SAPCA REINFORCES THE NEED FOR QUALIFIED PEST CONTROL OPERATORS

[Affinity]

The pest control industry is often overlooked, functioning as an invisible guardian of public health and improving the environment we live in. To ensure a quality level in the industry the South African Pest Control Association’s (SAPCA) training division PCSIB – investing into the skills base of the pest control industry.

To effectively carry out their work, pest control operators require specialised training which will equip them with the skills needed to accurately assess each situation. A qualified operator will be able to identify the insects responsible for the infestation, the correct pesticide to use as well as the best method of application. Pest control training also covers the laws and regulations operators have to adhere to.

Training is essential to gain the knowledge needed to plan and implement an integrated pest control strategy and without it we are at risk of being exposed to incompetent persons pretending to be pest control operators. To give back and equip the industry which it serves with the needed training and skills acquisition, the South African Pest Control Association (SAPCA) has partnered with the Pest Control Service Industries Board (PCSIB), an organisation that has been instrumental in developing training and skills courses for the pest management industry. Although SAPCA and PCSIB are two separate entities, they fall under one umbrella.

The PSCIB is a legal training organisation and all their skills courses are accredited and developed according to the requirements of the Agricultural Sector Education Training Authority (AgriSETA) and the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). Upon completion of a skills course, trainees receive a competency certificate that allows them to apply for a P-qualification from the Department of Agriculture, provided they have six months of practical experience and in the case of fumigation, 12 months experience. All practical training should, according to regulation take place under qualified supervision.

In 2011 the PCSIB will be hosting a series of skills courses which include the following:
• Structural Skills Course
• Termite Skills Course
• Fumigation Skills Course
• Weed Control Skills Course

All of the above are three day skills courses presented throughout South Africa. To register for one of their courses or for more information contact the PCSIB office at 012-6547708 or visit www.pcsib.org.za.

[Sparks]

Don't you just love South Africa. In only 12 working days and possibly qualified supervision, I can be a qualified pest control operator. How can this be publicised?

[Dave A]

There's a whole different philosophy about barriers to entry in the pest control industry as compared to the electrical contracting industry, Sparks.

These are very much entry level skills courses (L2) with pretty specific outcomes and scope limitations. They're designed primarily to ensure safety of operators, the public and the environment and compliance with legislated requirements.

The L4 pest management course which is where the rubber really meets the road takes about 2 years of studying to complete.

It's the difference between a machine operator and the machine designer and builder.

[Sparks]

Hi Dave, thanks for saying what should have been made clear to start off with. Being the electrical wing of a registered pest control company for the second time, I am quite aware of the training required and merely wanted it to be made public, by a suitably qualified person, that the impression that was given, was not simple as it was made out to be.