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 On
a recent trip to Queensland, I met with the management of SPASA
and NSPI and discussed the possibility of our Guild associating
itself with SPASA to introduce their NSPI policies and Training
Programs to New Zealand. They welcomed this suggestion, and told
me they already had assurances from NZQA that any course approved
by the Australian equivalent WILL BE recognised here in New Zealand.
By
their nature, none of the courses will be cheap by New Zealand
standards. Their basic pool water maintenence Diploma courses
start at $AUD900 for Level I - $AUD1500 for Level II and $AUD2000
for Level III. Our own Diploma Course (which no-one has actually
studied for as yet) was a cheap $240 substitute at a recommended
$120 for the twelve exams papers and $120 for them to be graded.
Their
Diploma points will contribute to the points required for the
Pool Builders Diploma course which is slated to start in early
2007. I am picking the cost of their course will be many thousands
of dollars, if the Pool Shop diploma is $2,000 Australian.
It also seems that a refresher course to maintain upskills will
be necessary every three to four years. For the older builders
amongst us, it might all be too much to cope with, and unfortunately
there seems to be very few young people joining the swimming pool
industry that we can encourage to embark on this Training Program.
It may be that by the year 2009, there will be no more concrete
pools being built, as there will be no Licensed (New Zealand CERTIFIED)
builders around to get the Building Approvals! I suppose this
will be GOOD NEWS for the Fibreglass and Vinyl Liner pool companies,
but not for the (possibly) a hundred or so concrete guys!
It is my opinion that we sieze on the relationship with SPASA
and get moving on the local version of the Pool Builder's License
- before some Government Department decides WHO can build pools
for the New Zealand public.
They
have a much more progamatic approach to the running of their association
- a small builder who's sales are $500,000 a year (that must be
almost 80% of NZ concrete pool builders) is levied a total approaching
$4,000 per year - including an Advertising Levy. The Ad levy is
very effective in bringing in business for ther Members, but I
would find it hard to see the mass-produced pool people paying
anything up to $20,000 a year to belong to the Guild. They think
differently over there.
Then
they have a Bonded Builder scheme which they sell to new customers
for around 2% of the pool price (say $30,000 pool: Fee = $600
) And to a large degree, that has funded their multi-million Dollar
office building and SPASA headquarters.
We
could take a leaf from their book .....
30 October 2006
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