DEVELOPMENT OF THE CAA’s RESIDENTIAL BUILDING OPERATOR COURSE
By Mike Teslak
In the Fall of 2002 the membership of the Calgary Apartment Association was surveyed to determine what they would like to see as future education topics. From this information, the Education Committee determined there was a need for a certification program for a Residential Building Operator (RBO). In cooperation with the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) your education committee started to put these needs down on paper and once the plan was laid out in black and white it started to take shape.
In Spring of 2003 we asked industry professionals for their input - we had a good idea of what we thought the courses should look like, but wanted your suggestions. SAIT held a two day DACUM (Develop A Curriculum) session with industry members, and spent the full two days detailing what was really necessary for a RBO to do his or her job better, and what the industry would like to see him or her be able to do. It was through this process that the certification program was developed.
With the basics down, we needed to fill in the material. SAIT did this through their continuing education division, and the result is a program containing seven courses for the RBO. These range from basic building maintenance and operating courses, to the “soft skill” of tenant relations; basic accounting; computer skills; and personal skills. Carpentry, mechanical and electrical courses will include hands-on labs, as well as theory, while all of the courses are geared toward making your staff better equipped to handle the day-to-day tasks of operating a residential property.
Our first course will be offered in the Spring session of the SAIT calendar, beginning in March of 2004 with the Carpentry course. It will include safety issues, door and window repair, cabinet repair, flooring, and drywall repair - again, all focused on what may be found in typical residential operations.
With this certification we will have a well-trained work force that will be able to recognize problems and work towards solutions. This will help increase the value of an apartment property by having it show better, and by decreasing mechanical problems and energy costs. If there are fewer problems in a well-maintained building, there will be less tenant turnover. We are all aware of the energy it takes to lease a suite, compared to that of keeping a good tenant.
The CAA feels this program is the first step toward developing new standards for our industry. With the advent of this certification we are raising the bar for our Residential Building Operators, and giving them an opportunity to grow and develop. We hope to offer more of these initiatives for other professionals in our industry, and will be looking for your input into the next course development. In the meantime, please sign up your staff (or yourself) for this exciting new initiative.
Mike Teslak, RPA FMA, is a consultant with CFMS Alberta
Ltd., and a member of the Calgary Apartment Association’s Program and
Education Committee. He can be reached at (403)
266-3223.
