ISA HK/China --- Incoming Mail (Queries on Local Arboricutural Training)

国内朋友请使用翻译软件阅读本文。
*** Our weekly Station Mail is for the information of Station Members only, but Station Mail has given up copyright & can be freely circulated. For administrative reasons, comments from outsiders are usually not entertained & may be circulated within our system locally & overseas. Please note Station Mail is sometimes given in Blog at http://isahkchina.blogspot.com , although images are usually not attached due to size. ***

Dear xxx,

Thank you for your message to TCHK in Chinese. Your worries about the quality of the Local Arboricultural Training & future career prospect are indeed valid. ISA HK/China has taken note of your concern.

Indeed, the provision of Arbor Training in our territory is rather limited at present. Once again, we have to appreciate that ISA Arboriculture has really taken off only after ISA HK/China was set up in HK in Feb 2006. Within 4.5 years, HK has established a Tree Management Office (TMO) at a Govt level even higher than a lot of western countries. There is room for improvement for the training facilities to catch up indeed.

On the other hand, it is an ISA practice that the Chief Proctor & Proctors are not encouraged to take part in any credential training in order to avoid Conflict of Interest. The Station Manager who is also the Chief Proctor has obediently abided with this instruction, although he is allowed to train anything other than credentials in CICTA & Govt Depts. Please also note that it is an ISA Policy not to recommend or approve any training program in order to avoid any legal or moral responsibilities.

What ISA HK/China would say on your concern to seek appropriate training would be that you have to check whether the training complies with ISA exam requirements, if you are looking for an ISA credential at the end. You would also have to decide upon the capabilities of the tutors to deliver updated knowledge & experience, since ISA Arboriculture is an advancing profession with research coming out practically every 2 months. In western countries, tutors of ISA credential training are usually retired Proctors with years of experience in the Arboricultural Field both in knowledge & practical experience. HK may be short of this kind of personnel at present for mass education.

Please also note that by getting an ISA credential would not make you into a 'Tree Expert' instantly. The person passing a 200 multiple choice test to become a Certified Arborist has only pushed open the door of Modern Arboriculture to enter into this profound & deep profession. There are still many doors to push open in order to become a practicing Tree Professional (http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2008/08/isa-hkchina-independent-practicing.html) , & most needed is personal advancement by self-study, research & learning from Senior Arborists. Joining ISA HK/China & TCHK is a start since you will meet other Arborists regularly, & share with their knowledge & experience. Polishing the credential alone in private would not make it shine for long.

Your worries about entering the Arborist Profession is justified & ISA HK/China wishes the future TMO to take note of it as well. We also wish the future TMO to take credit of the knowledge & experience of the Front Line Staff in various Govt Depts with their years of attendance in Tree Care, because these are the people who would touch trees day in & day out. Modern Arboriculture is a hands-on discipline & site experience is invaluable to take into account. Letting the Front Line Staff speak out without fear may help policy making & tree management go a long way to save administrative time & financial spending.

ISA HK/China hopes that we have addressed your concern. If not, you are welcomed to contact us anytime for further advice.

best regards,

Sammy Au
Station Manager

"If a tree is not designed, installed, maintained & inspected properly, it is likely to become a liability rather than an asset."

"Trees are good for the community. Trees need care like human beings. Arborists are the Tree Care Professionals."



To: TCHK

" 轉貼自x報

【x報專訊】近年多宗塌樹事件，敲響前線護理樹木人員專業成疑的警號，有前線職員向本報表示，政府提供的樹藝課程優先給經理級職員報讀；亦有護理樹木的外判商坦言，坊間培訓機會嚴重不足，行內專業水平參差。中大專業進修及愛護樹木協會下月中將開辦首個樹藝專業文憑課程，希望提升業界專業水平。

'愛護樹木協會' 合辦 須實習27小時

「樹藝專業文憑課程」由身兼協會第一副主席的康文署已退休總康樂事務經理張耀江擔任課程顧問，涵蓋樹木病理、護理樹木等，並安排27小時的實習機會，資歷相等於英國國際樹木學會二級樹藝課程，但不等於考獲樹藝師資格。

張耀江指出，此乃本港首個針對樹藝的文憑課程，覑重訓練如何察覺樹木的健康問題，「政府各部門都要求地盤監工懂得這方面知識，但坊間能主辦這類課程的機構並不多，政府和私人機構都需要這方面的培訓，市場對樹藝人才的需求會愈來愈多」。

政府培訓不足 前線工報讀機會少

不願透露姓名的康文署樹木護理職員稱，政府的樹藝培訓不足，「有課程也先讓經理級職員報讀，我們前線工作的反而很少機會上堂」。
在康文署工作逾20年的他，曾參與署方的樹藝課程，但因人手不足，上司多次要求他「走堂」，「有時真的會怕，因為沒上一堂，巡樹或護理樹木時，真的不懂」。因此，他多次自資公餘進修。

他又指署方三,四年前曾安排職員到海外接受樹藝培訓，但每年只有一個學額，「很多時讀畢課程的同事不久便轉工」。

曾為政府護理樹木的承建商負責人盧先生指出，坊間的課程只教導簡單的護樹技巧，「一星期上兩堂，兩三星期便讀完，既不深入，又無銜接深化的樹藝課程，業界只為張證書，『為份工去讀』，質素參差」。

康文署﹕將補派5員工海外培訓

康文署回應稱，正計劃增加各項樹木護理的課程及學額，並曾為負責樹木護理的各級同事，包括經理及前線工人安排訓練。另外，署方將於2009至2010年度補派5名員工到海外參與樹藝培訓，並規定他們在完成課程後承諾繼續服務一段時間，約2至3年。

x報記者 zzz "

我想報讀樹藝師備考課程...紅色字的那部分, 另我猶疑起來..還有我是外行人. 有心轉工.. 完成這課程之後..能找到有關工作嗎?

xxx