SIMA builds out the industry’s best training asset

'The Resource 24/7 Training Center is now the most centralized place online for high-quality, in-depth training and education for the industry.'

By Brian Birch, CAE
Just over two years ago, SIMA launched its online training center at www.sima.org/resources, dubbed Resource 24/7 for short. This training platform enabled anyone in the industry to access SIMA’s training videos, online courses and downloadable documents, anytime day or night. It also created a space for companies to house their downloaded resources in one place—their own online classroom.

Fast-forward a few years, and the association is again investing in this training asset. Starting this fall, the Resource 24/7 Training Center will become an even bigger focal point for industry training. Here are some reasons why:

1. New standards in operations and safety. SIMA will launch a set of online certificate courses, officially called the Advanced Snow Management program, over the next few months at Resource 24/7. These courses will be accessible and convenient for snow professionals across the U.S. and Canada. The first course, Core Principles, is available here now.
2. New estimating tools. SIMA has been hard at work adding new content to Resource 24/7, including the Build a Bid Estimating Program (including a full set of courses, an estimating spreadsheet and a demonstration) and the Snow Estimating Tool (the estimating spreadsheet and demonstration). These tools are simple, effective ways to improve the estimating challenge in snow & ice.
3. Best practices. Late last year, SIMA made the first Best Practices Checklist for Snow & Ice Management available to the industry. This tool can be used by facilities and property managers to assess snow operations, and it can be used by snow professionals to set standard benchmarks for their companies.
4. New ways to access. Resource 24/7 just launched a new way for snow industry training to be accessed with subscription models. In this innovative addition, companies serious about training will be able to create master accounts and sub-accounts for employees, and then purchase “vouchers” in the system that can be used by anyone associated with the master account. Vouchers can be applied to Advanced Snow Management training, online course training, Certified Snow Professional study supplements, and all other resources in the system.

One of the biggest challenges in running a professional snow & ice operation is quality training that adds value to employees, the company and the overall service provided. The Resource 24/7 Training Center is now the most centralized place online for high-quality, in-depth training and education for the industry. Take some time to explore at www.sima.org/resources.