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February 22, 2010
Continued Education Is a Big "GO"! and the Builders License
Training Institute hits the ground running with the 8-Hour Lead
Paint Renovation (RRP) course and the 3-hour required course.
As of February 16, 2010, you can earn continuing competency.
- Any approved prelicensure course may be taken to fulfill the continuing competency requirement.
-
Any construction code update
course approved by the Bureau of Construction Codes may be
taken to fulfill the continuing competency requirement.
- Any fire safety or workplace safety course approved or sponsored by an agency within the Department of Energy Labor and Economic Growth (DELEG), such as Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) may be taken to fulfill the continuing competency requirement.
-
Continuing competency may be
earned by serving as a lecturer or discussion leader in an
approved course.
When did the requirement to complete continuing competency begin?
The continuing competency requirement became
effective in 2009.
During future renewal periods, individuals will be required to
certify to the number of continued competency hours earned
between 2009 through
Individuals who have been licensed less than 6 years are required to have 21 hours of continued competency as follows: 3 hours per calendar year; a total of 21 hours over a 3 year period; and 3 of the total 21 hours must include 1 hour of codes, 1 hour of safety and 1 hour of legal issues.
Individuals who have been licensed 6 years
or longer are required to have 3 hours of continued
competency per license cycle as follows:
1 hour of codes, 1 hour of safety and 1 hour of legal
issues.
How many hours of continuing competency are required?
During the first 6
calendar years of licensure –
21 hours of continuing competency hours are required.
At least 3 hours shall devoted to those activities
designed to develop a licensee’s understanding and ability to
apply state building codes and laws relating to the licensed
occupation, safety and changes in construction and business
management laws.
A licensee who has
held a license for more than 6 years
– 3 hours of continuing competency hours are required.
Three hours of activities demonstrating continuing
competency per license cycle to include 1 hour of codes, 1 hours
of safety, and 1 hour of legal issues.
Courses taken prior to becoming licensed
cannot be used or counted toward meeting the continuing
competency requirements.
Documentation Required to be Kept
Effective 2009, a licensee shall maintain
documentation for at least 5 years of activities counted toward
meeting the continuing competency requirements.
Who can offer the acceptable continuing competency courses?
Sponsors who offer approved prelicensure courses can offer those same courses to meet the continuing competency requirements.
The subject matter of continuing competency
activities may be offered by a high school, intermediate school
district, community college, university, Bureau of Construction
Codes, MIOSHA, fire safety, trade association, or a proprietary
school licensed by the Department if approved by the Department
to offer prelicensure courses.
Any construction code courses approved by the
Bureau of Construction Codes as well as fire safety or workplace
safety courses approved or sponsored by the Department are also
considered appropriate for fulfilling continuing competency
requirements.
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January, 2010
Builders License Training Institute
Update on CE and Online Training
The State of Michigan has not yet released any school to offer Continued Education courses or Online/Distance learning courses for the Residential Builders or the Maintenance and Alteration (M&A) Contractors licensing. If you complete continued education courses before the State of Michigan allows them, they will not count.
DID YOU KNOW? If you received your initial builders or M&A license by May 31, 2009, you only have to complete three hours of CE to renew your license in May of 2011 and all licensing cycles thereafter. If you received your initial license after May 31, 2009, you will need to complete 14 hours of CE to renew your license in May of 2011. If the State of Michigan does not allow CE until May of 2010, and you received your initial license after May 31, 2009, you will only need to complete 7 hours of CE to renew your license in May of 2011. Please call us at 1-800-727-7104 if you have further questions regarding CE.
DID YOU KNOW? If you are working on homes that were built before 1978, a new law is going into effect in April of 2010 requiring individuals involved in interior and exterior renovation, repair and painting to complete an 8-hour lead paint safety course to get certified to work on these homes. The Builders License Training Institute will be offering this course throughout the State of Michigan. Call us for details. Our course will fulfill both the Lead Paint Safety Requirement and 8 hours of the Continued Education Requirement for builders and contractors licensed after May 31, 2009.
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December, 2009
Builders License Training Institute
10 Reasons Why
10 Great Reasons To Choose the
Builders
License Training Institute
For Your Michigan 60-Hour Education
1.
Best Price and Value
in
Michigan:
$749.00 including all books and materials.
2.
Includes four great books and an online State Exam Prep Course:
Michigan Code Book,
Carpentry and Building Construction textbook, Profit from
Building Green and Marketing PowerPak.
This $325 in value comes
FREE.
