Taco’s new FloPro University (FloPro U) is slated for first term classes premiering in September.
With live webinars and archived video e-learning sessions, FloPro U offers high-quality, highly interactive contractor education programs.
“We have lots of experience and information to share with contractors,” said John Barba, Taco's contractor training and trade program manager, “but they’re the ones out in the field getting it done every day. That tells us two things: A – That we need to offer our training with maximum flexibility, and B – we can learn just as much from them as they can learn from us.”
Top-notch, interactive contractor training begins just in time for when the kids go back to school.
“I know participants are busy, and squeezing in training sessions can be a hassle, so we’re doing our best to make learning flexible,” Barba says. “To do that, we’re taking a multi-pronged approach to contractor training.”
The Taco FloPro website contains pre-recorded e-learning sessions and the opportunity for contractors to quiz themselves at the end. The self-guided classes can be viewed at any time, over any computer and for as long as the participant can devote. Each class is broken up into many lessons, each lasting just a few minutes so one can learn at their own pace.
The first courses available include ‘Universal Hydronics Formula’, ‘Variable-Speed Pumping’, ‘Hydronics; Step-by-Step’ and ‘Anatomy of a Circulator’. More FloPro University classes will appear throughout the balance of the year.
Webinars
“Besides the video FloPro U classes I also host a variety of live webinars,” Barba says. “I really like the webinars because they’re interactive. Participants see and hear each other, yet from any convenient location. It’s very cool.” “The webinars, which usually last around and hour, are currently held bi-monthly.”
Up to 100 contractors from across the U.S. and Canada can join any of the webinars. Participants, along with Barba, put their heads together to find new solutions to a wide variety of challenges. Recent webinar topics have been combustion analysis, pressure drop, expansion and buffer tank sizing, as well as circulator sizing. All these webinars are also archived on the Taco FloPro Team website for viewing anytime. Like any good professor, Barba also has “office hours” where he can be reached by video conference call in his office. This allows FloPro U members to reach him with any questions that might arise at a jobsite or during one of the FloPro U classes.