$1,000 to become CPST certified?

judesmommy · Jan 24, 2010

https://ssl13.cyzap.net/dzapps/dbza...rtSQL&pCourseID=CA2010012289&pCoursePK=554232

Wow. Way to encourage people to learn about Child Passenger Safety and spread awareness. I guess you have to have an extra grand in the bank to learn.

Starlight · Jan 24, 2010

Most of the people who take the course are police officers and nurses, and their employers will pay the cost.

noahsmom24 · Jan 24, 2010

judesmommy said:
https://ssl13.cyzap.net/dzapps/dbza...rtSQL&pCourseID=CA2010012289&pCoursePK=554232

Wow. Way to encourage people to learn about Child Passenger Safety and spread awareness. I guess you have to have an extra grand in the bank to learn.

Wow!

scatterbunny · Jan 24, 2010

I have heard that courses in CA are expensive, but I'm not sure why. In Oregon, it seems the fees are less than $100 (it was $60 when I took the class a few years ago). Contact them and ask if they offer financial assistance for applicants who have no agency affiliation. My $60 local fee was waived because I did not have a job in the field, I was a volunteer. I think many times an agency pays for an employee to become a CPST, but if you contact the person in charge, they may have funds set aside to help someone volunteering on their own time/their own dime.

Those should be great instructors, though-I hope you have a chance at the class. :thumbsup:

judesmommy · Jan 24, 2010

Starlight said:
Most of the people who take the course are police officers and nurses, and their employers will pay the cost.

I think there should be an option for people who just want to be further educated. I have no plans of profiting off of becoming CPST certified, I just think it should be something affordable for people who want to learn. The more people that are able to take the class, the more educated people we have, the more ERF and EH we will see. Kinda sucks that being a single mother I don't happen to have an extra 1,010 dollars laying around that I DON'T need.

NVMBR02 · Jan 24, 2010

The class really isn't for just educating people just so they can learn. It is to become certified so that you can become a tech. and do the educating. My class had 16 of us and I was the only one there that wasn't there as part of my job. There are plenty of ways of educating yourself for free. Also you can always contact a tech for a seat check or go to a check event.

Classes around here are between $75 (I think that is the new safekids fee?) and $150. The classes in California, esp Southern Californa are really expensive though. If you want to become a tech. I would ask around to see if there is aid available.

carseatcoach · Jan 24, 2010

Not to be a jerk, because I realize it's frustrating, but classes cost money. I can't just go to the community college and take a course to educate myself -- I have to pay for it.

Edit: yes, $1000 is a lot. But these are courses designed to lead to a certification, not just to learn about ERF and EH.

mommyx4 · Jan 24, 2010

WOW!! I just signed up for the course here in NH and it's free. The only cost is at the end for my certification and that is only $75.

scatterbunny · Jan 24, 2010

I agree with the sentiments that the class isn't meant to simply add to a person's knowledge base-we're supposed to use that knowledge in real life (not just online forums

), and also that classes=a cost of some kind.

I do think, however, that having financial assistance available (especially in the case of a course that costs 1K) for needy applicants is a necessary thing. The goal should be to have as many truly dedicated CPSTs as possible, in as many geographic areas as possible. It shouldn't be limited to only those able to afford the class (which, usually means those who have an agency backing them up). I think since the vast majority of students do have an agency paying their way, it shouldn't be a problem to offer financial assistance to the one out of 15-20 students who might need it. JMO, of course.

Andie · Jan 24, 2010

scatterbunny said:
I have heard that courses in CA are expensive, but I'm not sure why. In Oregon, it seems the fees are less than $100 (it was $60 when I took the class a few years ago). Contact them and ask if they offer financial assistance for applicants who have no agency affiliation. My $60 local fee was waived because I did not have a job in the field, I was a volunteer. I think many times an agency pays for an employee to become a CPST, but if you contact the person in charge, they may have funds set aside to help someone volunteering on their own time/their own dime.

Those should be great instructors, though-I hope you have a chance at the class. :thumbsup:

My class in March is going to be $75.

