My vent for the day- course related

Dillipop · Jul 26, 2007

Why does safekids list courses as public and then when you get an email from the instructor, the response is-
Sorry, this course was only offered to law enforcement and is full.:thumbsdown:

Also, why are there still 2 seats open on the safekids site when it is supposed to be full?

Why does Rhode Island only have techs at the police stations? (From what I can tell, the only available techs are officers.) Is that really fair that only those forced by their jobs to get certified are allowed to?

I just want to become a tech! I just want to help kids in our state be safe! I even got child care taken care of for the week, which is not an easy task.

I am now very sad.

Thanks for listening to my vent. (If anyone knows the answers to any of my questions, I'd love to know.)

Patriot201 · Jul 26, 2007

I don't have any answers for you, but I wanted to say, "I'm sorry!"

ThreeBeans · Jul 26, 2007

Oh, man

I don't suppose there's any point in submitting an argument?

arly1983 · Jul 26, 2007

I am soooo sorry....I feel your pain(esp about the child care)

The nearest course to me in South Carolina. No wonder carseat usage is so bad around here

Jewels · Jul 26, 2007

Patriot20171 said:
I don't have any answers for you, but I wanted to say, "I'm sorry!"

:yeahthat:

Sorry to hear that.

I had problems with my class not being cancelled. I was on the list since October and it kept getting cancelled or bumped and I didn't end up taking it until July

Defrost · Jul 26, 2007

Maybe because we're scary?

I know me and Gypsy nearly drove our instructors nuts, and I'm sure the other students, who were all there because their jobs required it, thought we were pretty weird at first.

Even so, we are just as dedicated (if not more) because we CHOSE to be there - it just doesn't make sense that they only want certain people to get certified! You're right, that just doesn't seem fair at all.

thepote · Jul 26, 2007

SafeKids should have some sort of correspondence course where you could study and submit your homework online, then make an appointment with an instructor to meet them for the install day.

I personally would like to see more advocates out there; to limit it to people who do it "for work" is contributing to the problem of too much misuse.

azgirl71 · Jul 26, 2007

I am sorry

Usually when classes are for specific people they are marked controlled. Not hat it would do you any ood in ths situation, but you could complain to SK that they hd thier class marked public when it reall should have been marke controlled. Again I am sorry

Dillipop · Jul 26, 2007

It just gets so frustrating. I hear all about you guys all finding courses close by and how there is always something coming up. In RI, this is the FIRST course offered in over a year. There have been a few (less than 5, I would say) offered in Mass in the past year and they were too far away (or controlled and I couldn't get in. There are a couple in Connecticut, too, but again, too far away.

I just want to get certified. Although, once I do, I don't know if my local chapter will let me do events, since they seem to only like law enforcement doing it.

It Just Sucks...

azgirl71 · Jul 26, 2007

Dillipop said:
It just gets so frustrating. I hear all about you guys all finding courses close by and how there is always something coming up. In RI, this is the FIRST course offered in over a year. There have been a few (less than 5, I would say) offered in Mass in the past year and they were too far away (or controlled and I couldn't get in. There are a couple in Connecticut, too, but again, too far away.

I just want to get certified. Although, once I do, I don't know if my local chapter will let me do events, since they seem to only like law enforcement doing it.

It Just Sucks...

You could try doing a search for Instructors in your area and then email the individual instructors as I did. I kept waiting for a class to come here as all the classes are 4-5 hours from me. After waiting almost a year is when I emailed them. I know it can be frustrating when you are so passionate about something.

Momto2whosews · Jul 26, 2007

Dillipop said:
Why does safekids list courses as public and then when you get an email from the instructor, the response is-
Sorry, this course was only offered to law enforcement and is full.:thumbsdown:

Also, why are there still 2 seats open on the safekids site when it is supposed to be full?

Why does Rhode Island only have techs at the police stations? (From what I can tell, the only available techs are officers.) Is that really fair that only those forced by their jobs to get certified are allowed to?

I just want to become a tech! I just want to help kids in our state be safe! I even got child care taken care of for the week, which is not an easy task.

I am now very sad.

Thanks for listening to my vent. (If anyone knows the answers to any of my questions, I'd love to know.)

