Most of us agree that CMI will be a marketing advantage, and I believe in some of the minds of those who wholeheartedly support it see it in the same light as the Realtor GRI designation, so I have proposed the following:
Instead of worrying about all of the logistics of who can and who can’t attain the CMI, how many years and inspections, who does and who doesn’t have enough time in the business, or number of inspections to even take the class to take the test to get the designation, let’s make CMI a designation of higher learning.
Anyone who is a full member can take the course, which should be challenging, thorough, and certainly a huge step above the basic HI courses most of us took to enter the business in the first place.
At the successful completion of the course and exam, the inspector gets to use the initials GCMI (Graduate of Certified Master Inspector course) which simply is a designation that the Inspector has completed an advanced course in home inspection materials and techniques. The logo could be easily changed to add the G.
The course could be taught by schools, and at least part of it at the convention each year. It would demonstrate the things that most of us want CMI to be; a yearning for more education, a commitment to the business, more knowledgeable home inspectors, a marketing advantage, and yes, more people coming to NACHI for membership.
I like this outline better than anything else that has been proposed so far. As long as the course is availabe in multiple locations throughout the US and Canada.
GCMI? Wouldn’t a “graduate” designation of any program or course denote the passing of an exam?
For whatever reason there needs to be an additional letter added to the CMI designation, it seems the more appropriate would be CCMI - Completed Certified Master Inspector course. And wouldn’t the best time to take an exam be upon completion of the course? Why wait an extended period of time after completing a course before you take the exam?
I can’t imagine anyone successfully completing a course without an exam. Can you?
"At the successful completion of the course and exam, the inspector gets to use the initials GCMI (Graduate of Certified Master Inspector course) which simply is a designation that the Inspector has completed and advanced course in home inspection materials and techniques. "
Looks like a win - win situation for everyone. I would strongly support and be proud of this program. Shows strength, unity, and accomplishment. But more importantly, it totaly dissolves any tiering of the membership. Brilliant Blane, just plain Brilliant.
I view this a a means for those who do not qualify to use the CMI designation, to complete a course of study and exam, use the “graduate” designation, until such time as they meet the 2 1/2 / 250 threshold.
Not to be contrarian, but why have the course? That is seems like nothing more than a money making venture.
The exam is the real measure of the designation. So, why not just offer an exam?
Of course, the optional course COULD be taken which may significantly assist in passing the exam, but requiring a course then an exam sounds too much like pandering to the inspection school vendors.
Even if it is taught by NACHI -I still don’t see the need for the course if there are some vets who can pass without it. The exam is necessary.
If we are going to not create a tiered organization, which is important, all full members should be able to attain the designation. The exam will check for the knowledge taught in the course, which should be designed to be advanced.
No course materials should have any of the basic information that all home inspectors should have a good working knowledge of prior to opening their business. This is meant to be an advanced designation.
A GCMI designation will be optional for all members. But to earn it you must take the designed curriculum and pass the exam. The idea is to learn things you don’t know, not to pass a test without taking the course and score a 76, indicating that there are still many things to learn.
Again, the goal here is to make sure that as many of our inspectors who want to be, are as educated as they need or want to be which will benefit them by being more knowledgeable and marketable in their business.
I have no idea if GCMI is trademarked, but that isn’t the issue.
Giving an unbiased measurement of whether someone is a “master inspector” is difficult at best. Measuring whether someone has met the course criteria and demonstrated that by passing an exam is simple.
Blaine, I was just trying to find some way that this would be about NACHI and our inspectors, not a big payday for the inspection traiing schools.
Maybe offer the materials for study at home through the NACHI mall and give proceeds to the Foundation or something. Like ICC does. They don’t teach it, they give you the info and the exam. If you pass you can claim the credential.
This means that no one would have to travel for the course, take time off from business, and the money stays In House.
We can also make it as difficult as we like, and not lose control over the cirriculum or cost control to the schools.
I absolutely think that NACHI should own the curriculum, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be taught by any school we choose. This is about NACHI and it’s members. If there is a thought that we have only new inexperienced inspectors who don’t have the education they need, this is one other avenue to eliminate that skepticism.
Remember though, things are usually worth what you pay for them! If we ask people to develop a curriculum and an exam, we can’t expect them to donate their time, and provide everything for free. There are only so many of us volunteer fools out here!
