2023 RETA Breeze Jan-Feb

RETA TESTING CORNER NO. 34

RETA PROVIDES THE TOOLS TO HELP ALL CANDIDATES SUCCEED Dr. Ron Rodgers, RETA’s Psychometrician (testing expert) and ANSI Accreditation Manager

RETA has designed credentialing exams that are extremely challenging to meet RETA’s mission “To enhance the profes sional development of industrial refrig- eration operating and technical engi neers.” RETA has invested millions of dollars and untold thousands of hours from volunteers to create books, exams and supporting resources to help operators and technicians qualify for credentials that help them improve safety and efficiency in refrigeration facilities throughout the U.S. and as far away as India. Operators and technicians who improve safety and efficiency can advance in their careers by protecting lives and reducing costs for their employers. Attention to these details helps opera

tors and their employers in many ways. Overlooking even small details can result in serious injuries and preven table hazards on the job. Gains in efficiency also can reduce energy costs significantly. Many candidates rely on an instructor and a four-day class just before taking a RETA certification exam such as CIRO without preparing adequately before their class. This is not enough to help most candidates succeed. A short “review class” does not provide enough time to master the complex details of industrial refrigeration systems by itself. This much material is nearly impossible to be taught in any four-day class. Even if it were possible, most candidates could not retain that much new

information at a level needed to pass CIRO within a few days of seeing this content for the first time. While there is no substitute for experience in the industry, most operators also benefit tremendously from careful review of RETA books to help them more fully understand how refrigeration systems work. Every ques- tion on each RETA test is supported by one or more of these references. Even experi enced operators benefit by reviewing RETA’s IR-1, IR-2, IR-3, IR-4, BE-1 and BE-2 or equivalent sources. All except IR-3 support questions in CIRO. IR-3 and other sources support CRST. Although it’s not required, RETA recom mends taking a Level-I Refrigeration class followed by earning CARO before taking

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