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Wednesday, January 14, 2004 Continuing education a boon for home builders and consumers By Mac McKinney, President Home Builders Association of Midwest Georgia Universities and community colleges from coast to coast are offering advanced degree programs or other forms of continuing education. From managers looking for professional advancement to stay-at-home parents who want to learn a new skill, Americans are returning to school in record numbers. Did you know that the building industry has a continuing education curriculum that is as comprehensive and specialized as any graduate program in the world, and can help you identify the qualified building professionals that best fit your needs? Through the National Association of Home Builders’ University of Housing, industry professionals can earn professional designations in any one of thirteen specific areas, from remodeling to sales to property management. The process of earning a professional designation from the NAHB is a rigorous one, but according to association statistics, builders and remodelers are eager to enroll in designation programs. In the past year alone, hundreds of professionals have completed advanced courses. In many of the programs, there are twice as many people in the process of earning their designations as those who currently hold them. The benefits for both the designate and the consumer are manifold. Builders and remodelers reap the rewards of staying up to speed on the latest developments in business, building methods and technology, while conveying to clients the know-how and professional dedication required to earn a designation. Customers, on the other hand, can use these designations to select professionals who have specialized in their areas of interest, knowing that a University of Housing graduate demonstrates superior training, practical experience and in-depth knowledge. For example, imagine that you are a recent retiree who wants to ensure that your home remains safe and comfortable as you age. Preparations might entail working with a remodeler to widen doors, install shower bars for easy gripping and make other modifications to your home. Choosing a professional who has earned the CAPS (Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist) designation ensures that your remodeler has completed a demanding curriculum that covers common age-related barriers and solutions, building codes and standards, and more. Finding a professional in your area holding an NAHB designation is as easy as visiting www.NAHB.org/education and clicking on “Designations.” Designations in the following areas currently are awarded by NAHB’s University of Housing: • Certified Graduate Associate (CGA). • Certified Graduate Builder (CGB). • Graduate Master Builder (GMB). • Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR). • Certified Aging In Place Specialist (CAPS). • Certified New Home Sales Professional (CSP). • Master Certified New Home Sales Professional (MCSP). • Certified New Home Marketing Professional (CMP). • Member, Institute of Residential Marketing (MIRM). • Housing Credit Certified Professional (HCCP). • Certified Leasing Professional (CLP). • Registered in Apartment Management (RAM). • Advanced RAM. (Mac McKinney, who is owner and president of McKinney Builders Inc., is president of the Home Builders Association of Midwest Georgia, which serves a membership of approximately 550 builders and associate members in Fayette, Coweta, Spalding, Meriwether, Heard, Pike, Upson, Lamar, Butts and Jasper counties.)
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