CBT forms partnership for Certified Staging Professionals class at STCC

Date: 4/4/2011

SPRINGFIELD — Mary Breeding, director of the Center for Business and Technology (CBT) at Springfield Technical Community College, announced that the college has entered into a partnership with Decorating Solutions Inc., a recognized leader in the field of the home staging training industry, to offer the first Certified Staging Professionals (CSP) Home Staging Course in this region.

Most home buying decisions are made within seconds of stepping through the front door. Professional home stagers prepare property for resale by setting the scene throughout the house to create immediate buyer interest, thereby increasing the chances for a more timely and profitable sale.

This three-day course provides the foundation for those wanting to start a career or own a business in real estate property staging. The CSP program is a blend of property staging processes, interior redesign techniques, along with business, marketing and communication for effectively staging a house for sale. The CSP program is intensive and covers comprehensive instruction in the steps and information necessary to become a successful real estate stager.

Applications will be accepted as long as there are seats available. Enrollment for this intensive, hands-on program is limited so early enrollment is strongly recommended. Interested indivi-duals should go to http://cbt.stcc.-edu/descriptions/zdev-226.asp or call CBT at 755-4225 or 755-4501 for complete details.

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The residential weatherization industry is expected to grow dramatically as utility programs and government incentives make it more affordable for homeowners to make their houses more energy efficient.

There will be millions of dollars spent on weatherization over the coming years, and there is a need for more contractors to provide these services. Based on information from the U. S. Department of Labor, employment of insulation workers is expected to increase 17 percent during the next decade, faster than the average for all occupations.

Demand for insulation workers will be spurred by the need to make existing buildings more energy efficient, as well as to the anticipated construction of new power plants — a big user of piping and equipment. Modest increases in the housing stock over the decade will also generate jobs for insulation workers.

The Weatherization Installer Training Program offered through the CBT at STCC consists of 78 hours of instructional time including a site visit and extensive hands-on work with props that allow participants to practice all of the skills that are taught. After completing this course, students will be qualified to work as professional air sealing technicians and insulation installers and should be prepared to take the BPI certification exam for installers.

Applications will be accepted as long as there are seats available. Enrollment for this intensive, hands-on program is limited so early enrollment is strongly recommen-ded.

To enroll, interested individuals should call CBT at 755-4225 or 755-4501 go to their Web site, http://cbt.stcc.edu/descriptions/ztec-038.asp.