by someone you don't know much about?
I like most of what the ISA generally stands for, but not the CEUs. The way they are disseminated points to them being mere social stratifiers whose point is to, first, indicate who has money and power, secondarily to raise money, thirdly to educate arborists, and fourthly to perpetuate themselves in an information-rich society where they can't legitimately offer value in comparison to what's going on on treebuzz and YouTube. #dropsthemic
I had the same concerns, my dues are up for the first time. I've had the number of ceus needed with in the first year and a half if not sooner. I took a class that I would have anyway, and the rest were free. I could have easily gotten 2 or 3 times the number needed, if I cared and thought it was worth while.
Both of the ISA pub's are available online with out a subscription, and both offer free ceu tests... Then there are the Rick Haper webinars, and other free things out there.
