Taco, Rehau announce fall training schedules

CRANSTON, R.I. and LEESBURG, VA. — Taco and Rehau have announced their fall training programs, with Taco’s offerings from trainer John Barba available electronically, while Rehau will hold classes in four cities this fall.

Rehau’s schedule of 2010 Skill Builders training classes will be offered throughout the U.S. and Canada by Rehau Academy. The schedule incorporates the comprehensive three-day Skill Builders Complete seminar for hydronic, radiant heating, snow and ice melting and geothermal piping, as well as nine other half, one- and two-day Skill Builders training courses tailored to the specific needs of radiant and geothermal contractors and designers.

Taco’s new FloPro University (FloPro U) is slated for first term classes premiering this month (September). With live Webinars and archived video e-learning sessions, FloPro U offers highly interactive contractor education programs.

“Rehau and Rehau Academy are committed to providing professional training opportunities that elevate technical know-how and increase business for our attendees,” said Lance MacNevin, unit manager of Rehau Academy. “Recognizing the rising demand for expertise in PEX-based radiant and geothermal system installation, as well as an understanding of and ability to integrate sustainable building technologies, we have expanded our Skill Builders training classes to provide even more focused experience in these areas.”

“We have lots of experience and information to share with contractors,” said John Barba, Taco's contractor training and trade program manager, “but they’re the ones out in the field getting it done every day. That tells us two things: A) that we need to offer our training with maximum flexibility, and B) we can learn just as much from them as they can learn from us.”

Rehau’s Skill Builders Complete seminars, facilitated by experienced Rehau professionals, will be held on the following dates during the remainder of 2010:

• Sept. 22-24: Burlington, Ont., Canada
• Oct. 6-8: Chicago
• Oct. 20-22: Kansas City, Kan.
• Nov. 10-12: Leesburg, Va.

The Rehau Academy website (www.na.rehau.com/academy) was redesigned this year to provide information about more than a dozen seminars on heating, snow and ice melting, fire protection and geothermal applications. It lists upcoming training dates and locations, and offers easy access to registration forms for each scheduled event.

“Designed for convenience and ease of use, the Rehau Academy website offers helpful information on all our seminars,” MacNevin said. “As it is frequently updated with new information, we recommend that past and potential training attendees bookmark the site and visit it regularly.”

Taco’s interactive contractor training begins just in time for when the kids go back to school.

“I know participants are busy, and squeezing in training sessions can be a hassle, so we’re doing our best to make learning flexible,” said Barba. “To do that, we’re taking a multi-pronged approach to contractor training.”

The Taco FloPro website hosts recorded e-learning sessions and the opportunity to quiz yourself at the end. These self-guided classes can be viewed at any time, over any computer and for as long as the participant can devote. Each class is broken up into many lessons, each lasting just a few minutes so one can learn at their own pace.

The first courses available include Universal Hydronics Formula, Variable-Speed Pumping, Hydronics; Step-by-Step and Anatomy of a Circulator. More FloPro University classes will appear throughout the balance of the year.

“Besides the video FloPro U classes I also host a variety of live Webinars,” continued Barba. “I really like the Webinars because they’re interactive. Participants see and hear each other, yet from any convenient location. It’s very cool.”

“The Webinars, which usually last around and hour, are currently held bi-monthly,” said Barba. Up to 100 contractors from across the U.S. and Canada can join any of the Webinars. Participants, along with Barba, put their heads together to find new solutions to a wide variety of challenges. Recent Webinar topics have been combustion analysis, pressure drop, expansion and buffer tank sizing, as well as circulator sizing. All these Webinars are also archived on the Taco FloPro Team website for viewing anytime.

Like any good professor, Barba also has “office hours” where he can be reached by video conference call in his office. This allows FloPro U members to reach him with any questions that might arise at a jobsite or during one of the FloPro U classes.

Additional information is available at www.taco-hvac.com.