AWCI
Responds to Burst of Interest for EIFS Certification
The
first quarter of 2003 showed a significant increase
of interest for EIFS certifications earned through
the Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industries-International.
Within just a few months, more than 10 groups have
requested to have the AWCI Education and Certification
Program brought to their location, or asked for group
testing for their constituency upon completion of
the self-study EIFS education program called EIFS-Doing
It Right.
A significant point is that this by-request
activity has not been promoted to the industry,
said Nancy Roylance, the program s director.
These varying groups saw a good opportunity
for their situation and took the initiative to call
and find out what could be worked out for them.
For example, a distributor knew many of his customers
were interested in the instruction and wanted the
generic credential. He asked if AWCI would come to
his location and give the two-day program thereby
saving travel expenses to get to one of the limited
offerings around the country. At press time, there
were four groups wanting this in-house
service before June, according to Roylance.
The other by-request scenario is beneficial to those
who have used the EIFS-Doing It Right video and workbook
for training on demand, and they have enough people
wanting the mechanics certification to merit
group testing. A proctor arrives at a mutually agreed
date and the per person testing fee can be as low
as $25 per person instead of the $80 single person
testing at the 300 nationwide test facilities. Depending
on volume, this can be a significant saving in money
and effort in scheduling.
Why this sudden grassroots interest in addition to
the recent nationally scheduled courses being at capacity?
Roylance says, Certainly, it s a variety
of reasons with the EIFS insurance predicament heading
the list. The excitement with the new EIFSmart Contractor
distinction and simply wanting to demonstrate competence
through certification is appealing as well. EIFS manufactures
have been endorsing and supporting in various ways
the benefits and need to hold the AWCI certificate.
This certification has been increasingly showing up
on architect s specifications (and before it
is formally adopted in MasterSpec anticipated this
summer). Other feedback that has been reported
but not confirmed is some states have requirements
for certified EIFS inspectors, code requirements,
and reports of applicators who can t
get on the job without it.
Whatever the singular or confluence of reasons
for the market demand, it s an opportunity to
regard it as a harbinger or representative of good
times ahead for the EIFS industry, Roylance
says.
.Courtesy
of AWCI
