Skilled Instructors Produce Quality Craftworkers

Journal: Issue 6 - 2009

The 2009 Graduates of IMI’s Instructor Certification Program. Front row, from left: Lester Brkovich of Local 9 PA, Joe Bustos of Local 4 CA, Gerald Salemi of Local 21 IL, ADC 1 of IL, Raymond Nordberg and Bill DeRenzis of Local 4 NJ, NJ ADC. Middle row, from left: Kenneth Reiter and Scott Wooldridge of Local 4 IN/KY, Michael Sabolcik of Local 1 CT, Taurus Anderson and Gary Wittenberg of Local 21 IL, ADC 1 of IL, Kevin Hare of Local 15 WV, WV ADC, Patrick Kerr of Local 5 NY. Back row from left: James Charest of Local 1 WA, James Ritchie of Local 1 MI, Jack Heinzman of Locals 45 and 55 OH, OADC.

Now in its 25th year, the Instructor Certification Program (ICP) for BAC and IMI Instructors is constantly updating its curriculum to reflect the changing needs of the masonry and trowel trades industry. Classes on new building products, personnel management, and health and safety help instructors keep pace with the latest technical and professional developments and are just part of ICP’s 200-hour, multi-year curriculum. Instructors must also have at least five years of journey-level craft experience and be current in OSHA 500/502 to graduate.

This year, a total of 145 instructors attended ICP at the John J. Flynn BAC/IMI International Training Center in Bowie, Maryland, with 15 instructors graduating.

A unique feature of ICP is the ability to keep instructors current on newly-developed certifications. One of its most popular offerings is the Grout Certification Train-the-Trainer Course, developed by IMI Michigan Area Marketing Director Pete Loughney. Interest in the session has soared as IMI has accelerated efforts to educate designers on the advantages of structural masonry. As a result of that work, a high percentage of designers of structural projects now include grout certification in their specifications.

ICP also introduces instructors to new curriculum developed for BAC crafts. This year, instructors received training on the new PCC curriculum developed by BAC and IMI staff, working alongside the PCC Labor- Management Craft Committee. The new curriculum’s debut was particularly timely since PCC/restoration hours promise to be among the few bright spots in the construction industry during the coming year. For more information on the curriculum, which has been distributed to BAC JATCs, please contact Lynn O’Brien at the Flynn Center by email or phone at LOBrien@imiweb.org or 301-291-2102.