NABCEP test [RE-wrenches]

Sun Mar 23 15:37:48 PDT 2008

<x-flowed>

Hello Dan,

Thank you for sharing your experiences and your thoughts.

Standardized tests use two assessment formats: closed response 
(multiple-choice, true-false, matching) and open response where students 
create their own answer to a question or task (essay, short answer, 
fill-in-the-blank, open-ended math problems, oral presentations, lab 
experiments, exhibitions, and portfolios). Standardized testing grew in 
popularity with world population and urbanization. Today, world leaders 
(many of whom do not take standardized tests or have performed poorly when 
tested) with the support of the "privileged few" have institutionalized 
standardized testing despite the fact that it does not allow for personal, 
local, or cultural differences, having a bad day, not being proficient at 
tests, not needing group affirmation, or other factors that may result in 
failure to test of a low score.

I may be wrong, but it seems that your continued practice testing, your 
desire to pass, familiarization with testers' expectations, your 
persistence, and other factors finally resulted in a passing score. Do you 
think that studying and passing the test improved your skills and on-the-job 
performance? Are you more critical of other people's job performance since 
you passed the test? Is Foxfire Energy a member of SEIA or an other industry 
association that lobbies and offers member benefits?

Joel Davidson

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dan Brown"
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2008 6:47 AM
Subject: Re: NABCEP test [RE-wrenches]

>
>
>
> I wasn't going to say anything;
>        I'm one of those folks that took the exam more time's than I'd care
> to admit. I watched the first round of exams come and go. (I was 
> discouraged
> from participating at the time by my employer -- for some reason.) I got 
> the
> impression the initial success rate was quite high -- certifying most of 
> the
> industry's old timers.
>       the following year, I pony'd up the cash -- myself, and sat for me
> first exam. At the time I had over 35 years experience in Electrical / 
> Building
> Construction -- the last 4 of them installing RE systems full time. 
> (Including
> Four Years of Electronic Warfare experience w/ ASA, A 20 yr. old BA in
> Electronic Comm. / Physics, and was in my Senior Year of an Electrical / 
> Mechanical
> Engineering Degree program ). I was scoring well over 90% on the practice
> exam.
>       Yes, I was kinda cocky, and yes, I bombed dismally -- not even 60%. 
> I
> recall the test seemed unnecessarily elusive and slippery to me. Seemed it
> had less to do with logical PV installation issues and more to do with how
> clever the exam's authors were. (Sour Grapes?-- Maybe.) Dismayed? OK. 
> Anyway, of
> the 13+  folks who took the test w/ me, only 1 made the "Certified" list 
> in this
> state. the following few bouts were similar. yes, i did the seminars w/
> Brother Bill and John. scores did come up some -- (maddeningly within one 
> point of
> passing). but still, it seemed like only 10 - 15% of the testing 
> candidates
> actually made it on this state's "Certified"list.
>       i did call Pete for advice / recourse (just as he was leaving). He
> suggested I contact folks who had previously passed the exam for 
> assistance.
> Which I did?  Yes, some have, and continue to be genuinely helpful, but 
> generally
> speaking, most folks viewed my type as competition -- still do.
>       Finally, last year, (despite discovering that few folks around 
> here -- 
> outside the RE industry had ever even heard of NABCEP), I took and passed 
> the
> Exam. My score was somewhere in the mid 80s as I recall, and yes there was 
> a
> noticeable difference in the demeanor of the exam. much more logical and
> straight forward.  So yes, I'm now one of the "Privileged few" eyeing 
> these "young
> upstarts" coming thru who yes, sometimes can't seem to be able to tell the
> difference between two kW and two phase, and wondering what's happening. 
> Not to
> mention that they -- as I did, happily work for $14/hr.
>        Granted, Vermont seems quite a ways from the RE forefront at times,
> but properly designed and installed PV systems is an industry wide 
> issue -- one
> i thought NABCEP is to address. but from my perspective, what's actually
> happened -- at least in these parts,  has been that NABCEP seems to have
> unintentionally offered a leg up for good slippery test takers, and the 
> good old boys,
> and left we newbies scratching our -- chins.
>        well, me grandma used to say "if you can't say anything nice, 
> better
> to keep your mouth shut". i don't mean to totally horse on the NABCEP 
> folks
> here -- i do appreciate that there's industry wide organizations out there
> trying to better the world. i also realize there's bound to be growing 
> pains, and
> that they may need our input, support -- and patience. no, i offer these
> observations as a means to stimulate constructive criticism.
>       so, I'd like to suggest that we focus on forests, and not so much 
> just
> on trees.  little by little I'm hearing rumors of NABCEP efforts on many
> fronts, but they all seem so distant. i would like to see more. 
> specifics?-- i
> would like to see a NABCEP led national political lobbying effort. maybe 
> offer a
> monthly e-news letter -- (maybe in league with Home Power?). How about a
> member / group insurance program. a union type membership? Maybe technical
> assistance with complex issues -- ( is there actually an official NABCEP 
> rep on this
> list)?  I wouldn't even mind paying dues. And i suspect that they (like 
> we)
> will continually need to evolve with changing times.  all I'm saying is --  
> let's
> just pull it together folks -- and move forward. respectfully. db
>
>
> Dan Brown
> President
> Foxfire Energy Corp.
> Renewable Energy Systems
> (802)-483-2564
> www.Foxfire-Energy.com
> NABCEP #092907-44
>
> "Kill the Wabbit":  Fudd 

- - - -
Hosted by Home Power magazine

To send a message: RE-wrenches at topica.com

Archive of previous messages: http://lists.topica.com/lists/RE-wrenches/read

List rules & how to change your email address: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/etiquette.php

Check out participant bios: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/

Moderator: michael.welch at homepower.com
--^----------------------------------------------------------------
This email was sent to: michael.welch at re-wrenches.org

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bz8Qcs.bz9JC9.bWljaGFl
Or send an email to: RE-wrenches-unsubscribe at topica.com

For Topica's complete suite of email marketing solutions visit:
http://www.topica.com/?p=TEXFOOTER
--^----------------------------------------------------------------

</x-flowed>