Now is the Ideal Time to Earn Professional Certifications

SPRAY FOAM MAGAZINE – Participation in the SPFA Professional Certification Program (PCP) has grown exponentially over recent years. The benefits of being certified are vast, especially in today’s market which is increasingly competitive. When you’re certified, you stand apart from the crowd. An independent third-party has essentially verified that you have the knowledge, skills and ability to do the job correctly, meeting the criteria established by the industry. More and more customers are not only seeking, but mandating, that the spray foam contractors and installers they hire be professionally certified through the SPFA Professional Certification Program. Thus, if you’re not certified, you might be missing out on really great projects and, ultimately, revenue.

The good news is that winter is upon us. We all know that as the weather gets colder, work tends to slow down for a lot of contractors, especially those from regions that experience chilled temperatures, rain, and snow. These next few months are a good time to start, or finish up, your certifications.

Access to professional certifications is now better than ever. Handbooks are available and downloadable online at www.sprayfoam.org/pcp. These include guides for Contractor-Insulation, Contractor-Roofing, Supplier Representative, and Field Examiner, as

well as Contractor Company Accreditation Program and Supplier Company Accreditation Program. Additionally, the exams (with the exception of Field Exams, of course) may now be taken online at your complete convenience, whenever you want.

The annual SprayFoam 2024 Convention & Expo, which is coming up March 3–6 in Las Vegas, will again offer a wide variety of PCP offerings. In fact, it’s those that help kick off the event each year. “Pre-convention days, which this year fall on March 2–4, include onsite certification courses, written exams, and field exams,” says Bonnie Strickler, current SPFA president and owner of Puff, Inc., the Charlottesville, Virginia-based spray foam and coatings contractor. “Certification participation grows every year at the convention, which means that more and more contractors understand why certification is truly important.”  

The Field Exam Experience, which is the brainchild of Cole Fletcher of SPI, will return for the second year. “Participants of the Field Exam Experience are taken through each field exam station to learn about what is required to pass and to help calm their nerves about taking the actual exam. We received great feedback on it last year and are looking forward to bringing it back next time in Vegas.”

The convention’s certification schedule, exams, and offerings can be found at www.sprayfoam.org/sprayfoam24. Participants can include certification activities as part of their SprayFoam 2024 registration.

“Getting certified is also not as expensive as you may think,” adds Strickler. “You can actually get certified up through all levels for about $500-600, especially if you take advantage of the free Field Exams at the convention, which are provided courtesy of our incredible sponsor partners.”

With greater affordability and access, as well as the fact we are now entering the slower winter work months, why wait to get your certifications completed? Start today and show your customers you’re the professional they should hire for the job.  

About the Author: Rick Duncan Ph.D., P.E is the Executive Director of the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance (SPFA), the industry’s leading organization representing contractors, material and equipment manufacturers, distributors and industry consultants. Visit www.sprayfoam.org.

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