WBFAA UATC

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February 1, 2010

ATTENTION MEMBER COMPANIES OF THE WBFAA UATC

This E-Bulletin is a weekly source of information for our member companies, journeymen, and past participants in WBFAA UATC Continued Education Courses. Information in the E-Bulletin is updated and sent weekly. 

 

WBFAA UATC TRAINING OFFICE CONTACTS:

Carlo Calhoun, Member Services, ccalhoun@snnonline.com

Ryan Makovsky, Program Manager, rmakovsky@snnonline.com

Jerry Lenander, Training Director, jlenander@snnonline.com

 

            Phone: 800-809-0280     E-Mail: info@wbfaa.net           

 

APPRENTICE

 

On-The-Job Training (OJT) For January 2010 (Revised 1/26/10)

All hours worked on the job should be logged and reported to the WBFAA UATC.  An apprentice who is working full-time should report around 160 hours per month.  On-the-Job Training for the month of January 2010 should be finalized and sent to our office by Wednesday, February 10.  Please make sure both signatures (apprentice; employer) are provided AND the apprentice name is PRINTED on the OJT Reporting Form or Log Sheet before submitting to our office.  OJT Forms for single month reporting may be downloaded in the FORMS section of our website www.wbfaa.net.  Any apprentice who becomes three months delinquent will sent a notice of status change in the apprenticeship program.

 

Related Supplemental Instruction (RSI) (Revised 2/1/10)

The next class/conference call for each semester is as follows:

1st Semester – All apprentices must be complete through at least module one (1) by TODAY (2/1) @ 11:59 P.M.

2nd Semester – All apprentices must be complete through at least module one (1) by TODAY (2/1) @ 11:59 P.M.

4th Semester – MONDAY (TODAY), February 1, 6 P.M.

6th Semester – TUESDAY (TOMORROW), February 2, 6 P.M.   

 

Apprentices in the Semester 4 & 6 apprentice courses are given a weekly written assignment which is due every Friday at 3 P.M.  Credit will not be given to assignments which are turned in late unless arranged with the WBFAA UATC Training Office.

 

Related Supplemental Instruction (RSI) Lab Dates (Revised 1/26/10)

The Mid-Term and Final Lab Dates have been set for all semesters:

1st Semester – Mid Term (Saturday, March 13) Final (Saturday, May 1)

2nd Semester – Mid Term (Saturday, March 6) Final (Saturday, April 17)

4th Semester – Mid Term (Saturday, March 6) Final (Saturday, April 17)

6th Semester – Mid Term (Saturday, March 13) Final (Saturday, May 8)

 

Distance Learning via Online Learning (Revised 1/26/10)

The WBFAA UATC currently offers the First Semester Apprentice Course via Online Learning.  This mode of delivery allows the apprentice to perform the required Related Supplemental Instruction (RSI) in an online setting.  The online delivery requires the apprentice to perform the reading assignment from the textbook and successful completion of the relative online module on a weekly basis.  Each semester has two mandatory physical lab dates (Mid-Term and Final).  The lab locations are held in two locations which are centralized in relation to the residence of all apprentices in the course.  

 

The start date for the next First Semester Apprentice Class via Online Learning (Fall 2010 Term) is set for August 2010.

 

 

JOURNEYMAN AND CERTIFICATION

 

Online Continued Education Program Available Soon (Revised 1/18/10)

Profile Pages for each technician enrolled in the WBFAA UATC Journeyman Program (Please see Technician Registration below) is currently in development.  In the near future, each technician enrolled in the Journeyman Program will receive an ID number and password to log into the WBFAA UATC TEAM Portal and access the Catalog of Online Continuing Education Courses. 

 

All courses will carry CEU-Approval from the National Training School (NTS) and will include basic and advanced fire, video security systems, access control, workplace safety and professional development.  The catalog will expand with CEU-Approved online courses from manufacturers and additional courses developed by the WBFAA UATC.

