The Swamp School, LLC
The Swamp School is about teaching complicated scientific processes to newly hired employees who need this information to do their job. The thing that differentiates us from our competition is that we have been there and done that. Our training is based upon real world experience. The nature of the material and the technology needed to run the online programs require that we respond very quickly to customer questions.
Company details
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- Business Type:
- Training provider
- Industry Type:
- Environmental
- Market Focus:
- Nationally (across the country)
- Year Founded:
- 2002
This company also provides solutions for other industrial applications.
Please, visit the following links for more info:
Online Wetland Basic Delineation Training | The Swamp School
About Us
The Swamp School is about teaching complicated scientific processes to newly hired employees who need this information to do their job.
The thing that differentiates us from our competition is that we have “been there and done that.” Our training is based upon real world experience.
The nature of the material and the technology needed to run the online programs require that we respond very quickly to customer questions. We often joke that at some point the Swamp School became a technology company. Most of our customer questions relate to how to access Swamp School materials using our systems. This is a problem and one we address every day. We do so by providing a live 24/7 answering service that forwards calls to our team. We have live chat during the working day that gets used quite a lot. We also have a support ticketing system for email questions. In all cases questions are answered within 1 business day or less. We are always looking for ways to simplify our systems and have made some major strides in that direction.
We Provide Hands-on Training for Wetland Professionals
Founded by Marc Seelinger, The Swamp School teaches scientific processes to recent graduates and wetland professionals who need hands-on training and instruction on the technical and regulatory aspects of wetland rules to perform their job. Our instructors bring years of real-word experience in the field and technical know-how into the classroom, providing students with marketable job skills and a well-rounded education.
Many people looking to enter wetland careers choose The Swamp School to enhance their résumés with desirable credentials and demonstrated hands-on skills. Not only does The Swamp School save employers significant time and costs associated with training, it creates a pool of qualified candidates who are ready to hit the ground running from the day they are hired.
For continuing professional education, many of our clients include government enterprises, engineering firms, energy companies, regulatory organizations, educational institutions, and real estate agencies.
Vision and Values
The Swamp School is first and foremost a learning center. Our values are what distinguish us amongst our peers. Our students have come to rely on and trust us for providing the latest updates on both technological advances in the environmental sciences as well as maintaining a leadership role in the delivery of our course material. This level of trust between the Swamp School and our students is one of our most important values.
The Swamp School is an organization that the students can depend on. We are present when they need us. Meaning that we are caring to the student when the have a question or problem. We are approachable through several support channels and are always polite and thoughtful in listening to and working through a problem or a concern. We are happy to hear from our students and we will take the time to explain a technical topic with them or resolve a logistical concern making sure that the student feels that they are important to us.
The Swamp School was founded to teach and address student concerns. Our staff maintains a cheerful disposition and are respectful to our students no matter what the concern or issue may be. We will seek out to help a struggling student when it appears that they are lost in the content or technology. We want to make sure that the student feels safe and that they are not alone in their learning journey. Our staff will always take the time to listen to our students and respond with help in a timely fashion.
The Swamp School is grateful for the investment in education made by our students. We are aware of the significant amount of time and money that the students share with us and we are prudent with both. We make sure that the material is professional and cutting edge. We edit our course material frequently making sure that it is accurate and up to date. We make sure that our online learning delivery system is working as expected. When we present a live program, our instructors are well-groomed, wear a company uniform and deliver a fresh and bold program that is designed to engage the students.
The final value that is at the core of the Swamp School is a deep sense of spirituality. We recognize that all that we do is only made possible by divine intervention. The knowledge that we process is a heavenly gift that we are compelled to share with our students. We are humbled by that responsibility and we do so with modesty, gratitude, and respect.
Our Commitment
In every interaction with the Swamp School, our clients feel that they are working with an important and valued friend and partner. Quality and friendship are part of every aspect of our customer relationships. Our clients know that we are keeping watch for new challenges that develop in the Natural Science Industry. They are confident that the information they’ve gained and share with their clients is accurate. We are there to educate and guide them now and in the future. Our clients feel secure in knowing they can depend upon us as a valued mentor.
Certification
What does a Swamp School Certification mean?
The Swamp School is a highly regarded industry expert in wetland science and related ecological topics and we offer certifications in many of our various programs. Our certifications are recognized as the gold standard in our profession. The courses we offer are often used to obtain additional licenses and certifications such as Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS) as well as provide superior continuing education.
What makes Swamp School Certification unique is that it makes a statement that says that a student has reached the highest level of status or achievement. We require rigorous testing and demonstration of proficiency for all of our certifications. In many cases, this requires the collection and analysis of field data that is then submitted to us for scrutiny and correction.
