Looking for a Competitive Advantage for Your Business? Certifications Deliver!
It can be tough to make your business shine bright in a marketplace that’s cluttered with competitors. And considering the air duct cleaning industry is plagued with scams, “blow-and-go” schemes, and bait and switch tactics with bargain-basement prices, it can be even harder to compete. But professional certifications will help your business stand apart in a sea of competitors — and provide an enormous competitive advantage.
NADCA offers two distinguished certifications: The Air Systems Cleaning Specialist (ASCS) Certification and the Certified Ventilation Inspector (CVI) Certification. With each certification, candidates engage in a rigorous course of study and complete a standardized certification exam that reflects the most current practices in the industry, and focuses on the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for inspecting, cleaning, and restoring HVAC systems.
Why get certified? Most successful businesses understand that a continuous thirst for knowledge is a key element for building a growing, thriving business. And while continuing education and certification programs can be a major investment of both time and resources, they help provide recognition of specialized knowledge and skill sets, which can be a significant benefit when it comes to winning new customers or projects.
Not only can certifications jumpstart careers for individual technicians, they also build professional credibility, recognize competency, show commitment to the profession, and build a company’s credibility. Having technicians with specialized training that your competitors don’t have will easily set your company apart when pursuing new business. By placing two businesses side-by-side (one with certified technicians and one without), customers can easily identify the key areas where the company with certified employees will out-perform those without. Plus, the time and effort invested in professional certifications for yourself and your employees almost always results in increased sales and greater market share.
In addition, more and more public and private organizations – especially large commercial and/or government projects – require certifications for bidding on large jobs. Certification is often a requirement for doing business with certain customers, and if your organization has technicians who are ASCS or CVI certified, but your competitor does not, you instinctively have the upper hand!
NADCA’s landmark certification, the Air Systems Cleaning Specialist (ASCS) certification, is a world-wide credential recognizing a person’s knowledge and skills related to HVAC system hygiene. The exam covers a range of topics like indoor air quality, safety, mechanical, field experience, and applying practical knowledge. ASCS certification not only sets HVAC technicians and air duct cleaners ahead of the competition; it shows customers that the technician is highly skilled, consistent, and committed.
Much like the ASCS, NADCA’s Certified Ventilation Inspector (CVI) certification is also recognized world-wide, and is an advanced certification developed to distinguish those industry professionals involved in the inspection of HVAC systems as it relates to system hygiene. These individuals demonstrate expert-level knowledge in the field. Individuals must have an active ASCS certification in order to take the CVI exam; since the CVI is an advanced certification as CVI certified individuals are trained and qualified to perform inspections of commercial HVAC systems.
Both ASCS and CVI certification can benefit individuals in many ways, including:
- Increased compensation
- Enhanced career mobility and marketability
- Recognition by employers, customers, and industry peers
With many job specifications requiring that a certified ASCS have oversight of a project, and the demand for HVAC system inspection consistently increasing, having an ASCS and/or CVI certified technician on staff can benefit your company in many ways, including:
- Meeting bid specifications
- Attracting more customers
- Expanding the ability to offer inspection services
- Meeting the ASCS requirement for NADCA membership
Once certifications are earned, it’s important to keep them up to date! NADCA’s Air Systems Cleaning Specialist (ASCS) certification must be renewed each year by June 30, and our Certified Ventilation Inspector (CVI) certification must be renewed every three years, also by June 30.
To learn more about NADCA certifications, visit https://nadca.com/nadca-certifications.
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MORE ABOUT RENEWALS!
Don’t delay: as mentioned above, certification renewal deadlines are coming up June 30. ASCS certifications must be renewed each year, and CVI certifications must be renewed every three years.
NADCA requires six (6) Continuing Education Credits (CECs) for ASCS renewal. We have all sorts of ways to earn CECs, including TWO NEW OPTIONS this year! For the first time ever, NADCA is offering three (3) CEC sessions from our 2021 Annual Meeting as a bundled webinar package that’s available for purchase! You can watch all three session recordings at any time that's convenient for you. Then, you’ll take a short multiple-choice quiz, and if you get a passing score, you’ll earn all six of your CECs required for ASCS renewal!
Also new this year, CECs can be earned by simply reading a specific article in each edition of DucTales, and then taking (and passing) a short quiz!