Feature  History  Bios  Events  Orgs  Gear  Photos  Forum  Quotes  Reads  Links  Home		This feature article was snagged from . Click here for the previous articles About AMGA and UIAGM Certification and Accreditation in the United States The American Mountain Guides Association   has for some years provided voluntary guides training and certification to a national standard in the main guiding disciplines of Rock Climbing, Alpine Mountaineering, and Ski Mountaineering (backcountry skiing). These three disciplines are the ones recognized and certified by the standard-setting international guides organization known as the UIAGM, or in English the IFMGA (International Federation of Mountain Guides' Associations). The AMGA has become a member association, and the U.S. a member country, of this international body. The other member countries of the UIAGM are Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Austria, Peru, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain. While UIAGM certification programs go back many years in some member countries, the AMGA's guides’ training and certification programs are relatively new, having been developed largely over the course of the last 8-9 years. A guide who is AMGA certified in Rock, Alpine Mountaineering or Ski Mountaineering has demonstrated competence to an internationally recognized standard in a wide range of guiding skills demanded by that discipline, during the course of an extensive (usually a week to 10 day) examination in the field by qualified examiners This exam is usually preceded by several weeks of training in the guiding skills and techniques of the discipline - depending on the guide's previous experience. Many excellent American guides are not certified due to many factors, most notably the young age of the AMGA's programs and its national standard of guides qualification and training; the fact that so far neither guide services nor public agencies require it; and also the large investment of time and money required to achieve it, many U.S. guides are not yet certified. You can be sure that certified guides have passed the tests described above. However, lack of certification is not a reason to reject a guide or guide service–especially one that comes highly recommended and has a good track record in the business. The AMGA also has a program of accrediting guide services and climbing schools. This is an on-site review of business practices, usually 2 days in length, by 2 reviewers chosen jointly by the AMGA and the business being reviewed. Administrative practices and materials are reviewed, from hiring and training policies to van maintenance and equipment logs. Accreditation is meant to be contextual, not prescriptive, and is intended to provide information regarding the business integrity, legality and responsibility of the service. It is NOT meant to be a field review of the guides' competence, and does NOT represent a standard of guiding skill, experience or training. Businesses only, not individuals, can be accredited, just as only individuals, not businesses, can be certified. To receive accreditation, the service applies to the AMGA for an accreditation review and pays a fee. The AMGA and the school select a team of 2 reviewers and schedule the review. The reviewers visit the school, spending one day going over office procedures and paperwork, and one day visiting a class or climb in the field. The reviewers then write up a report with any suggested or required changes, which the business responds to. The AMGA Board of Directors reviews the report and and response, decides whether the required changes have been adequately complied with, and votes to approve or not approve the accreditation.
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