Employee training/certifications

tennarbor

tennarbor

Location
Smoky Mountains
I am working to get my employees certified as Arborists, etc. Everybody working for me, I have found through other industries so no experience but I feel that I have a great crew with even greater potential. My problem now is getting them to go home and study to get their certs. I am taking my crew leader with me to TCIA expo this year and both of us are going through the CTSP program together. My question is this...What are some programs you have in place to promote educational advancement? I have tried placing a "bounty" out for an arborist license within the crew (500 bucks). I thought that was pretty good but they are dragging their feet.

The current idea I am kicking around is paying them to stay after work. One hour per "Introduction to Arboriculture" cd-rom. From the content, I would imagine that anyone could pass the Arborist exam after completing them.

Thoughts...?
 
'Forcing' education might not be effective. Rewarding might be.

Rather than a bounty consider a pay raise. It might cost a bit more but may be more effective.

Staying after work could be a disinsentive too. Doing the study during work keeps the over time to a minimum and doesn't cut into personal time.
 
Thanks Tom,

I guess I didn't explain that well. I did also offer a pay raise and I wasn't planning to force anything. I just know that in other industries and with larger companies in this industry, certifications are done in house or you are sent and paid for a class/certification. Within the smaller tree companies, there is somewhat of a 'go get it if you want it' type of mentality. At least that was what I was offered. In other industries, I have been sent to training and certification courses. I did not have much of an option so I would consider that "forced", I guess, but there is not a course for the Arborist exam so it has to be done either in house or by an individual

I was just interested in seeing how anybody else is doing it...

Sometimes people need a little push into the right direction before they realize the benefits. Not only that, but I want more Arborists on staff. I am left with options...either hire new people or push the guys I have up the ladder. I kind of like the second option.

So, with your guys do you pay for the study time?

Pay for the exam?...what if they don't pass?

Is it a reimbursement program with a pay raise?

Something completely different?
 
The programs that I've heard about usually pay the costs if the course is completed or the test passed. Keep the incentive in place. Then, there is the lump sum reward or pay raise.

If you tie certification to a job description or pay grade every new hire will understand the value.
 
We require all Sales Representatives and Crew Leaders to be Certified Arborists. When a current employee wants to become a CA they must pay for their own exam. The company will reimburse them for a passed test, but not for a fail. This gives them a little motivation to study.
We also have a lot of CAs, so the people that are interested in becoming a CA can see that it is achievable and that it is a key aspect of their professional development.

You can lead a horse to water. You know the rest.
 
My experience has always been you cannot push a rope uphill.

The people you really want certified are the people who are interested in getting it on their own initiative.

This is one of those areas where I admittedly have a pessimistic attitude. Not because I am a pessimist, rather, I have been around this block and several others quite a few times and the truth about human nature in this area prevents me from being otherwise.

Clearly the best people in any industry are those that take their own training bull by the horns and wrestle it to the ground. We can offer incentives to help those needing a little self confidence. However, if we make the opportunity fool proof we will only end up with trained/educated/certified fools.

The hardest lesson any business owner must learn is that we don't want or need "every" job. The second is that we don't necessarily want or need every person we have hired. Indeed, regardless of what some employees have the potential for, we, and they, may well be better off to send them on their way rather than kill ourselves trying to make them into something they ought not be.

Just my 2 penny's worth but also the one thing that seems to always prove my optimism wrong!
 
If you don't have a local source for a Certified Arborist prep course, why not discuss it with your ISA chapter, and the local county extension service. If you're able to put together a prep course and find a proctor to run a local exam, you might be surprised at the interest it can draw.
 
[ QUOTE ]
If you don't have a local source for a Certified Arborist prep course, why not discuss it with your ISA chapter, and the local county extension service. If you're able to put together a prep course and find a proctor to run a local exam, you might be surprised at the interest it can draw.

[/ QUOTE ]

Didn't know that was an option!

Solid thoughts guys! I have been battling with this for a while. It is somewhat hard to find good guys in my area (smaller towns) but maybe I'm not looking hard enough or in the right places. What to do with employees who are very loyal but lack the drive and or skills. The facts are right now, I have a few employees who are really good, but who would also probably do this for 15 years and never push themselves to any certs. I feel like I am in a position to experiment with some of these ideas and possibly help change this mentality.
 
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