Mom2FiveGirls · Jan 24, 2010

Wow. I've looked into becoming certified (I'm currently going to school to get my nursing degree and my goal is to work in the NICU or PICU, so I thought it would be helpful)

and most around here are $75 but there have been a few that have had extra fees ($150 then the $75 is the most I've seen though). I'm hoping to find a course not too far away sometime this summer.

crunchierthanthou · Jan 24, 2010

scatterbunny said:
I have heard that courses in CA are expensive, but I'm not sure why. In Oregon, it seems the fees are less than $100 (it was $60 when I took the class a few years ago). Contact them and ask if they offer financial assistance for applicants who have no agency affiliation. My $60 local fee was waived because I did not have a job in the field, I was a volunteer. I think many times an agency pays for an employee to become a CPST, but if you contact the person in charge, they may have funds set aside to help someone volunteering on their own time/their own dime.

Those should be great instructors, though-I hope you have a chance at the class. :thumbsup:

I don't think they're all $1,000 - just the ones hosted by SBS. Unfortunately (and surprisingly), there aren't a lot of other options in the area. You have to admit that Stephanie Tombrello is absolutely a top tier instructor who has a wealth of knowledge and experience, and will advocate ERF. That's still a lot to swallow as an individual who isn't getting certified for work.

capeKO71 · Jan 24, 2010

I actually can see the positive side to this. Around here, it's free to take the course if it's your first time taking it. We get loads and loads of municipal folks who jump on the ban wagon to take the course because they get paid while they are there. then they never do anything with it. We have to beg and plead for people to come to checkups.

In some ways, if you charge, you're weeding out those folks who really don't care and are just taking it to take it. $1K is a lot... don't get me wrong... but many certificate courses are more then that. And so much of being a CPS is caring about it and staying current with it... far too many of our local techs take the course and that's it... they don't put an ounce of effort into it beyond that.

Qarin · Jan 24, 2010

There has got to be a middle ground between free-and-unvalued and $1000. Sure, lots of other kinds of certifications cost in the area of $1000, but typically there is a financial upside- some sort of increased employability... not really so much for CPSTs. As well, $1000 just is not the going rate for the CPST certification course anywhere except... that one. I think this has come up before, but I've never heard what the justification is for that course's extremely high local fee- I'm sure there must be one (even if I don't agree with the reason, surely they've got some reason for it). As I recall, KetchupQueen took a course further out from LA... maybe because it was cheaper? I recall that it might have also been rather expensive.

My course was paid for ($75, no additional local fee) by the local Safe Kids Coalition, because I had already volunteered at a couple of seat checks and will continue to come to them- they have money to pay a few techs a little bit for check events, which is nice, but would take years to cover a $1000 certification course fee.

scatterbunny · Jan 24, 2010

In some ways, if you charge, you're weeding out those folks who really don't care and are just taking it to take it.

I see this point in a way, but I think ultimately I disagree because I think the vast majority of folks cannot afford to drop 1K on a week-long class, not when the financial gain from said class is oftentimes minuscule (or nonexistent). The majority of folks taking the (more expensive, especially) classes have agencies that pay for said classes. I don't think that means those folks will be more dedicated, just because they didn't have to use financial aid. They were just lucky enough to have an agency willing to put them through the class.

I just don't like the idea that, if you have to pay for something, you'll appreciate it more. That might be the case for some people, but I don't really believe, for example, that someone who pays out-of-pocket for a college education will appreciate it more, or use the education more, than someone who went to college on financial aid.

TheQueenMother · Jan 24, 2010

By charging that price fewer agencies are going to spring for the certification police and fire dept budgets are already tight and many do not have those funds available My fear would be that fewer places will have techs due to the high cost.

judesmommy · Jan 24, 2010

Qarin · Jan 24, 2010

Have you called and asked what the local fee is for, and if it can be waived or reduced in your case?

Qarin · Jan 24, 2010

(And by "have you," I really mean "will you, please," because I'd really like to know why the high local fee and whether it is negotiable, but of course I have no justifiable reason to make that call myself... and you do

).

judesmommy · Jan 24, 2010

chickabiddy said:
Not to be a jerk, because I realize it's frustrating, but classes cost money. I can't just go to the community college and take a course to educate myself -- I have to pay for it.

Edit: yes, $1000 is a lot. But these are courses designed to lead to a certification, not just to learn about ERF and EH.

College courses are used for a degree which you use to get employed and make money. Getting CPST certified in order to volunteer??? Thats way different. No one HAS to install their car seats correctly or ERF or EH. Teaching people to do so is trying to help, not the same as being an accountant for pay, or a lawyer or even a Dr. all of which require a college education. I have no problem paying for my college classes. They are for my own personal growth and adventually for my future income.

$1,000 to become CPST certified?

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