FISC Plant ID exam, anyone?

Has anyone done the Field Studies Council's wild plant identification exam? I've got some free time at the moment and am thinking about studying independently to take this test and would be aiming for level 4.

 

I haven't but can I ask what job are you doing it for? Are you an ecologist?

 

Hiya, I've registered to do the exam early this summer. My first degree is in plant ecology but I've mostly worked in international development doing things related to rural livelihoods e.g. crops, community forestry etc. Although I'm very much a 'planty person' I don't have any paperwork to say I know my species or practical ecology. As you alude to, these days anyone youngish wanting a job in anything ecological tends to do vocational exams. I used to play at competitive wild flower identification with the local Wildlife Trust as a teenager, but haven't really looked at British stuff much since then. I'm aiming for level 4, which is a bit ambitious under the circumstances!

BTW, what do you do in the NHS? I'm about to get involved in a health & social care working group with my local council.

 

In the NHS I'm working on an IT project for a hospital, so not very exciting - and not a career I want to pursue.

I'm currently studying an BSc in Environmental Science with the Open University and would ultimately like a career in ecology, conservation etc. I see a lot of jobs require the Level 1 Habitat Survey qualification so I'm currently reading up on that. Is this a qualification you have had to get?

I'm just being nosey really, haha.

 

...re-edited...

Phew, I got my exam results back this week, with a note about how I need to improve on my grasses, sedges, rushes and use of keys. Indeed. But.....I got level 4! Woot woot! Apparently I was smug before I got this result, according to my mum, now I'm going to be unbearable!

Have to say I was lucky with some of the choices in the difficult lab ID section. 3/20 were rare ones I randomly knew....mountain avens, shrubby sea blite and St Patrick's cabbage. Being a gardener definately helps ID some of the less common plant families.