BBKA Basic exam

[Christine Hamilton]

Wish me luck I’ve got my BBKA Basic exam today. I’ll be officially a beekeeper !

 

[Malcolm B.]

GOOD LUCK !!!!!

Malcolm B.

 

[drex]

Good luck. I hope you enjoy it. A teaching experience as much as an assessment

 

[Amari]

Yes, good luck. I've been a beekeeper since 1972 and still haven't plucked up courage to take the exam.......

 

[drex]

Not really relevant for you Giles after your decades of beeking. Have just done 8 assessments and all passed. The weakest areas are always diseases followed by swarming.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes, good luck. I've been a beekeeper since 1972 and still haven't plucked up courage to take the exam.......

Not quite that long but I’d probably fail.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Not quite that long but I’d probably fail.

I know I would.
I prepare the hives at the teaching apiary for the exams and listen to the questions. I think I would fall asleep during the questioning

 

[drex]

I do smile at some of the inane questions. I have to tread the bbka line, but does not stop me putting in my own comments and suggestions

 

[Erichalfbee]

I know I would.
I prepare the hives at the teaching apiary for the exams and listen to the questions. I think I would fall asleep during the questioning

Either that or start arguing with the examiner

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I never got that far
They failed me on the basic pomposity assessment

 

[Erichalfbee]

It's a good start for a lot of new beekeepers. Better than doing nothing but gleaning stuff from YouTube
So, @Christine Hamilton , Don't let us put you off. Do your basic then come back to us

 

[Parsonage Bees]

A local beekeeper giving a talk at my association suggested that in future we should have a qualification before being allowed to have bees.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

A local beekeeper giving a talk at my association suggested that in future we should have a qualification before being allowed to have bees.

we've all known their type
And laughed at their pomposity and ineptness
It is the problem with beekeeping in the UK - an obsession with bits of pretty papers that mean SFA the basic is the only one worth anything at all as it gives a little bit of confidence to unsure beginners, but on the other hand - not having it is not the end of the world either.
Over the years I have seen a lot more competency, knowledge and skill in beekeepers who have no scraps of paper than in many who have reams.

 

[Amari]

Not really relevant for you Giles after your decades of beeking. Have just done 8 assessments and all passed. The weakest areas are always diseases followed by swarming.

My eldest son lives down your way and I usually visit once a year. Maybe I could book a test with you, in the hope of a lenient assessment?

 

[drex]

By all means drop in but I think it would be you teaching me a thing or two

 

[Superlativesoul]

Not quite that long but I’d probably fail.

I very much doubt that
John.

 

[pargyle]

It's fair to say that the basic assessment is just that... you are not supposed to take it until you have kept bees for a year at least and you really have to be very bad to fail. Even I managed to pass... in the pouring rain, blowing a gale and after about 5 stings I asked the examiner if he really wanted.me to carry on as I would shut them down and start again another day... yes, he said... you've got this far so might as well see it through... I may have passed out of sympathy as I was the last test of the day. Very few people fail....

 

[JamezF]

I never got that far
They failed me on the basic pomposity assessment

Your pomposity was way in excess of basic?

James

 

[JamezF]

It's fair to say that the basic assessment is just that... you are not supposed to take it until you have kept bees for a year at least and you really have to be very bad to fail.

Agreed. I passed and it really wasn't strenuous, though that was about fifteen years ago so it may have changed since.

James

 

[Jules59]

I took the BASIC in 2019. I found it a useful exercise in incentivising myself to read widely and give myself a good overall grounding in apiculture.

Ive taken lots of test/exams during my working lifetime. Compared to those the BASIC was quite fun - failing would have had no great consequences and only really mattered to me personally.
The on-line Module exams are a different matter - I did the Module 3 - "Pests, Diseases & Poisoning" as Ive never done an on-line test before - it wasn't fun; it felt more like a test of my typing prowess than my knowledge & understanding - I cant see doing any more like that.