2025 Jan-Feb RETA Breeze

RETA TESTING CORNER NO. 46

ONLY CARO, CIRO AND CRST EARN RETA’S INTERNATIONALLY ACCREDITED CREDENTIALS Dr. Ron Rodgers, RETA’s Psychometrician (testing expert) and ANSI Accreditation Manager

RETA’s mission to improve safety and efficiency throughout the industry includes a wide range of tests that reinforce learning but do not qualify candidates to earn RETA credentials. Only CARO, CIRO and CRST qualify candidates to wear RETA credential patches and to claim to have met these standards. RETA’s Code of Conduct forbids claims of having earned RETA credentials without meeting these standards. Chapter and book tests and course completion exams are the clearest examples of tests are that are included in many levels of training courses and materials but do not qualify candidates to claim having earned CARO, CIRO or CRST. The references for each RETA credential document the learning pyramid that supports these credentials. Mastering the content of these references are the surest pathway to qualifying for each RETA

credential. Other sources may be used, RETA’s accreditation requires a strict firewall between its Education Committee which creates these books and the tests that are part of training, and the Certification Committee (CertComm), which creates and maintains the security of CARO, CIRO and CRST. No one is permitted to serve on both committees to protect the security of RETA exams. Access to all questions on exams that qualify candidates for a RETA credential is controlled under strict test security

requirements to maintain the integrity of these exams. Most tests that are available to candidates or instructors during or immediately after training usually do not meet these security protections. CARO, CIRO and CRST Study Guides include directions for use of the references that appear onscreen next to questions for each test. Study Guides can be downloaded free from the Certification section on the RETA website. These references provide formulas, refrigerant safety data sheets, refrigeration tables, illustrations and system operating

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