Concrete Industry Associations Partner to Form Certification Consortium

MT. VERNON, Iowa — In an effort to increase the awareness of certification opportunities for concrete professionals, while promoting the advantages of such programs, nine concrete associations have joined forces to form the Concrete Industry Certification Consortium.

Comprised of the American Concrete Pumping Association, Architectural Precast Association, Concrete Foundations Association, Concrete Sawing and Drilling Association, International Concrete Repair Institute, National Precast Concrete Association, Post-Tensioning Institute and the Tilt-Up Concrete Association, the Concrete Industry Certification Consortium is a nonprofit clearinghouse dedicated to serving those interested in improving the quality and safety of concrete construction and renovation.

Through its participating associations, the consortium seeks to increase the recognition of the concrete industry's commitment to quality through certification and to promote and distinguish companies with a demonstrated level of competence and history of positive contribution to the industry.

The consortium initially plans a unified marketing piece that raises awareness of the program variety offered to the industry. This will be available in electronic format by the end of August and will be available through the websites of all participating organizations. Additionally, the consortium plans a website for unified information and links to the certified personnel directories for each program. The unified message supporting the value and importance of certification in the concrete industry will be visible throughout organizational conventions and during the World of Concrete, to be held Feb. 4-8, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nev. where master certification certificates and the majority of these opportunities are offered.

“The Consortium idea came about during gatherings of the Small Association Group Executives, which the participating organizations of the consortium started several years ago,” states Ed Sauter, executive director for the CFA and TCA. “This networking effort has contributed to a wealth of variety and creativity.”

The Consortium itself was spawned a little over a year ago as SAGE gathered during its regular spring meeting. Each association represented in the consortium has been working for years to develop, refine, maintain and promote certification as the next step forward for the future of their respective industry.

As a group, the associations will concentrate on providing concrete industry professionals with certification opportunities. According to Christi Collins, executive director of the ACPA, maintaining the strictest standards for safety in the concrete industry is crucial.

“Every contractor has an obligation to provide a safe work environment for workers and utilizing the most qualified, knowledgeable and professional personnel in their respective fields will help them achieve this assurance. Through the collaborative promotion efforts of the CICC, we are able to expand the awareness of our pump operator certification program, which will go a long ways toward improving the overall quality of our industry,” said Collins.

For more information, email esauter@tilt-up.org or call 319-895-6911.