There are auctioneers in the United States arguing they should not be required to take any continuing education (CE) as practicing auctioneers. So, once you are licensed by a state, you know everything you need to know for the next 5, 10, 15 … 40 years?
Continuing education for auctioneers is available at state and national conventions, seminars, and via a myriad of other institutions. Classes are available online, in classrooms, and live stream. As we testified to the other day, this is not a heavy lift for any auctioneer.
For those interested, here’s a transcript of my testimony that I provided to an Ohio Senate committee on May 10, 2023:
As seller agents, it’s imperative that auctioneers are up-to-date on new laws, rules, methods, case law, and technology. Without taking any continuing education it’s likely any auctioneer isn’t up-to-date on any of this.
In states that license auctioneers, the licensing is in place to “protect the public.” Is the public better served by auctioneers who are up-to-date on current issues? CE unquestionably benefits sellers, as well as bidders and buyers.
Before you say that continuing education should be voluntary — there is substantial evidence when it’s not required, it’s not consumed. https://mikebrandlyauctioneer.wordpress.com/2022/09/29/auctioneer-ce-states-or-associations/.
The Ohio State University and I conducted research in 2015, concluding that continuing education was good for auctioneers, good for sellers, bidders, buyers, and the public generally: https://mikebrandlyauctioneer.wordpress.com/2017/06/08/where-is-auctioneer-ce-needed-everywhere/.
No auctioneers serving the public have a “right” to be ignorant — and that’s exactly what a select group of auctioneers believes — they have a right to be ignorant. Further, any state not requiring every licensed auctioneer to complete periodic continuing education isn’t protecting the public as well as it should.
Possibly consumers can help with this drivel. I would recommend you hire any auctioneer who’s in favor of continuing education, and definitely not hire any auctioneer who’s proposed not requiring it. At a minimum, you’ll be hiring an auctioneer who understands loyalty, not one in opposition to it.
Lastly, yes, some jurisdictions do not require any continuing education and that’s fine. However, that still doesn’t mean your auctioneer has a right to be uneducated. There are ample opportunities for every auctioneer to be continuously educated and your auctioneer should know that.
Mike Brandly, Auctioneer, CAI, CAS, AARE has been an auctioneer and certified appraiser for over 30 years. His company’s auctions are located at Mike Brandly, Auctioneer, Brandly Real Estate & Auction, and Goodwill Columbus Car Auction. He serves as Distinguished Faculty at Hondros College, Executive Director of The Ohio Auction School, and an Instructor at the National Auctioneers Association’s Designation Academy and Western College of Auctioneering. He has served as faculty at the Certified Auctioneers Institute held at Indiana University and is approved by The Supreme Court of Ohio for attorney education.
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