www.greenmediaonline.com Business Planning Guide November 2014 9
Ever thought of what it means to be a "professional?" Do you
consider yourself a professional? What about your competitors
— do you consider all of them to be professionals? Being a
professional doesn't just mean you get paid for providing a
service. The term "professional" describes the standards of
education and training that prepare members of the profession
with the particular knowledge and skills necessary to perform
the role of that profession. In addition, most professionals are
subject to strict codes of conduct enshrining ethical and moral
obligations. In many industries, a formal education is required
from a university or college before even being qualified to enter
the profession. At that point, there may be certain standards
the person must vow or "profess" to uphold, hence entering a
"profession." In the case of medical doctors, a doctorate degree
from a university is required, but they must take the Hippocratic
Oath as a symbol to uphold their commitment to a number
of ethical and moral standards before they are considered
professional doctors.
To become an arborist, there are many different avenues you
can take. Although I am not aware of any school offering a degree
directly in arboriculture, many seek two- or four-year degrees
in the related fields of urban forestry, forestry, environmental
science, horticulture, or even recreation resource management.
Depending upon where you work or what position you are going
for in arboriculture, a degree may or may not be required. There
are many arborists I know who do not have formal degrees in
the industry yet are some of the best arborists I know, proving
that a degree does also not ensure
or preclude professionalism. We
also have industry certifications in
arboriculture that, again, may or
may not be required depending on
the job. The International Society
of Arboriculture offers the Certified
Arborist exam and the Board
Certified Master Arborist exam,
which are probably our industry's
best-known accreditations. These
designations are also recognized by the public to a certain extent,
and help add a level of required expertise to our industry. In
most cases, the title of Certified Arborist is a voluntary standard,
although there are many employers that may require certification
for certain positions. Additionally, there are frequently times
where a Request For Bid or other contract work will specify
that the winning applicant must be a Certified Arborist or have
Certified Arborists on staff.
Arborist certification and other industry recognitions such
as the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) Accreditation
program are voluntary designations. There are certifications
mandatory to conduct business, such as a pesticide applicators
license. Certain municipalities also may require a license to
conduct tree work in their community. Both of these licenses
are intended to ensure those performing this type of work
are adhering to a set of standard practices. Licensing is one
It is up to all of us to uphold our
industry standards.
Learning from each other can help raise standards.
