Re: How do I get certified?
Welcome to iboats.<br /><br />One technicality to add to rodbolt's post... You have to go to school. Factory school. For each brand. Just working for a dealer doesn't get you automatically certified. They have to send you to the schools and you have to pass the tests. Once you've recieved certification, you have to maintain it...by going to school. Factory school. For each brand. Every year or dang near to it. And if you let it expire, you have to start all over again.<br /><br />Some courses are taught by Video Tape, others are on DVD, and some courses are offered over the internet. Typically you take a packaged course in the comfort of your home, take some tests, send them in, and then you qualify for going to school if you pass. The packaged courses range from basic skills to specific specialized systems. But to achieve Certification, you have to take a one-week course at the factory school and pass the test. Different brands vary somewhat in their requirements, but most do it this way. It's not something you can get at your local Tech School by attending evening classes. It's incredibly involved and you have to have a dealer that is willing to invest in you and you have to have the dedication to keep with it. It can literally take years and it usually does. Not that you're going to school full time for years, just a few days to a couple weeks at a time. Most courses are offered over the winter and the schedules for the upcoming sessions are coming out real soon if they already aren't. <br /><br />There are other Certifications as well. ABYC offers it and you can get something akin to it thru some tech colleges. There's also the MMI in Florida, and Amtech may be worth a look. These are not factory certifications, but they give out nice looking certificates and the factories are being more accepting of these.<br /><br />For a quick (sort of) certificate, you can take Boating Safety courses over the internet at several sites. If you go thru the "sessions" and pass the tests, you can print out the certificates right from your computer's printer. That would be an easy place to start. Well actually, the Easiest way would be to go get some Certificate blanks and print your own. But that would be cheating.
If you go that route, be tongue-in-cheek. Don't forge them or anything or misrepresent yourself. The School Of Hard Knocks is a popular title for those.
