The newest version of the Ventilation Verification and Indoor Air Quality (VV/IAQ) course focuses on a specific population the International Training Institute (ITI) has yet to educate — technicians.
“It’s uncommon for the ITI to offer classes for technicians,” said Lisa Davis, who facilitated the class for the ITI. “ITI’s trustees saw that there may be barriers for some JATCs to implement a course for technicians locally, so they approved funding for ITI to help offset the cost and shorten the time to deliver such a course.”
The VV/IAQ for Technicians course is held in two parts. The first section is held online as a self-paced, online class on the Moodle platform. The second section is an in-person course that culminates in an opportunity for the student to earn the Indoor Air Quality Technician/Ventilation Verification certification by the International Certification Board (ICB).
The self-paced nature of the online course allows technicians at all experience levels to benefit.
“A first-year apprentice with no testing, adjusting and balancing (TAB) experience might require more than 200 hours to cover all the material thoroughly and have some time for hands-on experience at the training center included in that time,” Davis said. “But an experienced journey worker with TAB skills and knowledge might be able to complete the course in as little as 12 hours.”
The second part of the course is an intensive, hands-on follow-up to part one. ITI designed the course for technicians with limited knowledge and experience in indoor air quality or TAB. The four-day, instructor-led lab sessions include hands-on training covering tool knowledge, safety and form understanding. Part one of the course is a prerequisite for the second hands-on portion.
In 2022, the ITI facilitated the course 10 times, Davis said. Attendees were a mix of apprentices and those seeking continuing education units.
Joel Orozco, a certified TAB technician who has been working in the field for over a decade, took the class last summer. Just before taking the class, Orozco accepted a position as a full-time instructor at Sheet Metal Workers Local 265’s training center in Carol Stream, Illinois. He said the course was a “great introduction to the fields of ventilation verification and indoor air quality.”
Although Orozco has extensive experience, he enjoyed the course and believes it is beneficial for those wishing to pursue work as a TAB or service technician.
“VV/IAQ is a promising field of work moving forward,” Davis added. “Some of our JATCs have been able to implement the VV/IAQ course into their curriculum, but for those students whose training centers do not have the necessary lab or instructor available, ITI will continue offering the course for technicians into 2023.”
The VV/IAQ for Technicians courses available for the rest of the year include Aug. 7-10 in St. Louis and Dec. 4-7 in Phoenix. For additional information on this course and many others, click here to visit the ITI’s course catalog.
