the perception of competence by Matt Logan

 Matt Logan

President, Logan Tree Experts, BCMA

I understand that the following may come across as a “grumpy old man angry at change”, but this article briefly summarizes discussions I've been having with fellow arborists over the last several years. It's been my observations, as well as that of my colleagues, that an alarming number of new businesses have sprung up recently, and the proprietors of these businesses do not have a wealth of experience. Seemingly, arborist program graduates are coming out of college programs with limited practical in-field work experience and are starting their own businesses. Alternatively, a fair number of small companies are being started after the owner gains 2 to 3 years of experience with a reputable, or possibly unreputable business, and feels like they can go out on their own. Now, I'm aware that this is nothing new, and issues like this have been talked about far before my time, but it does seem to be more prevalent in the last few years. I think this is most likely from the surge in the industry due to Emerald Ash Borer and numerous severe weather events, which have created a boom in the industry. With an abundance of work everywhere, everyone wants their slice of the pie. 

I also believe that there is a larger underlying issue in our industry. By not having clear enough definitions of what is necessary to be a master of the craft, arboriculture does not have a clear enough mentorship program and experience level benchmarks to master the skill. Therefore, we have people entering the industry without knowing the full scope of skills, knowledge, and experience required to work in this industry. We also lack a clear career path for employees. Many times, they feel disillusioned and stuck in a rut, unaware of options within a company, and decide to go and make their own path. The issue with this is that we are having people with insufficient experience acting as ambassadors for the industry on a day-to-day basis. This can then reflect in such things as poor quality, poor service, safety issues, and inaccurate pricing. This creates an unhealthy and unstable industry environment that harms all those involved: the businesses, the employees, the clients, the public, and the trees. 

So, what can we do? As I've stated in the past, some type of regulation, registration, or standardization in this industry to ensure a level of competency, training, and knowledge would be a good first step. This would then not only level the playing field but also provide a standard that the public can recognize and expect. With some type of regulation or standardization, we can also standardize rates as well as wages, which will be helpful for both the public and employees. We also need to improve our career paths for our employees and our mentorship programs. Many arborists come out of college programs feeling that since they have graduated from the program, they are now competent arborists. I hate to burst people's bubbles, but the college programs are fundamental only. They are used to introduce students to the industry and key concepts, but they only teach basic introductory concepts, leaving the rest of the training to workplaces. To become a proficient arborist, in-school training must work in conjunction with a properly placed job placement with a reputable company that is willing and able to mentor the student and help them develop their knowledge base. Similarly, an ISA-certified arborist credential is still a benchmark of competence. Within the arboriculture field, years of training, experience, mentoring, and practice are what will make an arborist proficient, regardless of their scope of practice. To look at it another way, If we consider arborists under the industrial athlete moniker, as many do, we should also adopt the principle of 10,000 hours to become an expert. When people are graduating and starting a business between 1 and 2 years after graduation, where are they within those 10,000 hours? Are they putting those 10,000 hours to good use? Are they learning from their mistakes? Are they learning within an echo chamber with no one around to properly mentor? 

If we were to go by the standard of the 444A, the Ontario College of Trades Apprenticeship training standard, which arborist apprenticeship programs adhere to and the non-apprenticeship programs closely align with, we would see the importance of on-the-job training and mentorship. Within the standard, 5,400 hrs are identified as necessary for skill competence, as well as 660 hours of in-school training.  That is a 90:11 ratio! Even if you don’t adhere to the 444A, one can certainly appreciate the value put toward experience and mentoring.

Are those new companies and new arborists starting their own businesses getting their on-the-job training in the client's trees? How dangerous is that for the clients, employees, and the industry? Our post-secondary arborist programs need to do a better job of emphasizing that students are not done learning when they get that Certificate and that knowledge cannot replace experience; the two must work in conjunction.

We need to do a better job of taking pride in our work and ensuring that the people doing this work can do it properly. As an industry, we should strive for a more defined scope, required training, and standardization to legitimize the industry and ensure its sustainability. As colleges, we need to make our students aware of where they are in their career path and the journey ahead. As employers, we need to do a better job of showing them that career path and the steps that it will take in their progression as employees. As people entering this industry, we need to show the humility and patience required to truly master the craft, prioritize skill development, and not underestimate the value of mentorship. 

資料來源:

Matt Logan

President, Logan Tree Experts, BCMA

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