Master Technician Program Overview

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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.

Click here to register for Master Technician: Occasional Invaders (9/23/24), Termites  (9/24/24) or Both!

 

September 2024

Mon
23
2024
September 23, 2024
8:00AM - 5:00PM

Master Technician: Occasional Invaders

Workshop Location: DoubleTree by Hilton Norfolk Airport, 1500 N. Military Highway, Norfolk, VA 23502

Cost: VPMA Member $209 - Non-member $330
Recertification credits have been applied for in 7a and 60 in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Washington DC, and West Virginia. Workshop Summary: The homes and structures that PMPs (Pest Management Professionals) work to protect are often attacked by structurally-damaging insects. But sometimes, Occasional Invaders crawl, slink, or fly their way into a structure simply looking for harborage, food, or they may have just wandered in. While they may not cause structural damage, they can certainly alarm the human residents of a structure. As a technician, having a firm understanding of the wide variety of creatures that fall into this category can equip you to better assure your customers that you can provide a solution to eradicate these invaders.

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Tue
24
2024
September 24, 2024
8:00AM - 5:00PM

Master Technician: Termites

Workshop Location: Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center (HRAREC), 1444 Diamond Springs Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23455

Cost: VPMA Member $209 - Non-member $330
Recertification credits have been applied for in 7b and 60 in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Washington DC, and West Virginia. Workshop Summary: Out of all pest problems, termite infestations are by far the most costly. Nationwide, termite infestations cause an average of $5 billion in damages each year. All technicians will likely encounter termites at a customer's structure at some point, whether they are servicing for termites, general pests, or another issue. Understanding the complex nature of this pest group and the significant differences between species is vital to gaining control of infestations and providing effective protection for your customers' structures.

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