BICSI Training and Certification in Ohio

We didn't have a classroom per se, so we had assembled a few fold-up tables and chairs and a grease board in a corner of the warehouse at our old building.

Although this wasn't exactly my idea of the kind of first class training facility that would attract prospective apprentices to want to come and work for Echo 24, it served our purposes for a time.

BICSI trainees performing wall field terminations in the Echo 24 hands-on lab.

When we designed our new award winning facility last year, one key objective was to build in a "real classroom" and first class hands on lab for our four year apprenticeship program through ABC. As it turned out the new instructor we had hired, Rick Bowers, RCDD, was also a BICSI (Building Industry Consulting Service International) certified instructor.

At the time, I had big plans for our training program that centered around our apprenticeship. These plans included hosting manufacturer certification training and special safety and technical sessions for our staff from time to time.

Never did I imagine we would be able to teach and certify technicians as BICSI Installers and Technicians.

Tom Mack from Intego performs nurse call related manufacturer training
in the Echo 24 classroom.

Echo24 is a BICSI ATF (Approved Training Facility)

I had been a member of BICSI since 1996 and placed a high value on their training and credentialing programs. Rick convinced me to change our building design so that it met the criteria to become a BICSI ATF (Approved Training Facility).

I was somewhat torn at the time as this caused us to sacrifice an office and a few hundred feet of warehouse space above and beyond what we had already planned for training.

I was also conflicted over the idea of training our competition; but then I figured, "they (our competitors) will get the training anyway, there's no reason we can't save them some travel costs by offering it locally."

Regardless of the sacrifice and concerns, I agreed and we plowed ahead in building our training space to BICSI specifications. Upon completion we applied for ATF status and BICSI approved us!

In under a years' time we've had 40 technicians from 9 different companies (including our own of course) attend BICSI Installer and Technician training at our Reynoldsburg facility.

New for 2009! Echo 24 offers OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 training and certification.