hausdok Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 SooNews Staff for SooNews.ca Monday, January 31, 2011, 9:43PM Mike Holmes got the "rock star" treatment at Sault College Monday with hundreds packing the house to hear about the new Home Inspection Technician program with an endorsement from the popular TV personality. ââ¬ÅWe are pleased and excited about our association with Mike Holmes in developing and endorsing our new two-year Home Inspection Technician (Co-op) diploma program, which is the first of its kind in Ontario and we are grateful to have the support of the province on this venture,â⬠Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 I certainly hope that the program succeeds but I wonder where the motivation to enroll will come from. The legal requirements go only as far as 2 weeks, if anything. A prospective student is faced with the fact that their competition will have accumulated 2 years of experience by the time they graduate. The backing from Holmes helps but long term success of such a program depends on it's value being proven by the first grads, otherwise legislators will never notice. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 At least, it's a program, not a two week fluffer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghentjr Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 It should have happened in the States years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 I just emailed Brad Manor over in Windsor, Ont for his thoughts about this. I read it as a little heavy on the construction trade "apprentice" type stuff. Holmes is an ass, what can I say. I do not understand why the school president would even entertain having Holmes there for the kick-off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 Because Holmes is a media star. It's the same reason ASHI would love to associate with him. Raised media visibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 Kurt, there are times (like this) when I think our association can't take a moment to reflect and make a cogent statement. not like that sentence!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 Yeah, I agree, but I've come to accept it, kind of like lots of distasteful stuff. Woof.....we're just now on the front edge of the storm....30mph winds and snow so thick I can hardly see my garage. Is it hitting you yet? Check out this....current satellite....if you know how to read this, you'll appreciate just what a whopper this is. We're on the leading edge of the vorticity. http://weather.unisys.com/satellite/sat ... nv=0&t=cur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bain Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 Yeah, I agree, but I've come to accept it, kind of like lots of distasteful stuff. Woof.....we're just now on the front edge of the storm....30mph winds and snow so thick I can hardly see my garage. Is it hitting you yet? Check out this....current satellite....if you know how to read this, you'll appreciate just what a whopper this is. We're on the leading edge of the vorticity. http://weather.unisys.com/satellite/sat ... nv=0&t=cur That totally blows. Stay safe . . . . (And yes, pun intended.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlieb Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 The wind is really blowing down here. I just checked and it's 11 mph. Down to 43! Just sayin. Stay warm guys and remember us southerners when it's 95 degrees and 95% humidity in a few months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Manor Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 I think the idea of a proper education for inspectors is great. That course however doesn't look like a terrific medium for growing inspectors. After two years of school students will have a very basic knowledge of construction trades, making them more qualified to be jobsite labourers than home inspectors. Nowhere in the course descriptions is the Ontario Building Code mentioned; I would have thought that a couple classes in semester one would be devoted to the OBC. I know that home inspections are not code inspections, but if we're going to be inspecting the condition and construction of houses we should have at least some understanding of the rules the builders should be playing by. As far as the Mike Holmes seal of approval: trading credibility for visibility will get more asses in more seats. -Brad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 Very true. Yes, it doesn't really look like an HI program as much as a vocational program. Which isn't altogether bad; there's no training in anything nowadays, and way too many HI's couldn't change out a sink trap. I find my trade experience to be extremely valuable for providing insights to customers, but it sure as heck doesn't make me an HI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted February 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 Seattle weather was hell today. Sunny with baby blue skies and oh so cold - it must have been at least 40°F. Brrrr [] ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 Hey, the weather keeps the riff raff out.......or, maybe it keeps the riff raff in. I can't tell anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 Does not look like we will be having Scotch and cigars in the garden today! Click to Enlarge 37.77 KB I know my beloved tulips are under there - somewhere! Click to Enlarge 55.74 KB Back to the topic at hand. I have often thought about the vast amount of information I am expected to be able to access immediately or at least within a couple of hours. Several years ago I started a little phamplet of methods and materials called Sticks, Stones and Straw. I would update it every few months and when someone contributed a new material. It got out of hand within 7-8yrs because of technology and geography. I would use it while interviewing prospective inspectors. Many left my office after reading the list because they had no idea the scope of required knowledge. For instance I have only inspected 3 heat pumps during the past 25yrs and my company has inspected maybe 5 total. There are lots of aux products that go along with heat pumps that may not be exclusive to them, but are "more" important to inspect. ie: line insulation, electrical requirements etc. I only know about heat pumps because I read, attend national classes, talk to my peers and admit I am not an expert on heat pumps. Maybe on the individual components, but not on the entire system. My point is this business still is all about thinking and communicating. I am poor communicating with my peers and quite good with my clients. Why? My personality combined with ability to talk, converse. I know many folks on this board, have seen them, talked with them argued with them and tricked them into buying me lunch. All present a unique appearance before they even utter a single word! Mind you they are not all the same, rather they are all different; Kurt is tall, animated drives a suv with massive display of ladders, Mike drive a smaller suv, but has an assistant, ladder and the confidence of military bearing and purpose, Scott is, well Scott is the nicest of the bunch coupled with excellent knowledge and projects a warm caring image of complete trust. Remember, I know these guys and sometimes the image is not exactly true! All are formidable characters and wonderful careful thinkers. A classroom environment can't make a person a thinker if the emphasis is on construction (methods and materials) and nothing on keyboarding, politics, basic physics and chemistry, etc... Inspectors must be nice people that like to work with people. Think about a physician's bedside manner. more later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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