2020_ADN_V5_No3_web

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IDA COLUMN IDA Marine Certification Sets Sail! The IDA’s Newest Certification Program Is Ready for its Maiden Voyage By Erin Reyes, IDA Communications Coordinator It’s time to dive into the latest IDA Certification – Marine! That’s right, IDA Marine Certification examinations are now available online. This is the first specialty certification that the IDA is introducing to its lineup – with plans to eventually grow to include individual certifications for motorcycles, recreational vehicles, aircraft, and more. The IDA Certification Committee first decided to proceed with the marine certification more than two years ago, based on market demand and the availability of volunteers willing to help move the program forward. “The Certification Committee is constantly reviewing the current programs and looking at future opportunities,” explained Keith Duplessie, CD-SV, RT, former IDA president and one of the leaders of the marine certification project. “There have been a number of potential specialty accreditations discussed in recent years, including marine. In 2018, the committee established a task force to review the feasibility of and process for the program. Luckily, a great group of IDA members with an interest in marine detailing volunteered to do the heavy lifting of implementing the program.” Indeed, heavy lifting it was – the task force essentially started from scratch to pull the program together. First, they needed to settle on the best categories to build upon the foundational Phase I – Certified Detailer (CD) exams, while also making sure the new tests were marine-specific. Then came the even harder task – developing questions that would accurately assess an individual’s marine expertise while also keeping them generic enough to apply to the variety of circumstances and environments that marine detailers face on the job. Lastly, they made the decision to limit the certification – at least for now – to written exams, rather than including the additional level of in-person skills validation (SV). “We all came to the agreement that we should have knowledge first and then work on the skillset,” said task force member and veteran marine detailer Parker Richards. “If some are wondering why there’s not an SV test right away, we had all decided that it was important to build a foundation [first] and then continue to build on the skillset.” The task force initially believed the certification development process would take no more than a year, but soon realized that between busy work schedules and all the necessary steps to build the program properly, they could not rush the timeline. Now, over two years later, the program is finally ready, and they are glad they took the time to do it the right way. While they had hoped to launch the program earlier this year in-person at the Southern Detailers Conference in Lexington, Kentucky, unfortunately the event was cancelled due to limitations on gatherings because of the pandemic. Exams are available online now, but, according to Duplessie, the task force is hoping to move forward with their plans to hold in-person exams at the 2021 Mobile Tech Expo in Orlando, Florida, should the event go on as planned. Knowing that there would be a lot of interest in the program, along with a lot of questions, the task force held a webinar at the end of August to discuss the exams and answer questions from attendees. The live webinar had more than 60 attendees interested in learning more about the program. The webinar recording is available on the IDA website for members who were not able to attend the live session and for those who just want to re-watch the discussion for additional insights. One of the points the panelists emphasized during the webinar is that those considering taking the exams should be well-versed in the intricacies of marine detailing and understand the major differences between it and other forms of detailing, namely auto detailing. “There is a lot of material here,” Duplessie said, adding, “This is a very focused area of detailing. It’s not rocket science, but it is specific.” Not only are there the obvious differences between the actual vessels that are being detailed, but there are also various chemical, environmental, and safety factors to consider, which auto detailers may not even think about at first. During the webinar, the task force dove into the example of cross-contamination, an issue that can arise when a boat is transported from one lake to 4 | AUTO DETAILING NEWS | VOL. 5, NO. 3 • FALL 2020
another. If one lake is populated by an invasive species, it is important for the detailer to thoroughly de-contaminate the boat before the customer brings it to another lake or run the risk of potentially spreading the invasive species. Therefore, it is essential for marine detailers to get to know their customers and understand their habits and behaviors, perhaps even more so than auto detailers. Furthermore, panelist Ben Thompson reminded those on the webinar that, as marine detailers, the waterway would more than likely be their workplace, so they have to be extra considerate of the environment, knowing that whatever substances they are using to clean the boats will run off directly into the body of water. Thus, hopefully marine detailers take it upon themselves to be more cognizant of the types of materials they use, all of which is reflected in the certification exams. Because of the advanced nature of the marine exams, it is a prerequisite to hold an active Certified Detailer (CD) designation, which establishes the foundation for all other certification levels. There are five exams in the marine certification series: (1) Interior & Vinyl Care, (2) Paint & Fiberglass, (3) Safety & Environmental, (4) Terminology, and (5) Wood Trim, Metal & Brightwork. The full set of exams costs $200 for members and $400 for non-members. Each exam can also be purchased individually for $50 for members, $90 each for non-members, and they can be taken in any order. Just as with the Phase I certification exams, individuals will receive two attempts for each exam with their first purchase. If they do not pass with an 80% or better after two attempts, retakes will be available for $10 each. Also, like with the Phase I exams, users will have a year to complete their exams from the date of purchase of the first exam or the complete set. An 80% or better is required on all five exams to pass and achieve the marine certification. Once an individual earns the certification, they also earn the privilege of using the CD, MC designation after their name (i.e. John Smith, CD, MC). They will then be known as an IDA Certified Detailer – Marine Certified for as long as they maintain recertification. As with all other IDA Certification levels, marine certified detailers will need to complete eight credits for recertification every two years. A minimum of two of the eight credits need to be marine-specific, to show that the detailer is keeping up with all the latest techniques and technological developments in relation to marine detailing. Similarly, the Certification Committee will continue to monitor the marine exams – as they do for all current exams – on an annual basis, updating the material as needed to match new rules, regulations, and trends as they arise. The IDA knows that its members are continuously looking for ways to better themselves and improve the services they offer to their consumer base. To that end, the Certification Committee – along with all the other IDA committees, task forces, and Board leaders – are constantly working on programs and offerings to improve education and professional development opportunities for detailers. In this case, Marine Certification is just one of the many ways the IDA is working to ensure that the rising tide lifts all boats. The IDA Marine Certification online exams are available now. To get started, visit https://the-ida.com/marine. The IDA wishes to extend sincere thanks to the team responsible for bringing the exams to fruition: Keith Duplessie, CD-SV, RT, Detail Plus; Parker Richards, Colorado Boat Detailing; Ben Thompson, Mavinate; Josh Buckler, Shine Right Detailing; Mike Phillips, CD-SV, RT, Autogeek; John Lakkis, Hula Boat Care; and Nathan Warren, CD-SV, Frontline Shine. PAINT DEFECT REMOVAL AND ENHANCEMENT MADE SIMPLE • WORKS WELL WITH ALL DA & RA TOOLS IN TODAYS MARKET • PAIRS WELL WITH LATEST COMPOUND/POLISHING SYSTEMS THE ORIGINAL... PNEUMATIC ROTARY SHAMPOO TOOLS & MORE • CATERS TO ALL SKILLSETS, FROM NOVICE TO PROFESSIONAL • KITS AVAILABLE IN 5" AND &" PAD SIZES DETAILPLUS.COM || 503-251-2955 VOL. 5, NO.3 • FALL 2020 | AUTO DETAILING NEWS | 5
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