Certification Program for Pump Industry Professionals
S. Himmelstein | September 24, 2017
Source: Hydraulic Institute
The Hydraulic Institute, the largest association of pump industry manufacturers in North America, has launched a Pump Systems Assessment Professionals (PSAP) certification program. The initiative is designed to provide pump end-users and other stakeholders with a means to assess complicated systems with highly qualified, certified pump system assessors. PSAP sets the standard for the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary for performing pump system assessments and utilizing pump system optimization techniques.
“The PSAP program addresses a key market need in the industrial and commercial marketplace.” states Michael Michaud, Executive Director, Hydraulic Institute. “Energy and maintenance costs combine to represent some 65 percent of the total cost of ownership of a medium sized industrial pumping system. A thorough system assessment often identifies energy efficient upgrade opportunities that usually pay for themselves in less than a year, lowering overall energy costs while increasing reliability, reducing downtime and maintenance costs. The key to unlocking the savings starts with a holistic assessment from a professional who can assess and optimize the overall system.”
Corporations gain a competitive edge by employing PSAPs and performing more pump system assessments. Participation in the program increases the value of corporate capabilities, validates employee knowledge and experience by the Pump Industry Authority and ensures that the highest level of system assessments are being performed.
By pursuing the PSAP, individuals can advance their career and become a stronger asset to their organization. Certification assures organizations and/or clients that the certified individual has the required knowledge and skills to perform a comprehensive pump system assessment. The program validates field expertise and aligns knowledge with industry best practices, and enhances career opportunities and a commitment to continuous learning.
Applicants must have a minimum of three years of pump/pumping system experience and possess an undergraduate degree from an accredited university or college in a technical/business field. Applicants may also possess five or more years of direct industrial or commercial fluid transfer/pumping systems experience having completed a minimum of seven pump system assessments. After an application is accepted by HI, candidates sit for a three-and-a-half hour proctored exam.
One needs to be careful about "certifications" these days, - whilst they may begin as an attempt to remove small end players, (who in their struggle to survive may offer lower prices, - actually not a bad thing from the consumers side) they seem to move quickly to become yet another Tax on that industry.
Once the word "certification" or one of it's similiar words is known, there seems to be some inexorable process whereby a parasitic class of bureaucrats are drawn to the situation, and soon after there become a series of Fees, or Fee increases, then followed up by yet more restrictive regulations based on fear, - real or imaginary, often preventing new ideas and products to come into being, but whether that or not, always accompanied by Fee increases.
The producers, traders and consumers all lose as that whole class of products becomes more expensive, with less solutions, and less folk can afford them.
Better that each company in the field does the best it can, addresses any fears, provides good products with good back-up, - that comany should be chosen by the consumer, on it's earned reputation, not forced by some wortheless parasite, that may have been bribed... Cheers, Geoff Thomas.