I'm often accused of being anti IICRC. This is not true! They have some fine instructors, and since I founded one of the early training schools in the industry, it's evident that I believe in education. I just don't think IICRC should control the curriculum of parochial schools such as Bane-Clene Institute that teach the proper use of their proprietary products and methods.
We've offered IICRC courses for several years but there is little interest among our customers. For example, we advertised an IICRC course on the two months prior to classes in February. Only one student registered so it was cancelled because the IICRC instructor could not afford to appear. Meanwhile, our 3-day school which followed had near capacity attendance in spite of the bad weather. One man came all the way from China.
Most equipment and chemical manufacturers have abdicated their training to IICRC. Each company should take the responsibility of teaching the proper use of their products. IICRC instructors teach generically, and that's not the same as hands-on training by someone who knows the product and process. Most tragic mishaps with equipment and chemicals in our industry have occurred because of improperly or untrained personnel.
If CRI wants qualified cleaners to service the products of their members, they should promote, publicize and support all recognized industry schools* in addition to the IICRC programs. These established bricks and mortar locations can produce large numbers of qualified cleaners to serve the industry. Encouraging equipment and chemical manufacturers to teach the correct use of their products would also be a step in the right direction and a winning strategy.
* Bane-Clene, Bridgepoint®, Host®, Jon-Don, Pemberton's, Von Schrader® and legitimate company schools such as Woodards in St. Louis and the various franchise training centers are examples. I'm sure there are many others that would qualify.
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