EDUCATION SPOTLIGHT
NHLA INSPECTOR TRAINING SCHOOL:
ARE 8 WEEKS REALLY ENOUGH? By ROMAN MATYUSHCHENKO, Inspector Training School Instructor
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Class 194
HLA has officially changed the duration of its traditional hardwood lumber inspection program from 12-weeks to 8-weeks. The first class to experience the new curriculum was class #194, graduating on February 26, 2021. As of October 2021, class #195 completed the new 8-week program, and class #196 is underway.
Information about these extra-curricular activities is in our archives, and anyone interested in learning more is welcome to come to NHLA headquarters in Memphis to access the collection.
I want to address some questions and concerns from our respected alumni and hardwood industry professionals about reducing the duration of the traditional lumber inspection program to 8-weeks. In the past, students spent anywhere from 12 weeks to 6-months at the NHLA Inspector Training School studying lumber grading.
Did all those activities help the students to become more knowledgeable or experienced in grading lumber? I doubt it.
To quote some of the concerns I have received, “It is impossible to learn what you need to know to be a good inspector in just 8-weeks,” and “There was a lot to learn in the short 6-month course, and now they have shortened the course to just 8-weeks long.” Yes, in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, the class duration was about five and a half months long, and the classes had up to 70 students, which was the maximum capacity. There was even a waiting list for students. However, this was a long time ago. Since the mid-2000s, the size of the classes has dramatically reduced. Occasionally we had classes with only 6-7 students. In the Fall of 2020, amid the COVID19 pandemic, there were a record-low 4 students.
Now I have a couple of questions. Did the extra-curricular activities listed above require time and devotion from the students and staff? I guess the answer is obvious.
One more thing to consider is the cost of education. When the School was almost 6-months long, the cost of living, in general, was relatively low, making it much less expensive for sponsor companies to send their employees to the School for training. NOW, IF WE DO A QUICK CALCULATION FOR A 12-WEEK PROGRAM TODAY, WE’LL SEE THE FOLLOWING: • Housing: 12 weeks x 7 nights x $69 = $5,796 (I used the lowest available room rate of $69 (including taxes) at the Candlewood Suites, where ITS students receive discounted corporate rate.
Back when students attending the NHLA Inspector Training School stayed in Memphis for almost half a year, they had to find ways to entertain themselves being away from home. That’s why the Inspector Training School used to have a basketball team, ping pong competitions, and even The Lumber Olympics. Imagine that! The Lumber Olympics only took place once and was never held again.
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