3.
Now in 32 cities
throughout Michigan.
There is always a program scheduled within a reasonable driving
distance.
4.
We
prepare you for the State exam throughout the 60
hours. The free
online course is separate and complements our program with
sample quizzes on all test topics.
5.
We have the most
flexible makeup policy.
If you miss a day, you can make it up at any location,
and we hold more programs in more locations than all of the
other schools combined.
6.
We have the most
consistent record for holding classes.
We seldom cancel.
7.
Relaxed, stress-free method of teaching.
No tests or homework – an enjoyable quality education without the anxiety.
8.
Class surveys show that
students love our program and our instructors.
Let our
experienced professionals teach you how to grow and prosper in
your business.
9.
Strong support after the class. We have an instructor on
staff during business hours at
1-800-727-7104 for any questions or help after the program ends.
10.
Three convenient venues: 2-week programs held during
business hours, 3-week and 4-week programs that work around
business hours.
Call 1-800-727-7104 for a program near you.
===================================================================
November, 2009
Builders License Training Institute
Lead Paint Safety RRP Rule
Under the Renovation, Repair and Paint (RRP) Rule beginning in April 2010, contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 must be certified and must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination. This applies to any contractor working on pre-1978 structures, including electrical, plumbing, mechanical and drywall, as well as building contractors. Individuals can obtain this certification by completing an approved eight-hour training course.
Exception: Individuals who have successfully completed renovation courses developed by HUD or the EPA, or an abatement worker or supervisor course accredited by the EPA or an authorized State or Tribal program, can become certified renovators by taking a four hour EPA-accredited renovator refresher training.
The Builder License Training Institute will be providing these courses in all locations where 60-hour builders prelicensure programs are being held beginning in 2010.
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October 9, 2009
Builders License Training Institute
Releases New 30-Hour Program
for Spouses and Salespeople
The Builders
License Training Institute is proud to announce a new aspect of the
60-hour Builders Prelicense Program that is geared toward spouses
and sales staff. This
new feature is 30 hours in length and covers the business aspects
that are often handled by a spouse or salesperson in a building
contractor business.
There are four
courses in this new 30-hour program that current students have
requested for their spouses and office staff to attend:
1.
Business of
Building (9-hours)
2.
Contracts,
Liabilities and Insurance (7 hours)
3.
Project Management
for Contractors (7 hours)
4.
Marketing for
Building Contractors (7 hours)
By including this
feature as part of the 60-hour program, it can be offered in all 23
cities throughout Michigan that the current program is held.
The cost is only $300 making it economical for office staff
to obtain a complete understanding of how to run the office, manage
risk and increase market potential.
This allows the builder or contractor to focus on the jobs.
“This is especially nice because it allows a student to
complete the 30 hours of the State required education that pertains
to how a business is run.
Then they can come back later and complete the Trades
portion, allowing them to actually go ahead and get licensed if they
choose,” claims Mark Swanson, instructor for Builders License
Training Institute.
The Builders
License Training Institute is a proprietary school offering the
State-approved 60-hour prelicensing program and Continuing Education
throughout Michigan. For
more information on courses offered near you, call the Builders
License Training Institute at 1-800-727-7104 or go to
www.licensetobuild.com
October 2, 2009
Builders License Training Institute
Forms Alliance With
Contractorsyoucantrust.com
The Builders License Training Institute (BLTI) would like to announce an alliance recently formed with contractorsyoucantrust.com (CYCT). Contractorsyoucantrust.com is a web-based company that assists homeowners in finding reputable contractors in all industries with which a homeowner would contract.
“We are forming this alliance because contactorsyoucantrust.com qualifies contractors that reach a standard of excellence. That same standard is what we promote in our courses,” says Dave Francis, President of the Builders License Training Institute. “This is not just a membership-based business where you pay a fee and you’re in. Contractors have to prove themselves worthy,” adds Dave. To be listed with CYCT, contractors must provide appropriate license and insurance certificates, as well as meet and pass a series of stringent requirements. Failure to meet specific guidelines disqualifies a contractor from membership. If a company is listed on CYCT, you can have confidence they are qualified to perform the service.
The Builders License Training Institute is a proprietary school offering the State-approved 60-hour prelicensing program and Continuing Education throughout Michigan. For more information on this alliance or courses offered near you, call the Builders License Training Institute at 1-800-727-7104 or go to www.licensetobuild.com===================================================================
September, 2009
Update on Michigan Builders License
Continuing Education Requirements
Michigan laws were changed in 2008 requiring Residential Builders to
complete continuing competency requirements before they will be
allowed to renew their licenses in 2011.
