ACE program growing and getting better

The Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE) program is growing in both numbers and maturity. This year has already been a banner year with the roll of Associate Certified Entomologists exceeding 640 and even a new Facebook page.

ACE Prep class held last fall at the Texas A&M AgriLife
Center in Dallas

Although I can't seem to get the hang of Facebook, many of you do it quite well.  So Facebook users, check it out, like it, and encourage the good folks at the Entomological Society of America (ESA) who are trying out  new ways to communicate with the ACE community.

Also, Chris Stelzig, manager of certification programs at ESA, has started a new service he calls  "Certified Science."  This is a blog, and a great way to keep up on the latest research that concerns urban entomology.  He lists urban entomology publications that have recently appeared in ESA journals, and provides a link to the abstracts. If after reading the abstract, you find that you want to learn more, you can sometimes find free copies of the full articles online, or else purchase a copy.  Certified Science is a service of the  for all Associate Certified Entomologists (ACEs) and Board Certified Entomologists (BCEs) who hold a specialty in urban and industrial entomology.

If you read my recent post on the ESA annual conference, you know that another advantage of certification is discounted registration for that meeting. Besides all the interesting talks, papers and posters, the Certification program has its annual Board meeting and certification program business meeting at the annual conference.  Show up once or twice and you might find yourself getting more involved with the program.

If you haven't taken the plunge, but are interested in certification, now may be the time. David Henderson, with Spring ISD in the Houston area, is organizing an ACE Prep Class this summer.  I and others will be conducting a day's review of the materials covered in the ACE exam.  If you have been studying and have already applied, paid your fees and been approved by ESA, we can give you the exam late in the afternoon.  It's a convenient way to take the exam with a group of fellow PMPs and a built in proctor.  Of course you don't have to take the exam.  The class can serve either as a kickoff for studying for the exam, or as a pre-exam review and confidence builder.  

The class will be held on July 11 at the Spring ISD Transportation Facility, 341A East Richey Road, Houston, TX 77073.  We start at 8:30 am and prep until about 2:30 pm.  The exam is offered from 3-5 pm. If you are interested contact David at dhenders@springisd.org. Cost is estimated to be $50 to cover my travel expenses (the larger the class, the lower the cost).

ACE Prep Class Opportunity in Dallas Dec 12

The first ACE Prep Course to be offered at the
ESA Annual Conference happened November
15th in Knoxville, TN. The next day 25 PMPs
successfully passed the exam in both Tennessee
and in Georgia. While not required prior to
taking the exam, many feel the class
is a great confidence booster.

This fall has seen a record level of interest in the Entomological Society of America's (ESA) certification program. Thanks in part to booths at the recent Bed Bug Summit in Las Vegas, NV and then again at PestWorld in Boston, MA many PMPs are learning about the program and signing up for certification exams. On November 16th alone, approximately 25 new ACEs were added to the Certification rolls.

A lot of you that I've talked to over the years have expressed interest in applying for the ACE program, but are a little nervous about the exam. This is understandable, especially for most of us who haven't taken a test in a few years. If you find yourself in that position, there are two excellent opportunities to prepare.

On Wednesday December 12 Dr. Bob Davis and I will be offering the ACE Prep Class at The Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Dallas. If you are interested and planning to go for ACE certification in the next year you are welcome; but you should sign up soon because we only have room for 15 more participants.  Class time runs from 8:30 am until approximately 2:00 pm. After the class, at 2:00 pm, we will give the exam to anyone who is pre-approved to take the test (see below).  Anyone planning to take the exam  should bring either a laptop or iPad with wireless internet capabilities.  The exam is only being given online, and my office does not have enough computers to provide one to all test takers.  No CEUs will be offered for this class. If you would like to participate, contact my assistant, Kaye Garrison (972-952-9201 or vkgarrison@ag.tamu.edu) to sign up and get directions.

One more thing about this date... but first, sit down and hold on to your chair. As an incentive to see more PMPs here in Dallas take the plunge and get certified, there will be no fee for this class. If you're one of those waffling about whether to take the plunge, you'll never have a better, more economical opportunity. Because of the limited class size, we will be giving first priority to those who will be taking the test that day, so don't delay.

If you miss this chance, or Dallas isn't your kind of town, a second prep class will be held Wednesday, January 9, 2013 in College Station, TX. Dr. Bob and I will be offering the prep class again as part of the 67th Texas A&M University Urban Pest Management Conference and Workshop. The Prep Class starts at 10:15 am on the 9th, and the ACE exam will be given the next morning at 8:00 am. This course will earn you one Gen. CEU (Other), one Gen. CEU (IPM), and one Pest and one Termite CEU in Texas, as well as four technician credit hours. For more information about the meeting, cost, and how to register, go to http://pcoconference.tamu.edu/index.html.

