ISA Certification

wyoclimber

wyoclimber

Participating member
Location
Cody, WY
I was hoping to hear some peoples opinion of the current ISA certification requirements. I've been working as a climber for 6 years and I finally decided to get my certification. I held off because I have seen people repeatedly bending the rules when it comes to qualifications. After talking to someone who'd been in the industry for a month and was now a certified Arborist (and seeing this repeatedly), I decided that I didn't think the certification meant much of anything and decided not to spend the money to do it. I have since decided that if I don't like it, I am better off trying to change the certification process from the inside. If an Arborist certification is going to mean anything we cannot cut corners so that our company has more Arborists on staff. If we want to differentiate ourselves from the rednecks with a pickup truck and a chainsaw we need to hold ourselves to a higher standard and enforce that standard. One idea I had is requiring Arborists to have a Tree Workers Certification first. This would allow the ISA to confirm that the applicant has skills applicable to work in the industry and hasn't just read the study guide a few times. It would also allow them to confirm that the applicant had at least 18 months in the industry before they took their Arborists examination. These are just ideas and I hope to hear more from some people with more experience in the industry then me.
Thanks.
 
You seriously must be joking.

Firstly nobody can be in the industry one month and become an ISA certified arborist. If they are an you know this then report them. Read the following from the ISA website:

"Examination Eligibility Requirements
The ISA Certification Board requires candidates to have a minimum of three years of full-time experience in arboriculture. Acceptable experience includes the practical use of knowledge involved in pruning, fertilization, installation and establishment, diagnosis and treatment of tree problems, cabling and bracing, climbing, or other services that directly relate to arboriculture.

The eligibility requirement also may be satisfied with a two-year degree in arboriculture and two year of practical experience or a four-year degree in a related field and one year of practical experience. If you are self-employed or own your own company, you will be required to submit three letters of references with your application. References may be in the form of copies of invoices, contracts and/or business license. Please contact ISA for other possible forms of verification. By submitting your application; you authorize ISA certification staff to contact the practical experience reference named on your application to substantiate your eligibility."

What is really scary about your post is that you believe only tree climbers (and by extension trimmers and cutters) are arborists. What a joke. I guess you believe that people such as Shigo, Gilman, Brudi, Wessoly, Deitter, Harris, Clark, Matheny, Funk, Smiley, Urban, Dirr, Mattheck, Sinclair, Lyon, Johnson etc., are not arborists.

I guess you believe people that care and love trees cannot be an arborist if they do not climb and cut trees. Perhaps you (and many others) need to rethink what an arborist is, it does not mean tree cutter.
 
I wonder if a person applying for an ISA Certified Arborist designation should be required to provide a collection of 100 common diseases, 100 common insects, own and use a soil auger, own and use a microscope, own and read books such as Fungal Decay Strategies, attend workshops on SIA and SIM, provide written reports of tree valuation using three varying methods, diagnosis abiotic decline, prune girdling roots, collect native seed, and own and use a aerated compost tea brewer.
 
I do not believe that only tree climbers can be arborists but I do believe that practical experience is a very important aspect of tree work. I have gotten the impression that the ISA does as well considering that the arborist certification test covers pruning, climbing, rigging, cabling, bracing and a multitude of things that should require practical experience. I would also like to point out that I am talking about ISA certification and not whether you care or study trees. I feel that an ISA certification is an attempt by our industry to weed out people who are unqualified. I have reported people for falsifying qualifications but the fact that I have only been in the industry for six years and have encountered this on more than one occasion makes me feel that the problem is rampant and needs to be addressed. I started this thread hoping for some ideas for a solution. I do not feel that I attacked anyone like Shigo. I'm really not interested in whether someone is considered an arborist, simply if someone is labeled an ISA certified arborist and what that means.
Thanks
 
R W Harris grew up on an orchard ranch and pruned lots of trees my friend. Told me so himself. He and Bob Bichowsky are my favorite master arborists.

jomoco
 
What being an ISA certified arborist means is you passed a bare bones qualification and a little test. Oh and you continue to pay for using a registered trademark.

There are lots of bad ISA certified arboists, redneck tree cutters, college educated arborists etc. WHat is ultimately important is how well you do your work, you will never beat all the dregs.
 
