# eSET Online exams to test basic proficiency now available



## Lafalot (Jan 19, 2016)

eSET - Essential Skills for Entertainment Technicians

In case you hadn't heard or seen, the first of the eSET exams are online now - Rigging, Lighting and Electrics and Costuming. eSET is like ETCP for "emerging professionals" and "novice employees". It is a certification program.
For more information head to http://www.usitt.org/eset/.

There is a Basic Terms & Safety exam that has to be taken before any other exam. It's free. Then any subject exam is $40. The cost of the online exam includes a practical exam as well. Right now the practical will launch at USITT in Salt Lake City in March.

There's a neat terminology app available for download for Apple devices at the iTunes store (eSET by USITT). One for Droid will be available soon.

Would love to hear when someone gets certified!


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## burgherandfries (Jan 19, 2016)

I took the prerequisite course this morning. I'm hoping to get my company to pay for additional testing for me and my employees. My one main question is, are the testing sessions after USITT planned yet? Will we be able to take them within our USITT regions or is it going to require major travel? Unfortunately, it looks like my company won't be able to send us to SLC this year.

It's good to note for people looking at taking the tests, your first course is $40 but the site says that you'll receive a code to get a second course 50% off. $60 for rigging and electric safety certifications, however basic they may be, is a worthwhile investment if you ask me.

I also have to say, the test isn't the strongest in my opinion. Some of the questions had clever choices that actually made me laugh while others seem like they were written for specific venues, companies or regions.


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## TheaterEd (Jan 20, 2016)

[TBODY][TR][TH="width: 570, align: left"]Which of the following dust materials presents the most serious health hazard to scenic artists creating faux texture on set walls?​[/TH][/TR][/TBODY]​

[TBODY][TR][TD="width: 30, align: left"]​[/TD][TD="width: 15, align: left"]A)​[/TD][TD="width: 540, align: left"]Crystalline silica from the powdered cement mix they are using to create the coating​[/TD][TD="width: 50, align: right"]​[/TD][TD="width: 50, align: right"]​[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD="width: 30, align: left"]​[/TD][TD="width: 15, align: left"]B)​[/TD][TD="width: 540, align: left"]Dust being stirred up by electricians searching for the 14” scoop lights in the trap room below the stage with the pit elevator down​[/TD][TD="width: 50, align: right"]​[/TD][TD="width: 50, align: right"]​[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD="width: 30, align: left"]​[/TD][TD="width: 15, align: left"]C)​[/TD][TD="width: 540, align: left"]Sawdust from the carpenters who are building a staircase 10 feet away​[/TD][TD="width: 50, align: right"]​[/TD][TD="width: 50, align: right"]​[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD="width: 30, align: left"]​[/TD][TD="width: 15, align: left"]D)​[/TD][TD="width: 540, align: left"]Glitter spilled by the costume intern stenciling trim onto the sleeve edges of 40 chorus robes​[/TD][/TR][/TBODY]​
This one made me chuckle a bit...

I have to agree that the test seems kinda specific to some venues. Also, apparently I don't know much about closed respirators or union rules....

That said, I have my HS Tech Theater class final today. We were going to just watch some youtube videos since we are already done, but now I have a new Idea


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## ruinexplorer (Jun 29, 2016)

I was wondering how many people have taken any of the paid tests? Did you find them of value? If you are an instructor, have you evaluated them against what you teach? If you are an employer, would you find this of value to know someone passed this for a novice level position? What did you find good about the test you are familiar with and what did you find lacking?


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## STEVETERRY (Jun 29, 2016)

Lafalot said:


> eSET - Essential Skills for Entertainment Technicians
> 
> In case you hadn't heard or seen, the first of the eSET exams are online now - Rigging, Lighting and Electrics and Costuming. eSET is like ETCP for "emerging professionals" and "novice employees". It is a certification program.
> For more information head to http://www.usitt.org/eset/.



Hi Ellen--

While both ETCP and eSet are called certification programs, the two have little in common in terms of structure.

The creation of the ETCP exams was done under the rigorous supervision of a experienced testing company (Applied Measurement Professionals) with a psychometrician and a group of subject matter experts reviewing every question multiple times for both technical content and question structure. Then the exams were subjected to testing and analytics to determine the performance of each question over the entire group of test takers. This analysis determined the passing grade. Much of this structure was required by the thorny legal and liability issues involved in the creation by ESTA of an exam that has the power to affect the hire-ability of the test takers. I participated in this process as a subject matter expert for the two electrical exams, along with many other experienced professionals from many segments of our industry.

On, the other hand, to my knowledge, eSet had no testing professionals involved in the exam creation--it was a much less formal effort.

ST


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## BillConnerFASTC (Jun 29, 2016)

I think the proper term for eSet would be "certificated" - in that you have a certificate upon "passing". Many workshops and courses, live and online, offer certificates, with no assurance you did not sleep through the entire short term training or exam or both. The ETCP program on the other hand is a true certification, in that as a result of documented and verifiable experience over many years as well as the much more discussed exam, an independent and not-for-profit organization asserts you meet specific qualifications. Before I cast a stone, I'll state I strongly support the ETCP program, monetarily, by requiring certified technicians to supervise the work on my projects, and as a certified technician. For me, the proof of value is the experience, not passing the exam. The exam is more talked about because of the pride of the Subject Matter Experts who prepare the questions and the visibility of the administrating the exams. As proof, and I recommend not sharing scores, but I did, and the other four people I shared scores with all scored much lower than I, but they are all much more qualified and knowledgeable about rigging than I. (I'm just a really good test taker.) Therefore, I have little confidence in eSet discriminating between qualified and unqualified individuals because it is simply a test.


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## ruinexplorer (Jun 29, 2016)

Steve and Bill,
While your assertions about the differences in the tests are vastly different, so is their purpose. The ETCP is a measurement of professionals while the eSET is a measurement of novice technicians. I'm not sure about the entire history, but it appears that it was originally started by ESTA and was only taken over by USITT more recently. I did not see a claim that it was a certification (except Ellen's statement), just a test of knowledge.


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## BillConnerFASTC (Jun 29, 2016)

ruinexplorer said:


> Steve and Bill,
> While your assertions about the differences in the tests are vastly different, so is their purpose. The ETCP is a measurement of professionals while the eSET is a measurement of novice technicians. I'm not sure about the entire history, but it appears that it was originally started by ESTA and was only taken over by USITT more recently. I did not see a claim that it was a certification (except Ellen's statement), just a test of knowledge.


I think Steve and I are in total agreement. Everything he posted about the ETCP exams is correct and I agree. I just also believe in the experience requirements of ETCP, something Steve didn't address.

Now, iirc, ESTA was asked to be involved in eSet but I'm not sure where that went.


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