Master Technician Program Overview

This career-advancing program is composed of a series of workshops investigating eight major pest groups - Ants, Bed bugs, Blood-Sucking Arthropods, Cockroaches, Occasional Invaders, Pest Flies, Rodents, and Termites. 

At the completion of each pest group workshop, participants will receive a certificate designating them as a VPMA Master for the pest group they have completed. Once a technician has mastered four of the eight pest groups, they become a Master Technician.  While 4 pest groups will earn an individual the Master Technician designation, most knowledge-seeking Master Technicians complete all 8 pest workshops to gain superior knowledge and control of just about any pest they may encounter in the field. 

Earning a Master Technician designation sets a PMP apart from your standard technician. When mastering a pest group, a technician delves deep in to understanding the biology, behavior, and characteristics of each pest.  For most of the pest groups in the program technicians learn to use a microscope and taxonomic key to learn how to accurately identify a specific pest. Proper ID can make a major difference to the treatment methodology and formulation selection to achieve the best control of certain pests. Once the biology and ID has been mastered, the rest of the course focuses on exploring all viable control methods, formulations, and tools available for the management of each pest group.

Recertification credits are applied for in the appropriate category for the pest species being taught.

Upcoming events are listed below, if they are scheduled.

Registration Fees:
Member rate: $219 per pest group or $418 for both pest groups
Non-member rate: $340 per pest group or $660 for both pest groups

Hotel Accommodations for the September 2025 Master Tech Series:
A small room block has been set up for attendees at: DoubleTree by Hilton Norfolk Airport, 1500 N. Military Highway, Norfolk, VA 23502
A discounted rate of $139 ++ is available through August 29th. Call 757-466-8000 and speak with Debbie Bloom to make reservations.