Competent Beekeeper

[Justabeekeeper]

At what level of qualifications/experience does the BBKA deem you to be a competent Beekeeper ?
Been asked about getting involved in a community project with bees and the company is asking if I am a competent beekeeper. Paperwork at it's best again.

Just wondered at what level the BBKA deem you to be competent, does anyone know ?

Thanks

[Alfred]

Well at my local affiliate you can get your Master Beekeeper Certificate whilst being be completely incompetent.
I'm sure three years is a figure I've encountered on the subject
But that includes attending the circle jerk all along the way

[Justabeekeeper]

Haha I know what you mean. I've met some right darlings that couldn't keep bees in a box if their life depended on it.

I've had bees more than 3 years and got quite a few of them now.

[Patrick]

Obviously I know nothing of the circumstances, but I do have some sympathy for the “company”. If it’s a community project they are presumably involving plenty of non beekeepers and need some reassurance it’s not all going to go pear shaped. They probably have absolutely no idea how to judge a competent beekeeper either.

I share a degree of wry cynicism regarding beekeeping qualifications being a proxy for competence, but in fairness that’s the way of the world. If you were ill, would you trust the advice of your qualified Dr or old Bloke down the Duck and Ferret, who says he “has seen loads of people with that over the years guv’nor! “

If I was keen to get involved but couldn’t brandish paperwork, I might write a Risk Assessment type document for them so they can see you understand the issues that might arise and have solutions available to you.

It’s what I did for my local Allotment association when I was asked if they should allow a new plot holder to start keeping bees on the site. At least it meant both parties were a bit more sighted on what they were doing, what they could expect to happen and needed to think about.

The road to Hell is paved with Assumptions..

[Steve 1972]

At what level of qualifications/experience does the BBKA deem you to be a competent Beekeeper ?
Been asked about getting involved in a community project with bees and the company is asking if I am a competent beekeeper. Paperwork at it's best again.

Just wondered at what level the BBKA deem you to be competent, does anyone know ?

Thanks

Let me know the answer when you find out..i is looking for that Answer in the year of never..

[NigelP]

At what level of qualifications/experience does the BBKA deem you to be a competent Beekeeper ?

Having seen some of the howlers master beekeepers have written in the BBKA magazine in past years.....plus I've met a few with a very poor knowledge of beekeeping...... I thinks it's fair to say it's a tricky one to answer /wry grin/
I would say taking the BBKA basic exam should suffice for any certification you may need to waft in front of people. It's quite easy and you have to be a total nonce to fail it.
Also agree with Patrick, a risk assessment is an absolute essential for any sort of community project involving bees. They seem tricky but are quite easy.
You ask what could go wrong and have measures in place to deal with them. i.e . What happens if a colony turns nasty and starts stinging anyone who wanders near. Ans. Have somewhere else to move it to....and so on.
Lots of good examples can be found with a google search.

[Alfred]

Obviously I know nothing of the circumstances, but I do have some sympathy for the “company”. If it’s a community project they are presumably involving plenty of non beekeepers and need some reassurance it’s not all going to go pear shaped. They probably have absolutely no idea how to judge a competent beekeeper either.

I share a degree of wry cynicism regarding beekeeping qualifications being a proxy for competence, but in fairness that’s the way of the world. If you were ill, would you trust the advice of your qualified Dr or old Bloke down the Duck and Ferret, who says he “has seen loads of people with that over the years guv’nor! “

If I was keen to get involved but couldn’t brandish paperwork, I might write a Risk Assessment type document for them so they can see you understand the issues that might arise and have solutions available to you.

It’s what I did for my local Allotment association when I was asked if they should allow a new plot holder to start keeping bees on the site. At least it meant both parties were a bit more sighted on what they were doing, what they could expect to happen and needed to think about.

The road to Hell is paved with Assumptions..

An NPO should be given some slack that's true Patrick
But talking down to people like naughty children whilst reciting internet wisdom and simultaneously dropping a frame of bees which ultimately got some good stinging going....
Fully qualified I'd say.

[Patrick]

Sounds hilarious, wish I had been there to see it Alfred!

Actually, it illustrates the point Justabeekeeper was asking about very well. We might all agree on person X being a competent beekeeper, managing their bees and working quietly away in their isolated or home apiary.

Put that same person in a crowd of people, carry out management on a strange hive whilst usefully and engagingly explaining it, not the same skill set at all.

Like Steve, I too look forward to competence. Trouble is, soon as I think I have arrived there I will promptly trip over and land face first in another warm pat of “incompetence”

[Justabeekeeper]

Currently the bees at the project (should it happen) will be my own.
I am still waiting for their idea of what the project will entail. Is it a one off or is it something they wish to run for a season or keep running every season ? That will dictate the facilities required to some degree.
The request for facilities may put them off the idea.
They didn't seem to squirm when I told them I would want payment for my time. They aren't short of money and funding.

It may be resigned to the cupboard of it seemed like a good idea at the time, if it goes ahead they want it running next year.
Worst case I should get an out apiary from it with 170 acres of wild flowers to go at.

[AdamD]

The BBKA Basic should be acceptable to denote a certain level of competence. It is not too difficult however; there is a higher mark - a Credit - which should be achievable by most. Once you have passed "The General" you can go on a days course at Stoneleigh to be an assessor for it, which I have done. Sometimes it takes a while to tease answers out of people although all that I have seen have gone on to pass.