I'm so sorry. Have you called your local SK coordinator? It sounds like the person who emailed you was a lead instructor and probably in law enforcement and therefore only wanted to open the class for his/her colleagues.

I was never able to find a course on the SK website in my state. Then I went to a check up event and found out they hold them at least once a year, and often every 6 months. The classes are mostly for law enforcement/fire fighters/child care providers, but they let me in after a brief conversation with the SK coordinator. I would call just to be sure that the class really is full and see if they can get you on a waiting list for the next one if it is.

good luck!

Dillipop · Jul 26, 2007

The thing that ticks me off the most is that the website is still showing 1 seat left and that the class is public. Do you think I could just register? If they wanted it to be just law enforcement, don't you think she would have controlled the course?

Also, living in a state that is smaller than some cities, there is only 1 safekids contact and it is a part of the state police. GO figure! I highly doubt there will be another class any time soon, at least in this state.

becca011906 · Jul 26, 2007

The registration for the class I took still showed 2 seat left when i took it, and when we all showed up the first day there was 1 to many, i guess you have to have instructor to student ratio in the right # and all that, they were on the phone with safe kids for atlest 1 hour before they got the ok to allow 1 extra person in the class of 17 for 2 instructors. yet the site still said that night that there was 2 seats left. if you sign up online and show up they might ask you to leave, if the ratio is over it's limit... i know it sucks, i was going to drive 2 hours for my class lucklie right before i signed up if found one 1 hour away...
I agree that you need to call safe kids listed intructor or SK cooridator for your state.

azgirl71 · Jul 26, 2007

You could try to just register for the one seat left and see what happens. They would have to give your money back if they did not certify you. It is worth try.

Momto2whosews · Jul 26, 2007

Dillipop said:
The thing that ticks me off the most is that the website is still showing 1 seat left and that the class is public. Do you think I could just register? If they wanted it to be just law enforcement, don't you think she would have controlled the course?

Also, living in a state that is smaller than some cities, there is only 1 safekids contact and it is a part of the state police. GO figure! I highly doubt there will be another class any time soon, at least in this state.

How about contacting the Ma. coordinator then? I'm in NH so I can sympathize with the small state thing, but our SK coordinator is really good. Unfortunately, she's up in the "north country" and not exactly local to me.

azgirl71 · Jul 26, 2007

I just checked for instructors for RI. There is also one in Newport, RI. SHe is US Navy, but maybe you can get into a class of hers.

Dillipop · Jul 26, 2007

i guess I'll just let it go this time. It obviously was not meant to be. I did email the coordinator back this morning asking why it was stated as public and when those of us not lucky enough to be law enforcement might get a chance! (How I wish I were in some sort of law enforcement right now! I would be first in line to take that class, they wouldn't even need to pay me!) I also asked to be kept apprised of when another course might come my way. We'll see if she gets back to me. Her response this morning was a bit lame. Two sentences- The course is only for law enforcement and it is full. Thanks for your interest.

Anyone know who is the Mass or Connecticut coordinators? There is one course in Marlborough MA this fall, but it is controlled (VW and Audi emloyees- maybe I should try to get a job there, lol) and I would really have a hard time getting sitters, since school will be back in session (no teens around.)

Momto2whosews · Jul 26, 2007

I know a tech here who took the VW Audi course in Framingham! She was not law enforcement. IIRC they leave a few seats open for the general public - something about a grant maybe?? I would contact someone there if it's not too far to drive.

ETA: Sorry, I meant to say she wasn't a VW/Audi employee, but she wasn't law enforcement either.

bethng · Jul 26, 2007

Oh I would be so bummed too! I have been waiting and waiting for a course on my side of the state and they finally have one about an hour from me but of course, I am teaching summer school this year and I wont be done until the last day of the tech class. Now I will have to wait till next summer most likely.

My vent for the day- course related

Well-known member

Car-Seat.org Ambassador

New member

New member

Senior Community Member

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus

New member

CPST Instructor

Well-known member

CPST Instructor

Senior Community Member

Well-known member

Senior Community Member

CPST Instructor

Senior Community Member

CPST Instructor

Well-known member

Senior Community Member

Active member

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Sponsors

Forum statistics