Value of ISA "Certified Arborist" Certification?

rfwoody

Treehouser
Joined
Jun 1, 2017
Messages
800
Location
North Mississippi
I am trying to start a one man, part-time, second-career, operation in "tree work" -- removals, trimming, pruning, etc.
I have 20 years informal experience on a small woodlot.

How valuable would an ISA "Certified Arborist" certification be?

Also....assuming my experience would even qualify me, I think I would learn a lot of good information just by studying for the exam.

Any thoughts?
 
Studying for the exam is certainly educational, from a PHC perspective. Depending on your local market, having an ISA certification can help to set you apart from other operations. While it doesn't, in any way really, indicate your level of skill as a tree worker, it does denote a certain level of professionalism, and can help with advertising. I mean, at least you took the time to go through the process, and have a basic understanding of best practices.

They generally want you to have a minimum level of experience within the tree care industry before they will let you try for the certification.

The guys with a lifetime of experience seem to have little trouble passing the exam. Those with less experience will need to study hard, as it is not an easy test.

Cheers,
 
My wife googled that value (or earnings with a cert) the other day for reasons of incorporating. Came back as $30K to 63K average yearly earnings in the US (as a employee. )
 
My wife googled that value (or earnings with a cert) the other day for reasons of incorporating. Came back as $30K to 63K average yearly earnings in the US (as a employee. )
But that doesn't happen just because you have the cert, you gotta use it. My PhD won't dig any holes if I leave it hanging on the wall in the shop...
 
Absolutely wouldn't hurt you to study for it while gaining a bit more practical experience. What you learn in the book will be emulated out in what you see and are doing and visa versa. Along with coming here to ask questions!
I'd say have a go :)
 
Others mileage may very but becoming 'certified' in whatever field I'm working in has always benefitted me. And one time long ago in my past when I 'blew off' getting certified for falling/bucking proved to be a costly mistake looking back.

Becoming a CA opened many doors for my business up here, with municipalities and school districts and the like. Also in my locale the ISA is highly recognized. So you'd always get asked now and then about being certified or not. Rather than explain at length why I wasn't, the short easy answer was 'why yes I am certified, a real bonafide expert'. Lol.
 
Our local authorities tell HOs that they must engage a CA for tree work to be compliant with legislation. Once you read the legislation that they reference there is no mention of it whatsover. But its not worth trying to explain it to the client.
The motivation behind this is to make it hard for the hacks to get work. Fair enough but it seems they are happy to lie in order to achieve this and also disadvantage the good operators which are not CA.
 
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  • #13
Absolutely wouldn't hurt you to study for it while gaining a bit more practical experience. What you learn in the book will be emulated out in what you see and are doing and visa versa. Along with coming here to ask questions!
I'd say have a go :)

Thanks Bermy!
 
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  • #14
Thanks a lot squisher :) and Chris E ... makes sense. Simple. Not a lot of explaining why you *don't* have certification.


Right now I'm trying to use my ~20 years of working on my own trees (planting, trimming, pruning, felling, etc.) as qualifications to be able to take the CA test, because I don't have 3 years of paid experience in this field... I'll see how it goes.

... It could be this might offend some full-time professionals who depend on their Arborist and CA credentials and experience to provide for their families.
All I can say is that I would take it seriously; and in the marketplace, not exaggerate my experience, knowledge, or abilities.
 
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  • #15
ha, oh well... this CA avenue is off.
I guess I can see the value of it that ISA is protecting real full-time tree workers from part-timers and amateurs like me.
I can understand that... but at least I can study the certification guide and learn some good things, eh?

<quote>
Thank you for your email. You will need to be able to document verifiably that
you have worked in the field for 3 years or more full time. If you cannot do
this you will not meet the requirement.
<quote>
 
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  • #17
Any similar experience in the past, logging or forestry type work?

Just on my own trees and neighbors and family.
Felling and removal e.g. for firewood -- but no pay. (haha, I'm in the middle of a paying cleanup job and have another removal job lined up but my truck has been out of and in the shop a lot... hopefully when I get it back this time it will be good for a while! :))
 
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  • #18
... personal UPDATE ...

verified with ISA that since this has been my main type of work since July 2016 (paying taxes (on firewood sale) and taking deductions), then if I keep at it I will be eligible for taking the exam in July 2019. --- 3 years full time work in this business --- which I take "full time work" to be the main type of job I am pursuing.
So this is good....

...it will weed me out if I'm not serious about it! :)

I need to get some invoices and start using them.
I will open another thread to ask for examples.

Thanks a lot everyone for your input!
 
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