We do not take our role in this process lightly. We work with students to help them gain mastery of the program in which they are enrolled. We require an 80% final course grade to demonstrate mastery. Our program includes tests, quizzes, assignments, class discussions and many other course activities. If a student does not achieve the required 80% grade, a certificate will not be issued.
Our webinars also require full participation in order to receive a certificate of training. We monitor attendance and track all login and log-out times. Only students who participate for the full duration of the webinar are eligible for a certificate. This includes students who choose to participate in the rebroadcast rather than the live webinar session since we track attendance in the rebroadcast as well.
If you are looking for a class just to check a box to say you were enrolled in a wetland program, then the Swamp School is probably not the best option for you. There are other wetland-related classes in the marketplace that do not require much from students and these may be a better option for you.
If however, you truly desire to learn about wetlands and are excited to be a knowledgeable professional, able to demonstrate to your peers your proficiency on a wetland topic, then the Swamp School is the right place for you! Be prepared to be challenged and work hard and in return, be rewarded with a vast new knowledge base and a certificate that is much more than just a piece of paper.
Our Team
Marc is our founder, director, and lead instructor. He has over 30 years of professional wetlands experience stemming from a distinguished career as an environmental consultant. He has worked on large and small wetland projects around the country and a few overseas. His primary focus has been on wetland assessment, delineation, and design.
Marc is the primary author of most of our wetland course offered. He brings to the classroom a wealth of “real-world” experiences that he is happy to share with his students. He has many stories from the field that demonstrate the practical side of wetlands work.
Marc’s passion has always been teaching. He loves to see students learn a new plant, understand a hydric soil classification or envision a new wetland system design.
He is highly credentialed, and these are a listing of some of his certifications.
- 2020: Senior Professional Wetland Scientist (SPWS) # 1236: Society of Wetland Scientists, Nationwide
- 2006: US Department of Agriculture: Technical Service Provider. Certification No. #TSP-05-4739
- 2006: North Carolina Department of Transportation, Erosion and Sediment Control: Level II Stormwater Certification No. #891
- 2002: National Environmental Policy Act, Project Development & Section 4 (f) Training, Federal Highway Administration, Baltimore Maryland
- 2002: Aquatic Insect Collection Protocols for Stream Mitigation and Restoration, North Carolina Division of Water Quality, Raleigh, North Carolina
- 2002: River Assessment and Monitoring (Rosgen Level III), Wildland Hydrology, Pagosa Springs, Colorado
- 2000: River Morphology and Applications (Rosgen Level II), Wildland Hydrology, Pagosa Springs, Colorado
- 2000: Applied Fluvial Geomorphology (Rosgen Level I), Wildland Hydrology, Pagosa Springs, Colorado
- 1999: Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS) # 1236: Society of Wetland Scientists, Nationwide
- 1999: State of Maryland Qualified Professional Forest Stand Delineation & Conservation Planning
- 1997: State of Maryland Erosion and Sediment Control Certified Responsible Person No. 06512
- 1993: State of Delaware Stormwater and Sediment Control Construction Reviewer Cert. No. 1904
- 1993: Baltimore District Certified Wetland Delineator # WDCP93MD0610054B
Walt Milowic - Instructor
Walt has been teaching at the Swamp School for over 5 years. He has worked with hundreds of wetland delineation students helping them work on online programs as well as classroom workshops. Prior to joining the Swamp School Walt has a distinguished career as a Naval Aviator. Upon retiring from the Navy, Walt obtained his state teaching licensee and had worked as a science teacher for over 20 years.
Lori Reese - Instructor
Lori works with our wetland design and delineation students online. She has an impressive background in biology, chemistry and natural science. Prior to working at the Swamp School Lori was a science teacher for over 20 years.
Lucas Jerden - Instructor
Lucas teaches our project management programs. He is a Lean Six Sigma “Black Belt” and is very experienced in organizing and identifying project improvements. He has over 20 years of experience working with engineers and scientists, teaching ways to improve program functions, eliminate waste and increase overall efficiency.
Molly Seelinger - Newsletter Author/Social Media Specialist
Molly works part-time as a contributor to our weekly newsletter. Her duties include researching wetland-related topics and drafting articles that would of interest to our students. She also helps us keep up with our social media posts and updates.
Discovering Wetlands
Welcome to our all new wetland resources center. In here we will be adding video resources for teachers and students to use in their classrooms. Our videos go beyond just the basics and cover many STEM related subjects and introduce students to the concepts of working in wetlands as a career. Be sure to subscribe to the Swamp School YouTube channel and spread the word about this free resource for teachers and students.