Page 6 - Mar-Apr2019

Message from the PRESIDENT

training is a good investment

david campbell raining employees to improve their skills is garages and the next level residential. With Merv
LBMAO President Tconsidered by some owners/managers an retiring, Stan has expanded the courses by offering
expense – or a cost of doing business. However,
an advanced estimating course as well as a Yard
many owners and managers look at training as an Management course.
investment in their human capital to better serve Initially we offered the courses twice a year; one
their customers. Viewing training as an investment week in the fall and one week in the spring. With the
is a more forward-looking thought process; and those growing popularity of the courses and recognition
owners and managers who respond with “Well, we by the students as being very helpful in efficiently
paid for the training and that employee left us just and profitably providing material estimates, we have
a few months later!” miss the whole point. I would expanded the course offerings to two weeks in the
venture to suggest that if an employee left you it fall and in the spring. As well, we will facilitate more
was due to you not providing the recognition for customized courses where the trainer will work with
completion of the training – either a raise or simply clients for specialized course offerings.
a pat on the back. As well, if employees have a good Our spring courses have just completed and, to
relationship with their employers, there would have reinforce the effectiveness of the training, I will share
been opportunity for dialogue between both parties with you some of the comments from the Student
to ensure that both are respectful to Course Evaluation, completed at the end of the
"Most building the contributions of both employer and course:
employee. “Excellent course, fantastic teacher, feeling much
supply retailers Training has always been a focus of more confident in my abilities. Thanks Stan!”
the Association and, over the years, we
provide estimates have provided many training programs “Trainer made the class fun to learn”
“Stan knows his stuff. Having worked in our
on material in areas such as loss prevention, cashier industry he can explain real world applications”
training and referrals to college courses
requirements - focused on business. However, the “Stan is a great teacher; I feel very comfortable
Estimating courses have proven to be
from building a a staple offering that provides specific with the topics after only 2 days. Great time saving
skills training. Most building supply techniques learned”
deck to a complete retailers provide estimates on material “Stan has now given me the tools to do my job
house." requirements - from building a deck to efficiently”
a complete house. This is an important These are just a few of the positive comments on
function in the business and helps build the evaluation sheet. The few negative comments
customer loyalty and increase purchases. were focused on the classroom size and occasional
The estimating courses provided by the LBMAO misprints in the textbooks. Also, those students
were initially designed and taught by a former who attended the Residential course without taking
contractor, Bill Darling. He converted the skills he the Basic Decks course usually found it more difficult
learned in the trade into a classroom format to be to keep up. Unless a student has done at least five
more efficient in helping customers determine the house estimates, we strongly recommend that they
materials they require for their building projects. do not attend the Residential course without taking
Bill was a great communicator and when he passed the Basic Decks and Garages.
away the LBM Associations in Canada endeavored to So as an employer/manager considering
move the estimating courses forward. We worked sending your estimator or service counter staff to
with Seljax, the software company that provides our estimating course, you can feel confident that
an excellent deck design package, to move forward you are making a good investment in their career
with a more modernized format to improve learning development.
outcomes in the estimating courses being offered. Next courses will be offered in the fall, check out
Stan Burkholder and Merv Weis, two former store our website in August/September for dates and
owners from western Canada, were contracted times. www.lbmao.on.ca.
to teach the estimating courses - both decks and

6 LBMAO Reporter - March-April 2019 www.lbmao.on.ca