ATA Bow Technician Certification course participants and graduates are raving about the course content, format and instructor feedback. Becoming a certified ATA bow technician increases your marketing value and makes customers feel more comfortable with and confident in your services.
To give you a feel for what to expect, Rob Malone, president at Right Side Outdoors LLC in Darwin, Minnesota, shared his experience with the course. He encourages others to sign up.
“Overall, it was a great experience,” Malone said. “There was support at every step of the process, and the course content was really thorough and helpful.”
The course has a hybrid format with an on-demand online component and an in-person practical where students must demonstrate proper execution of each skill. The course outlines the skills bow technicians need to set up and service compound bows, and it covers the safe use of a bow press, draw board and other shop equipment.
Malone liked the online portion because he could go at his own pace and replay the videos as he tried and tested the techniques. He said the in-person practical had a light but serious atmosphere. He was grateful the instructors gave him one-on-one feedback on his techniques and shared their contact information so he could get help in the future, which was an unexpected benefit.
“It gave me a network of support,” he said. “If I do get in a bind and have a question or concern, I have a group of folks that I trust and can reach out to, and I’m confident they’ll get back to me with my best interests at heart. They care about my business and are willing to help me.”
Malone said he can work on bows more efficiently and confidently because of the course. He also feels more comfortable troubleshooting problems as they come into his shop.
Showcasing Your Accomplishment
Each course graduate receives an ATA Bow Technician certificate, signs for their store and other assets to showcase their accomplishment. Malone believes the certification materials hanging around his shop give his customers confidence in his skills as a technician.
“Bowhunting is pretty big to me,” he said. “I wouldn’t want just anyone working on my bow. At the moment of truth, you want something reliable. The certification adds a level of professionalism and provides comfort to the people who walk in. It shows you’re not some regular Joe but that you have a background in it. It shows you can provide them with a reliable service they can trust and feel good about.”
Having certified bow technicians nationwide also helps ensure that archers have a positive experience with archery. Malone said bad advice and bows that aren’t properly worked on can give archers a difficult time, turning them away from archery altogether. He hopes to see more certified ATA bow technicians in the future.
The ATA Bow Technician Certification course is ideal for bow technicians of all skill levels and years of experience. No matter how long you’ve been a bow technician, having the certification validates your skills, adds credibility to your shop, reassures customers that you know what you’re doing, and differentiates your business from competitors.
Upcoming Opportunities
The ATA encourages you to sign up for its ATA Bow Technician Certification course to access the content and improve your bow technician skills and knowledge. Upcoming in-person practical assessment opportunities include Jan. 10-13 at the 2024 ATA Show in St. Louis, Missouri, and Jan. 30-31, at The Vegas Shoot in Las Vegas, Nevada. Spots are limited. To register or learn more about the certification, visit www.archerytrade.org/bow-technician-certification.
Questions? Please contact Kurt Smith, ATA’s director of industry relations, at kurtsmith@archerytrade.org.
Photos courtesy of Archery Trade Association
