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The APSP Service Education and Certification Program
The transition is underway…
Say goodbye to Tech I and Tech II…
Say hello to the Certified Maintenance Specialist and the Certified Service Technician!
APSP has been offering technical education in residential pool and spa maintenance, service and repair since 1989. This technical education and testing has previously been offered in three sequential levels: Tech I, Tech II, and CSP Certified Service Professional®. In an effort to make our first two levels (Tech I and Tech II) more aligned to actual job responsibilities in the field, these courses will be phased out in favor of two new programs that will now offer certifications. The new certification programs are entitled CMS Certified Maintenance Specialist and CST Certified Service Technician. (There has been no change to the CSP Certified Service Professional® program.) These programs will be offered starting in January 2010. There are no pre-requisites for these programs – you take the program that best matches your job and experience…and move up to take the next level whenever it’s appropriate in your work. The length of each certification will be 3 years, and each certificate is renewable through the completion of 24 hours of continuing education during that 3 year period.
Scroll down for the education calendar
If you currently hold the Tech I or Tech II designation, that’s fine! You can keep that designation until your normal expiration date. When you apply for recertification and meet those requirements, we’ll switch you over to the new certification; Tech I will become Certified Maintenance Specialist and Tech II will become Certified Service Technician. If you prefer to make the change now, just contact the Career Institute staff and a new certificate will be issued right away. ALSO, If you’re a Tech I now and planned to move up to a Tech II, you’ll just register for the CST Certified Service Technician program instead of Tech II….the courses are actually very similar. If you’re a Tech II and want to test for CSP Certified Service Professional, you can certainly do so as soon as you meet the experience and continuing education requirements outlined on the CSP application form.
Now, let’s walk through the process to get certified!
Five Simple Steps to Certification
1. Determine your qualification level - CMS, CST or CSP?
If you’re new to the pool/spa service industry, you’ll want to pursue the APSP CMS Certified Maintenance Specialist certification. There are no pre-requisites for seeking this certification, so new employees are welcome and the curriculum is covered in approximately 16 hours of instruction (2-1/2 day program). The curriculum and open-book, multiple choice exam focuses on 4 key areas - Safety, Pool Circulation and Filtration, Pool Maintenance, and Water Chemistry – but the course also covers important topics such as electrical systems, pool structures and finishes, heaters and controls, and customer service.
The APSP CST Certified Service Technician program does not require that you meet work experience pre-requisites, but, please understand, this course is much more in-depth than the Certified Maintenance Specialist program. You should have at least 1-2 years of experience in pool/spa service and repair to expect to be successful on the certification exam. The course is approximately 4-1/2 days in length and the exam requires the ability to apply your technical knowledge to situations encountered in the field. As such, this program demands a level of technical knowledge that only comes with some on-the-job experience. You do not need to have completed the CMS certification in order to attend this course and sit for the CST exam.
If you have 5 years or more of advanced level technical service repair and troubleshooting experience, as well as 24 hours of continuing education courses*, the CSP Certified Service Professional® is the appropriate level for certification testing for you. Plan now to attend a Prep Course and sit for the exam that will earn you the pool industry’s premier professional designation for Service pros.
(*Contact APSP Career Institute staff if you need assistance documenting your continuing education credit. Manufacturer and distributor training courses, regional and chapter education meetings, online education, and trade show education programs could all qualify. )
2. Apply for the Program of Your Choice
If you’re interested in pursuing the APSP CMS Certified Maintenance Specialist or APSP CST Certified Service Technician, you will need to register to attend a APSP-approved Tech School or ”Pool School” to complete the course and take the exam. Follow the instructions outlined in Step 4.
If you’re interested in pursuing the CSP Certified Service Professional® designation, you will need to apply to qualify to take the exam as your first step. You may click here to download the application form. Please complete the form and return it to APSP for consideration.
3. Get Your Copy of the APSP Service Tech Manual
The education component of each of the courses is rooted in the APSP Service Tech Manual, and is a required purchase if you intend to take one of the certification exams. If you’re attending a Tech School, your registration fee may include the purchase of the Service Tech Manual and companion workbook - check with the program registrar. The Manual and Workbook are discounted for Tech School enrollees. If you register far enough in advance, the books will be mailed to you upon registration. The fees for attending a Tech School are set by the sponsoring group, so check their registration site for all the particulars.