 

These courses are available at no cost to registered technicians.

 

Shortly after the Catalog of Online Continuing Education Courses is available, the online program will include an individual homepage for all registered technicians.  It will provide tracking of certification and renewals, and generate reports and transcripts for managing education and training.

 

In addition, the program will allow member companies to manage their registered technician’s certifications, renewal dates, and review the courses they have completed.

 

ONLINE ACCESS

Registered technicians currently in the program will receive access to nine (9) hours immediately and 18 hours per year as long as the monthly training fee is paid.

 

Over three years, registered technicians will have access to 54 hours of continuing education courses online.  In addition, the WBFAA UATC will continue to develop and provide in-class continuing education throughout the state with courses updated annually on code and certify CEU-approved third-party training.

 

TECHNICIAN REGISTRATION

If you are currently a company member of the WBFAA UATC, please review your roster (sent monthly with your training fee invoice) and confirm that all your certified fire alarm technicians are registered.  You may also register your technicians who are not certified but would like to have access to the online courses.

 

Extension of Certification Renewal Date (Revised 1/18/10)

The State of California Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS) currently does not grant extensions for certification renewal under any circumstance.  A renewal application must be submitted by the expiration date or subsequently retake the examination to re-certify.

 

Submitting non-WBCEH Continued Education Training For WBFAA UATC Approval (Revised 9/28/09)

The State of California DIR accepts continuing education training from state-approved apprenticeship programs.  The WBFAA UATC approves non-WBCEH training as valid fire/life safety continued education training on an ongoing basis for technicians who are employed by a WBFAA UATC member company AND are enrolled in the WBFAA UATC Journeyman or Apprenticeship program.  The following material must be submitted to our office when reporting non-WBCEH training for Continued Education approval;

            1). Copy of the Certificate/Letter of Completion Letters to include:

                 - Date

                 - Hours

                 - Course Title

                 - Provider

 

Applying for Fire/Life Safety Certification/Certification Renewal (Revised 9/28/09)

The State of California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR)/Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS) processes all applications for Electrician-Fire/Life Safety Certification and Electrician-Fire/Life Safety Certification Renewal.  Please send the application and enclosures to the address listed at the bottom of the application when submitting for Electrician-Fire/Life Safety Certification or Electrician-Fire/Life Safety Certification Renewal.  The WBFAA UATC does not accept OR process the application for Electrician-Fire/Life Safety Certification or Electrician-Fire/Life Safety Certification Renewal.

 

Each individual technician is responsible for applying for their own certification renewal.  The application can be downloaded and printed from the State of California DAS website – which is linked from the CERTIFICATION section of our website www.wbfaa.net.  Also in this section is a link to the DAS FAQ, which is a good source of information on certification and renewal requirements.

 

List of Certified Electricians in California (Revised 9/28/09)

The State of California DIR/DAS publishes a list of all certified electricians in California http://www.dir.ca.gov/DAS/CA_Electricians_Certified.pdf.  Included in the listing are the individual’s certification number, residential zip code, and expiration date of certification.  This link is also provided in the CERTIFICATION link on our website www.wbfaa.net.

 

Expiration of Certification (Revised 9/28/09)

A certified technician who does not renew before his/her expiration date will also be required to take the certification renewal exam after attaining the 32 hours of continued education from a state-approved provider(s).  Please note that a check for $200.00 should be submitted to the State of California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) along with the certification renewal application for renewing an expired certification as there is an additional $100.00 fee for the exam.  Please contact the State of California Department DIR Electrician Certification Unit (415) 703-4919 for specific questions regarding certification renewal.

 

Changing Address/Replacing a Certification Card (Revised 9/28/09)

A certified technician who moves may complete a change of address form from the State of California Department of Industrial Relations website http://www.dir.ca.gov/DAS/ECP_ReplCard-Addr.pdf.  This form may also be used to request a replacement for a lost/stolen Certification Card for a $30.00 fee.  This link is now posted in the CERTIFICATION section of our website www.wbfaa.net.