Seems like you don't think being an ISA certified arborist means much. Which was exactly my point. I feel that the certification program and the ISA in general is an attempt to regulate ourselves as an industry and try to standardize the best practices. If you are someone who cares about trees I would think that is something you want. Yes, there will always be bad ISA certified arborists and redneck tree cutters (generally bad practices) and college educated arborists (who I have nothing against) but wouldn't it be beneficial for trees and our industry in general to try to fix the problems in our certification process that allow them to operate under the moniker of professionalism?
 
ISA staff and everyone involved with the CA program is very much interested in ensuring compliance with established regulations. If you are sure about these people not having proper qualifications to sit for the test, please contact Erin at ISA. If this is happening, it sounds like possibly a problem with the Proctor also. They are the first line and really the only face to face contact with the test candidate there is. This issue came up in another location recently also and was immediately investigated. As a CA we are all responsible to self police and report to ISA any violations of the CA Ethics statements that we all must abide by. I value my CA designation too much to allow some yahoo to screw it up. It creates just the situation you speak of, "WHy be a CA when these clowns are out here" attitude. Please reconsider becoming a CA and then hold yourself to a higher standard.
 
[ QUOTE ]
What being an ISA certified arborist means is you passed a bare bones qualification and a little test. Oh and you continue to pay for using a registered trademark.

There are lots of bad ISA certified arboists, redneck tree cutters, college educated arborists etc. WHat is ultimately important is how well you do your work, you will never beat all the dregs.

[/ QUOTE ]

Eighteen years as a CA but I opted out a few years ago now. Learning continues but the dues have ended, leaving more money to buy books. It was useful to me in the early nineties buy not worth a damn today.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Seems like you don't think being an ISA certified arborist means much. Which was exactly my point.

[/ QUOTE ]

What I think is that ISA Certified Arborist is a step on a ladder (and its not the top step) and it does not bestow professionalism or expertise.

There are many ISA CAs running around that are anything but arborists; they use the designation to be consultants (which they are not), to get pay increases, to get jobs etc. The true professional is one that keeps learning and improving.

You need only attend workshops, conferences etc. to see what various ISA CAs are doing.
 
Oldoak, as a proctor, let me clarify the proctor's role in certification. The proctor's role is limited very strictly by ISA. Their job is to confirm the identity of all parties taking the examination, by confirming photo ID, against the list of examinees seated for a given test date. They're further charged with seeing that the test is administered in a manner, which provides each examinee a suitable environment in which to take the test and seeing to it that no one is discriminated against, during the test taking process. They're also charged with maintaining the security of the test booklets and answer forms, from the time they take courier delivery of them, until the time they hand the sealed box back to a courier for return delivery to ISA International, in order to preserve the integrity of the test questions.

Proctors are not at all charged with confirming work history or qualifications of people who have been approved to sit for the exam. That's all vetted by the Certification Department at ISA international, during the application process.
 
I've been a Certified Arborist for 20 years and while I think it's a great concept in theory, it's not a perfect program. There are abuses and not everyone who is certified is necessarily "qualified." I like the program because it has enabled me to get more jobs as well as encouraged me to keep learning in order to keep up with the CEU requirement.
Something to think about: of all the certified arborists (and doctors, lawyers, teachers, and any other professional) who must pass a test to become qualified, half of them are below the average.
 
Like any certification system, its what you make of it as an individual. I don't see it as a mark of an expert only as a mark of a person that has made a commitment to continually educating themselves throughout their careers. Is it abused? Absolutely, as no system is incorruptible. I do think that overall it has improved the industry and educated thousands of arbs through the years. I for one am proud to be certified.
 
I for one am proud of my achievements in the ISA Certification and the TCIA Qualification process. I use it as a benchmark for myself. I also believe, as does marlinspiker, that overall it has improved the industry and educated thousands of arborists. It has improved the homeowner's view of our industry also. We, as an industry and industry associations still have a long way to go - but, along with a benchmark for myself, the certifications are a benchmark that our clients (the clients that care) can utilize to make sure that we have educated or proven ourselves to some degree. About 80% of our telephone calls now from perspective clients ask, "Are you a Certified Arborist?" For me and our staff it is a mark of professionalism to attain certificates/qualifications - it promotes education and pride in our chosen career path.
 
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