If you’re attending a CSP Exam Prep Course (see No. 4 below for more information), your Manual is also included in the registration fee. If you’re just testing for the CSP (without the Prep Course), you can purchase the Manual through the APSP Online Store or by contacting Member Services at memberservices@APSP.org or 703.838.0083, ext. 301. The cost of the Manual, Prep Course and Exam is $450.
Of course, the Service Tech Manual is available for purchase by anyone at any time, even if certification testing is not anticipated by the purchaser. The NEW 4th edition of this manual was printed in January 2010.
4. Attend a Tech School or CSP Exam Prep Course
The education you need to prepare you to take the certification exams is provided for CMS Certified Maintenance Specialist candidates and CST Certified Service Technician candidates at APSP-approved Tech Schools. These schools are typically held between October and March at locations around the country. Links to registration information for scheduled Tech School are listed below. Exact dates and registration links will be added as they become available, so check back often.
If you meet the eligibility requirements to sit for the CSP exam (see #1 above), start your preparation as soon as possible by reading the Service Tech Manual. The CSP exam is offered around the country, usually at pool/spa shows or other regional events during the winter months, and a list of locations scheduled can be found below. Exact dates and registration details will be added to the website as they are confirmed. A CSP Exam Prep Course will be offered at each of these locations on the day prior to testing and you are encouraged to participate in this final review before the exam. During the Prep Course, you’ll be provided with a comprehensive overview of the material from an industry expert, sample test questions, as well as given an opportunity to ask questions or get clarification on any aspect of the Manual or Standards. The Prep course usually runs 5-6 hours.
The Winter 2010 education season is drawing to a close with more than 15 different locations around the country having offered our programs. Additional education programs will be added to the schedule as dates and locations are confirmed with the sponsoring group - though you can expect that these will be quite limited during the Spring and Summer months. The upcoming dates and locations confirmed for Tech Schools and/or the Prep Course/CSP exam are:
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Event
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Location
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CSP Prep Course?
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Prep Course/Exam Dates 2010
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Tech School?
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Tech School Dates 2010
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Link to program registration
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NESPA Tech School
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Hamilton, NJ
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No |
No
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CMS only
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March 23-25
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NESPA registration page
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| APSP CSP Prep/Exam |
Jacksonville, FL |
Yes |
April 23-24 , 2010 |
No |
No |
Download CSP Application form. Register by 4/15/10 |
5. Take the certification exam
If you’re planning to attend a Tech School for the CMS or CST programs, register as early as possible so you can receive your Service Tech Manual and companion workbook in advance of the course. You’ll receive all the program details from the Tech School leader, as well as your reading assignments that should be completed before the course starts.
If you’re pursuing the CSP designation, print out and complete the application and the exam registration forms to become eligible for the exam and schedule a testing date. You must submit these forms and fees to the APSP Career Institute directly. Once approved for the exam, you will be registered and scheduled for the exam. You do NOT need to attend a prep course to sit for the CSP exam --- that exam alone can be scheduled anytime throughout the year at a community college testing center near you for a small additional proctor fee. So you are not limited to the group testing and prep course events during the winter months for your testing.
Official notification of your exam results will be mailed to you within 4 weeks of the exam date, though Tech School sponsors will have preliminary results for the CMS and CST exams within 1 week of the return of exams for scoring. A passing score on each of the exams is 75% correct. As is the norm with certification testing, the results are given simply as pass or fail, with no actual scores provided. If you pass your exam you will receive the associated certification and be entitled use the designation as long as your company remains an APSP member. If you do not pass the exam you may re-test within 1 year without retaking the education component. Failure to pass the CMS or CST exam on the second attempt will require retaking the education component before another exam registration will be processed. If you do not pass the CSP exam on the second attempt, you will be required to wait one year and then re-apply.
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Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page if you’d like to learn more about the changes to the Service Education and Certification Program. If you have questions not covered there or would like to request more information, please contact Jennifer Heinz at the APSP Career Institute at jheinz@apsp.org or 703-838-0083, ext. 274.
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