New This Year: CCPR Study Group!

As the chair of the CSI-Willamette Valley Certification Committee, I receive regular notifications about developments from the Construction Specifications Institute that are helpful to me and my fellow certification class instructors. The latest from the Institute is the great news that CSI’s Great Lakes Region is hosting a virtual study group for those interested in pursuing Certified Construction Product Representation (CCPR) certification.

A Certified Construction Product Representative is a valued resource called upon by the design team again and again. Becoming a CCPR means:

• Making sales calls, presentations, construction meetings, and product shows more effective
• Knowing the key parts of product binders and other marketing collateral
• Understanding roles and responsibilities of everyone involved in the project, and how and when to communicate with them
• Understanding all phases of the construction documentation, and the product representative’s role in each phase
• Speaking the same language as the design and contractor teams

Candidates who succeed in passing the CCPR exam can use the letters "CCPR" after their name, on their business cards, and on their resumes. Being a CCPR means being a member of a very exclusive club as there presently are only 168 individuals among CSI’s active membership of 8,000 who have achieved this level of certified expertise.

The Willamette Valley Chapter offers in-person Construction Contract Document and Construction Contract Administration classes but not for Construction Product Representation. The availability of an online course produced by the Great Lakes Region for CCPR candidates fills this conspicuous void. A virtual CCPR course/study group also addresses the reality most construction product representatives deal with, which is that their busy travel schedules often preclude the possibility of consistent attendance in classroom programs.

After hearing about the online CCPR study group, I visited the Institute’s member-only online discussion forum CSI-Connect to see if anyone had posted additional relevant information. Sure enough, Thad Goodman, FCSI, CCPR of the Great Lakes Region did post details about the study group, and in particular information regarding an introductory, informational webinar. Here are the details:

CCPR Study Group Informational Webinar:   Friday, February 9, 2018 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EST

Join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/302129365

Or, dial in using your phone:
United States: +1 (646) 749-3131 Access Code: 302-129-365

Pre-registration not required; just log in or call at the scheduled time.

The regular classes will begin Friday, February 16 and will run seven consecutive weeks through Friday, March 30. The organizers will determine the times for each of the sessions following the February 9 informational webinar.

Big thanks to Thad and the Great Lakes Region for setting up the CCPR study group and offering the online courses for the benefit of certification candidates across the country!