Sprinkler Age A Publication of the American Fire Sprinkler Association
Grow Your Inspectors and Expand Your Recurring Revenue
The American Fire Sprinkler Association’s (AFSA) Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance (ITM) Inspector Development program has proven popular with members and has a proven track record. Since the program’s inception in 2016, the passing averages for students continue to impress: 95 percent of AFSA’s students pass their Level I exam, and 94 percent pass the Level II Inspection & Testing exams, all on their first attempts. All told, AFSA averages a 95-percent pass rate for Level I and Level II exams versus the national average 61-percent rate.
“Our ITM Inspector Development Program was created to develop a new class of inspector with formalized and consistent instruction,” comments AFSA Director of Education Services Leslie Clounts. “Whether you are opening an ITM division or expanding your current one, AFSA can prepare your inspectors to take your business to the next level.”
The program utilizes a blended-learning format with on-demand lessons, webinars, and in-person training. The training course is combined with a robustly structured on-the-job training (OJT) and mentoring program with the goal for candidates to pass NICET Level I and II water-based inspection certification exams in less than two years. Registration is now open for 2023 classes: the Spring Class kick-off will be held virtually on March 6, and the Fall Class kick-off will be held virtually on October 9. Now is the time to invest in your business and expand your services!
PROGRAM DETAILS
AFSA was the first to offer an industry-wide ITM Inspector Development Program, which aims to develop “green” or beginner technicians into NICET Level II-equivalent inspectors. Inspector trainees and supervisors have highly complemented the program and its results: “The instruction on how to reference and quickly understand NFPA 25 was very beneficial,” commented one student.
“I really enjoyed the hands-on portion such as testing of fire pumps and testing of dry pipe valves, and going through NFPA 25 and having open discussions and interpreting the code as a group helped to understand what is required when some things need clarification,” reported another student.
And one supervisor evaluated, “I really enjoyed the experience, and I feel like I came away with a wealth of knowledge to bring back to share with my colleagues and AHJs.”
Through this 20-month program, AFSA delivers a blended learning environment to include:
• Fifty-six hours of on-demand courses;
• Twenty-one hours of live, interactive web instruction;
• Live in-class lectures;
• Hands-on field and lab inspections and testing training;
• Limited class size maximizing student learning outcomes;
• A guided and systematic process for the “green” inspector trainee toward NICET I and NICET II certifications;
• Encouraging and fostering character-building traits: honesty, integrity, confidence, professionalism, neat appearance, organization, reliability, accountability, and credibility; and
• Strengthening communication skills, both written (for noting inspection and testing observations) and verbal (communicating with customers).
INVEST IN YOUR WORKFORCE
Pairing this program with proper OJT and supervision will position contractors to educate a new inspector in-house and prepare him or her to help grow your company. Find out more details visit firesprinkler.org/programs/sprinkler-inspector-training-program/,or email training@firesprinkler.org.
