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.

Advanced snow management has arrived

'We ask that you thoughtfully consider the ASM program for your team.'

By Phill Sexton
It's hard for me to believe almost two years have passed since I accepted the position of director of education & outreach for SIMA. I have always been passionate about the snow industry and saw this as an opportunity to help create solutions for our industry’s biggest challenges including a lack of professional standards, the rising cost of insurance, and increased pressures in pricing.

Nearly 18 months ago, I began to tackle an operations-based training program for the industry. SIMA was developing a certification program for operators and had run into some challenges. After an initial review, the roadblock was identified: There is a great deal of diversity in the size and structure of snow businesses. We wanted to build a program that would work for any size organization and discovered the certification model was not the best fit. 

After several months of assessment and revisions, we determined it would be better to focus on a series of individual training courses tied to certificates. We knew that the program needed to be customizable so companies could choose to have employees complete the entire series or just the training that focused on their core job duties. The certificate program offered that flexibility, while allowing SIMA to focus on high-quality training as the key priority. Additionally, it was less complicated and less costly for people to use. With that, the new Advanced Snow Management program was born. 

In order for this vision to become a reality, we needed help to design the courses. After a formal search for experts in instructional design, we formalized a relationship with Julie Stelter of The Walden Group. Julie has been a valuable partner, serving as our expert in designing the overall structure for each course, focusing on major outcomes and tailoring it for adult learning styles. The curriculum has been developed following ANSI (American National Standards Institute) guidelines and requirements for training accreditation. Once the training program is launched and several companies begin using the program, SIMA will work to finalize the ANSI certification process.

For the past 10 months, Julie and I have worked with a special group of volunteers we established, the Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG), to help qualify the curriculum as required by ANSI. We built this team to ensure that any content was developed by a diverse group of industry professionals, consumers and insurance providers to align with best practices in developing training standards for the snow industry. I would like to thank all of the SAG members for their commitment, particularly Teri Meredith, Paul Vanderzon, Ian Ashby and Shay Leon. The final product is far better because of their generosity of time, knowledge and experience.

We ask that you thoughtfully consider the ASM program for your team. It will help differentiate your company from your competitors, align your operations with established best practices and standards, and help prove to insurance providers that your company is invested in safety and managing risk at the advanced level. 

About ASM: The Advanced Snow Management program consists of four online certificate courses. Individual operators who take and pass courses in their specialty areas will receive official certificates. Those who successfully complete all four courses will earn SIMA’s Advanced Snow Manager (ASM) designation. The Core Principles certificate course is available now, and serves as the prerequisite for all other ASM courses. Subsequent courses will follow in the coming months. Visit here for more information.

Take Action on Immigration Reform

Martin Tirado, CAE (CEO, SIMA) and Mark Adamson
(Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Douglas Dynamics)

'Before this year’s Congressional session ends, please take action and contact your elected member of Congress to urge them to take action on immigration reform...'

By Martin Tirado, CAE
Early in 2013, SIMA joined a broad coalition of organizations affected by immigration labor issues, specifically the H-2B program. Most commonly used in our industry on the green side of member's businesses, the program can also be used for snow and ice immigrant labor. Before this year’s Congressional session ends, please take action and contact your elected member of Congress to urge them to take action on immigration reform, fix the H-2B Department of Labor interim wage rule, and preserve the integrity of the H-2B program as it currently exists.

Information on these issues can be found on the website of the H-2B Coalition. There are also three organizations that are part of the coalition whose web pages include further information and direct you on how to take action:

• PLANET/Landcare Network: http://www.congressweb.com/pln
• ANLA – American Nursery and Landscape Assocation: https://www.votervoice.net/ANLA/home
• H-2B Coalition: http://www.h2bworkforcecoalition.com/action.asp

These issues were delivered by SIMA on Capitol Hill twice this year. In the spring, SIMA staff members Phill Sexton and I held initial meetings with Congress and their staffers to discuss how this and other legislative items affected our members. In July, a larger SIMA delegation met with several more Congressional offices on this issue.

Take a few moments, read SIMA’s position statement on this issue, and send an email and follow-up phone call to your member of Congress.

Another successful Snow Safety Week

'As we move into the winter season, safety information is timely and very important for all snow professionals to remember.'

By Ellen Kobach
Last week, SIMA, Plowsite.com, and sponsors The BOSS and Progressive Insurance produced a second Snow Safety Week at GoPlow.com. With a webinar on creating a safety training program, articles, videos and discussion topics, Snow Safety Week was successful in providing quality, helpful information on a variety of safety-related topics.

As we move into the winter season, safety information is timely and very important for all snow professionals to remember. View some of the highlights from Snow Safety Week below:

• Watch out for children while plowing snow - Learn tips from one snow contractor's personal experience on how to watch out for children while plowing.
• Snow subcontractor red flags - Brian Birch shares 5 red flags that can tell you if a snow removal subcontractor could be a safety risk.
• Protect your back while working with snow - Cheryl Higley shares tips for safe lifting and handling techniques and suggestions to protect your back while working in snow and ice.
• Video: Pre-trip snow safety inspection - Mike Frazier, Director of Operations for Winter Services, demonstrates how to perform a pre-trip safety inspection.
• Onsite damage: safety and reporting policies - Read tips for being aware of potential site hazards and having a plan in place for when onsite damage occurs.
• Safety tips for ATV & UTV snow removal crews - Read tips for safely operating ATVs and UTVs to keep your snow removal crews safe this winter.
• Safety tips for rooftop snow removal - Rooftop snow removal can be risky, but a detailed operational plan, well-trained workers and proper safety precautions can help decrease the risk.

Visit here to see all the articles from last week, and thank you to everyone who participated and helped create another successful Snow Safety Week!

Snow industry leaders focus on community

'I have worked in this industry for almost 10 years, believe it or not. And if I had to boil it down to one reason why I love it, its because of the people I've met.'

By Brian K. Birch

I have worked in this industry for almost 10 years, believe it or not. And if I had to boil it down to one reason why I love it, it's because of the people I've met. Over the years I have met literally thousands of snow professionals seeking to build a better business and make a life for themselves and their families. And I've been personally impacted by you all, and most especially by those in the industry who choose to give back to their local or even the global community. Special thanks as well to Boss Snowplows, for sponsoring this initiative for the second year in a row!

I am proud to share below the 2013-2014 SIMA/Snow Business Community Service Initiative winners...watch each of the short videos below, and I think you'll agree that these kind of folks make our industry great. Click each of the titles to read the full stories on GoPlow.com.

Ruppert Landscape and Easter Seals & Food For The Poor

Green Estates and Living Tree

Witte Lawn Maintenance and Central America