So far, the State of Michigan has not yet finalized the rules
surrounding Continuing Competency.
Until the rules are confirmed no providers will be approved
to provide continuing competency courses.
“It generally takes 12-18 months for the State of Michigan to
promulgate rules” according to Lee Schwartz of the MAHB.
"We do not know when these rules will be promulgated as they are
sill in draft form and are not high on the department's priority
list," adds Lee. Until the
rules are promulgated, no licensee under Article 24 will have to do
any continuing competency.
Once the rules are finalized and providers are approved, it
is expected that the required number of hours will be pro-rated for
that licensing cycle. In
other words, If 21 hours are required over three years, but there
are only two years left in the licensing cycle, the licensee will
only be required to complete 14 hours.
One rule that has been finalized is that all residential builders
and maintenance and alteration contractors that obtained their
initial license before May 31, 2009 will only be required to
complete three hours of continuing competency in order to renew
their license at the end of each licensing cycle.
The Builders License Training Institute will be offering Continuing
Competency Courses in all 23 cities that they currently offer the
60-hour prelicensure programs.
The courses will be competitively priced and will fulfill
state requirements. For
further information on continuing competency requirements call the
Builders License Training Institute at 1-800-727-7104 or go to
www.licensetobuild.com
August, 2009
Michigan
60-Hour Program
Getting licensed in Michigan is now a
three step process:
·
Step
one is completing the 60 hours of approved education.
· Step two is sending the licensing application to the State and waiting as long as six weeks for approval.
· Step
three is passing the State exam.
"Builders are not allowed to even schedule their State builders
licensing exam until after their license application is approved.
This can sometimes take up to six weeks," says Teri Francis,
Education Coordinator for the Builders License Training Institute.
"Our goal is to make sure students attend a quality education
program and are completely prepared for the State exam once their
license is approved," Teri adds.
The cost of the 60-hour prelicense program through the Builders
License Training Institute is $750 and includes all books and course
materials. There are no
hidden costs and they have even added an online State exam
preparation program that is given to every student upon completion
of the 60 hours.
Students have a waiting period between steps two and three.
This online exam study course reinforces the information that
students learned during the 60-hour program.
Get Licensed by May 31st and Forgo 29 Hours of Required Continued
Education
If you receive your initial license after May 31st, you must complete 14 hours of continuing competency to renew your license in May of 2011. You will also be required to complete 21 hours of continuing competency during the 3-year renewal cycle that ends May, 2014.
March, 2009
Continued Education Waived for Builders
If your license was due to expire on May 31 of this
year, you may now renew it without having to worry about meeting the
continuing competency requirements that were enacted into law in
June of 2008.
The postponement is for this year only. Licensees will have to meet
continuing competency requirements during the next license cycle.
The Builders License
Training Institute will be holding Continuing Competency (CE)
courses throughout Michigan once the State begins approving them.
We are told by the DELEG that they are hoping to begin
approving CE courses in June, 2009.
For the latest updates on CE approval, please go to
www.licensetobuild.com
or call the Builders License Training Institute at 1-800-727-7104.
October, 2008
Most Builders and Contractors Don't Know Their Legal Rights
A poll of 125
builders and contractors across
Michigan
Residential Builders and Maintenance and Alteration Contractors are
now required to complete 60 hours of State approved training before
they will be allowed to sit for the State exam for licensure.
The Builders License Training Institute offers a series of
nine courses that make up the 60-hour program.
The first of these nine courses is called the Business of
Building and it is devoted to interpreting the rules and regulations
of the licensees, as well as necessary steps in putting together a
business in the building trades.
“We have found that the majority of our students are not
aware of the rights that benefit them or the rules that regulate
them,” says Dave Francis, co-owner of the Builders License Training
Institute. “Many
tradespeople don’t learn about their rights until they are in
trouble and have to exercise them, which often can be too late.”
“I would spend
$750 just for the Business of Building part”, says Cody, a student
enrolled in the Petoskey course.
“I may have never learned my rights had I not taken this
course”. Even
though the laws surrounding the Michigan Builders License are
available at the State website, few tradespeople actually take the
time to look them up.
Once they do, the laws are written in legal format which is
difficult to interpret or understand.
Most people give up after a page or two.
The Builders
License Training Institute now offers the 60-hour prelicensing
program throughout the State of