What Is Certification?

If you haven't heard of the ACE program before, it is a certification program for PMPs with at least seven years of experience in the pest control industry. There is a certification exam to be passed, much like a doctor must pass their board exams to be certified in a specialty area. Those who qualify and pass the exam are qualified to call themselves Associate Certified Entomologists (ACEs) and include the certification initials on their business cards or business advertisements.  As government agencies, schools and the public learn about certification, you can expect more and more people to want to hire a company with a certified entomologist on staff. The certification program includes both ACE (7 years experience, no college degree requirement) and BCE (Board Certified Entomologists, must have a degree in entomology or related science) options. There are over 500 active ACEs in the U.S. according to the ESA.  For more information, check out the ESA Certification website.

How Do I Get Approved to Take the Exam?

Anyone who wants to take the ACE exam must first apply for certification, pay the application fee, and be approved by the ESA office.  To start the process go to http://www.entsoc.org/certification/ace/index.htm and complete steps One and Two by Friday, December 7. You do not have to pre-qualify to take the course without the exam.

How Do I Prepare?

One last thing.  If you're planning to take the ACE exam at one of these venues you should study now. The prep course alone is not enough to get most folks through. For suggestions on how and what to study, familiarize yourself with the study outline at the ESA website. Pay special attention to the detailed list of pests and competency areas linked at this page. I recommend circling every subject you feel rusty on, and using the recommended study materials to bone up especially on those points. There is even a practice exam on the website.

Recent ACE Prep Class in Houston

On December 11 I had the privilege once again to participate as an instructor in the 5th Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE) prep class offered in Texas. As with previous classes, the course was sponsored by the Texas Pest Control Association and taught by myself and Dr. Bob Davis of BASF Specialty Products. This class was also co-taught with first-time lecturer Dr. Grady Glenn, pesticide applicator training specialist with Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

As any of the participants will tell you, this is a classic cram course. We cover topics ranging from a brief introduction to entomology and insect classification, to toxicology, laws and regulations and overviews of cockroach, WDI and rodent biology to just name a few. The pace is quick, but fun as the class interacts with instructors and gets a few pointers about test-taking.

The purpose of the class is to prepare participants to take the challenging ACE exam, one of the prerequisites for becoming an Associate Certified Entomologist. At the end of about 6 hours of cramming we offer the exam to anyone who has applied through ESA and registered to take the test that day.

I enjoy teaching this class because of the quality and enthusiasm of the participants, each of whom must have seven years of experience in the pest control business. The other thing I value, and I think participants do too, is the opportunity we have to review fundamentals--the whys behind many of the little rules and facts we learn in pest control. It's a chance to dig a little deeper than the typical CEU class, and much deeper than technician training.

Of course taking the class is no guarantee of passing the test. Our pass rate is typically 50-60%, though this class had a nearly 90% passing rate. We find that success is highest for those who review the study subjects prior to taking the class and exam. But most importantly, we find that the pass rate is 100% higher for those who take the test than those who think about it but never get around to signing up.

If you've thought about certification, but hesitate at the thought of taking a tough exam (it's been a long time for all of us since our last final exam), consider taking one of the ACE prep courses being offered around the state. The next class and exam will be offered at the B&G Chemical and Equipment Company workshop in Arlingtion, on January 22. Note that the Arlington venue is the only B&G venue that will be offering ACE prep training this year.

To learn more about the ACE or BCE certification programs, check out the Entomological Society of America's website at http://entsoc.org/certification. There are no official study guides, but the website offers a very detailed list of the subject matter that is covered by the exam. Two of the best study resources I recommend include the Truman's Scientific Guide to Pest Management, and the NPMA Field Guide to Structural Pests. I suggest focusing study time on topics you feel a little weak in. Stored product pests and pesticide classification are two subject areas where many applicants seem to struggle. Also, definitely take the sample exam on the ESA website. It gives you an authentic taste of what the real exam is like.

Successful candidates receive a certificate and uniform patch and earn the right to advertise themselves as Associate Certified Entomologists. In addition, ACEs receive the ESA Newsletter and have the option to register for ESA journals and meetings at discounted rates.

Congratulations to those of you who recently took and passed the exam. I look forward to seeing many more of you join the ACE ranks in the near future.