Motivations and Barriers of Professional Certifi cation for Tree Workers.

Background: Professional credentialing refers to the process of obtaining a certifi cation or license that validates an individual’s knowledge, skills, and abilities according to industry-accepted ethics and standards. The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) confers and manages professional arborist certifi cation as well as other arborist credentials. However, many communities, such as in the southern United States, have few if any credentialed commercial tree care professionals. This study explores the motivations and barriers commercial tree care workers place on professional arborist certifi cation. Methods: The research employed 60 qualitative interviews from 3 of the 8 southern states to elicit emergent themes and detailed understanding of participants’ attitudes and experiences. In addition, an online survey of 742 international respondents was conducted to validate and complement interview fi ndings. Results: Results illustrate degrees of professional interest in certifi cation. For example, some arborists pursued certifi cation to improve sales with government organizations, while both certifi ed and noncertifi ed participants suggested few clients were aware of certifi cation and therefore did not consider certifi cation valuable to market competition. Additionally, company cultures supporting professional development and engagement with professional organizations infl uenced certifi cation among new employees. Finally, some arborists viewed certifi cation as a pathway to increase knowledge, skills, and confi dence in arboriculture. Others discussed diffi culties in traditional education and testing required for certifi cation. Conclusion: The reasons for pursuing certifi cation were as diverse as the tree care workers in the industry. Findings suggest several possible interventions to address the challenges some individuals have in achieving certifi cation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]