It's been incorrectly stated by some who support the elimination of continuing education that there are "not that many" plumbing, mechanical and fuel gas changes approved during each code change cycle however, I disagree with that opinion. As a matter of fact, I would like to offer The Board For Contractors some actual facts regarding the number of PMG changes included in the 2012 edition of the International Codes which Virginia will amend and subsequently adopt mid-year of 2014.

During the International Code Council's - Final Action Hearings - held May 14 - May 23, 2010 in Dallas, TX the number of PMG code changes approved were as follows: The International Plumbing Code - 133, The International Mechanical Code - 114, and The International Fuel Gas Code - 24. That's a total of 271 code changes directly affecting three of the trades for which the Board proposes to eliminate the continuing education requirement.

Although a percentage of these changes are straightforward and self explanatory, what many individuals do not seem to understand is that in order to become familiar with the more technical changes, questions regarding  interpretation and application of that change often arise. One of the most valuable aspects of continuing education is to help tradesmen understand not only the change itself but also the reason that change was included in the code. In a classroom setting, real world scenarios are often discussed and it is this interaction between instructor and student which shows the true value of continuing education.

It is my opinion that all CE training, whether conducted in a classroom setting or remotely via webinars, etc. should carry with it a mandatory requirement that an instructor is available to interact with students and answer questions as they arise. Furthermore, education is always a two-way street and oftentimes the instructor comes away with a better understanding of how the words in the book will be need to be applied in the field. When done properly, education is a win - win proposition for all those involved and most importantly for the consumer who expects the work to be done correctly and in a timely manner without the need for failed inspections and additional costs.

The Board should uphold its duty to the citizens of Virginia and abandon this proposal to eliminate continuing education and focus its attention on ways to improve on the existing program.

Respectfully Submitted,

Paul Rimel

President, VPMIA