 

 

PUBLIC WORKS

 

Wage Determinations on Prevailing Wage Jobs (Revised 2/1/10)

The State of California DAS posts a wage determination spreadsheet for apprentice/journeyman for each occupation/county the work is being performed in on their website http://www.dir.ca.gov/DAS/PWAppWage/PWAppWageStart.asp.  This link can also be found in the PUBLIC WORKS section of our website www.wbfaa.net.

 

Trust Contributions for Public Works (Revised 9/21/09)

Any member company who performs on a Public Works job may make the required Training Trust Contribution to the WBFAA UATC.  A $.15/hour credit for any technician (apprentice; journeyman) enrolled in the WBFAA UATC may be applied to the hourly contribution rate established for the classification/county in which the work is being performed in.  This credit may only be applied by member companies making a training trust contribution to the WBFAA UATC.  For more information regarding Training Trust Fund requirements, please visit the DAS Public Works FAQ on our website www.wbfaa.net.

 

New Apprentice Hires on Public Works Jobs (Revised 9/21/09)

A technician is NOT considered an apprentice until his/her DAS 1 (Apprentice Agreement) has been approved by the State of California Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS).  In addition, the technician may NOT be used as an apprentice on Public Works jobs until they have been approved by the DAS.  For more information regarding rules and regulations on Public Works jobs, please visit the PUBLIC WORKS section on our website www.wbfaa.net.

 

You may check the status of a pending apprentice by visiting the DIR/DAS website http://www.dir.ca.gov/DAS/appcertpw/AppCertSearch.asp.

 

MEMBER COMPANY GENERAL INFORMATION

 

Rosters For February Monthly Training Fee Invoicing (Revised 2/1/10)

Adjustments to the roster of technicians (apprentice; journeyman) for the month of February 2010 can be submitted by e-mail, fax, or by contacting our office directly by Monday, February 15.  The roster for the Monthly Training Fee becomes final on the 15th of each month – which is the invoicing date for the current month.  Invoices cannot be adjusted when submitting a payment for the Monthly Training Fee.  Please review Apprentice/Journeyman Ratio section for requirements on maintaining the proper amount of Journeyman on the roster if you are employing Apprentices.

 

Apprentice/Journeyman Ratio (Revised 10/12/09)

Under Article XV in the Standards for the WBFAA UATC (also outlined in the WBFAA UATC Employer Handbook), there must be at least one (1) regularly employed Journeyman per one (1) Apprentice.  Each apprentice must be supervised when on the job at all times by a Journeyman.  An apprentice in their sixth step is eligible to work on the job unsupervised (Employer Handbook; Policy A-6).  The WBFAA UATC cannot accept apprentice paperwork for a new hire if this ratio is not reflected on the member company roster.

 

Conversely, the roster of active technicians must reflect one (1) regularly employed Journeyman per (1) Apprentice at all times to affirm the ratio is being adhered to.   

 

WBFAA UATC FORMS (Revised 8/24/09)

Please use the forms from our website www.wbfaa.net when submitting to our office as all forms posted are periodically updated and current.  All forms related to the WBFAA UATC (Company, Apprentice, Journeyman, Public Works) can be found in the FORMS section of our website www.wbfaa.net 

 

Code Edition Update (Revised 8/3/09)

Effective August 1, 2009 – the State of California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) has adopted the requirements outlined in the 2007 edition of the NFPA 72.  A fact sheet outlining some major changes from the 2002 edition to the 2007 is now posted in the CERTIFICATION section of our website www.wbfaa.net.

 

PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE 800/809-0280 WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.WBFAA.NET FOR FORMS, LINKS, AND GENERAL INFORMATION

 

Carlo Calhoun, Member Services

Ryan Makovsky, Program Manager

Jerry Lenander, Training Director