Get an Irrigation Education
31 Oct, 2006 By: Landscape Management Staff LDB SolutionsWater management will become increasingly important in the future as more communities realize the need to conserve water. A well-designed, properly installed and maintained irrigation system can be the most efficient way to keep a landscape healthy, according to the Irrigation Association. New products are rapidly being introduced to make irrigation even more efficient. Stay on top of the trend toward smarter irrigation installations with education and certification. There are a number of training opportunities coming up.
The Irrigation Association offers a number of courses at the 27th International Irrigation Show in San Antonio. The show starts Nov. 5, but training courses in San Antonio begin Nov. 2. Onsite education registration is open daily from 7:30 a.m. - 9 a.m. in the convention center. Continuing education units (CEUs) can be earned. Below is a listing of classes available.
The winners of the 2006 Irrigation Association New Product Contest, which received more entries than ever in its fifth year, will also be judged and announced at the International Irrigation Show.
There are 43 entries in three categories. Winners will be announced Nov. 6 at the keynote breakfast. Checking out the new products is a great way to keep up with the irrigation technology that's available.
But International Irrigation Show isn't the only chance you'll have to learn more about water management. In addition to Irrigation Association educational courses scheduled throughout this year and next, Rain Bird Academy has announced its 2006-2007 training schedule.
Rain Bird's Landscape Irrigation training, held in 19 cities, consists of non-manufacturer specific classes designed to help contractors, distributors, architects and specifiers create savings and conserve water through improved irrigation practices. Participants will earn one CEU from the Irrigation Association for each hour of class attended. Rain Bird Academy dates and locations are below.
Turf irrigation training |
Bellevue, WA |
Nov. 13-16, 2006 |
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Denver, CO |
Nov. 28 - Dec. 1, 2006 |
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Tijuana, Mexico |
Nov. 28 - Dec. 1, 2006 |
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Tunica, MS |
Dec. 4 - Dec. 7, 2006 |
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Las Vegas, NV * |
Dec. 11-15, 2006 |
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San Jose, CA |
Jan. 9-12, 2007 |
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Atlantic City, NJ * |
Jan. 15-19, 2007 |
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Charlotte, NC |
Jan. 22-26, 2007 |
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Vancouver, WA |
Jan. 30 - Feb. 2, 2007 |
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Fresno, CA |
Feb. 6-9, 2007 |
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Boise, ID |
Feb. 6-9, 2007 |
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Chattanooga, TN |
Feb. 12-16, 2007 |
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Baltimore, MD |
Feb. 19-23, 2007 |
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Santa Maria, CA |
Feb. 19-23, 2007 |
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Sacramento, CA |
Feb. 26 - March 2, 2007 |
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Kansas City, MO |
March 5-9, 2007 |
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Minneapolis, MN |
March 12-16, 2007 |
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Chicago, IL |
March 12-16, 2007 |
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Detroit, MI |
March 19-23, 2007 |
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* Professional Irrigation Training Camp
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Irrigation contractors, system designers, distributors, technicians, landscape architects, educators and irrigation managers from public agencies could all benefit from the training. Select courses are available for Spanish-speaking professionals. Training classes are broken out depending on participants' experience and include three main sections:
1. Business Skills Training - For those irrigation professionals and business owners wanting to learn more about financial management, profitable job estimating and customer selling skills.
2. Landscape Irrigation Training -Teaches participants about irrigation design, products and product troubleshooting as well as intelligent water management.
3. Central Control Training - Participants learn more about the technology, hardware and benefits that comprise today's central controller systems. Participants will also learn about central control maintenance and troubleshooting. Training specific to Central Controller installation and operation is also available this year. Courses take place at Rain Bird's corporate headquarters in Tucson, AZ, and are held on the following dates:
- Nov. 6-9, 2006
- Nov. 13-16, 2006
- Dec. 18-21, 2006
- Jan. 8-10, 2007
- Jan. 22-25, 2007
- Feb. 12-15, 2007
- Feb. 19-22, 2007
- Mar. 5-7, 2007
- Mar. 19-22, 2007
- Apr. 2-5, 2007
- Apr. 16-19, 2007
- May 7-10, 2007
- May 21-24, 2007
Interested professionals can contact Rain Bird Services at 800/498-1942.
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