demobud said:
The classroom is the jobsite and no amount of conferencing and seminars can teach what is learned OTJ.

I couldn't agree more. You can only teach so much in a classroom or seminer.

While I have learned things in seminers, until it is put to the test out in the field in doesn't count.

Great comments guys!!! :yesway:

"It's not because the classroom has failed the business, it's because the business has failed the classroom."
Too true. Especially in a business as esoteric as demolition blasting; take my self for instance, I have enough explosives experience to get licensed for my state and would be good at rock and excavation blasting, but I don't have enough practical experience to design a blast pattern for a 17 story building. The classroom is the jobsite and no amount of conferencing and seminars can teach what is learned OTJ.

Federal Agencies do require more particulars though! Remember, cost justification, application and return. I can send a DVD showing many implosions and will that justify the reason and costs?
Imlposions are a very serious business. They require experienced,trained AND licensed professionals. The expertise comes from a continuation and active involvement in the industry.
I may not like my competition, but I know that trying to create more via seminars is going to be dangerous. Does a seminar make one company more qualified that the other? Far from it!
Will it change the Regulatory Agencies? Far from it!
A true vision doesn't have dollar signs in front of it too. The visions of people I know were not dollar signs but avenues for other means.

rdz and all,
Look at what they show pictorially for advertisement. Who did them? I can give exact particulars on the shots depicted. You cannot teach another person "how to" in a seminar. Get real!!! Example: You're an agency that may require an explosive application/implosion. The person doing the shot states "my experience comes from a seminar". Or...the shot goes awry and someone checks the curriculum vitae of the blaster "seminar trained". There's plenty of regs for shooters as the real McCoys know.
That's as far as my opinion will go. Be good stewards of your money as God wants.

Love the disclaimer!

"The content of this Seminar is for informational and educational purposes only.

Attendance and participation at this Seminar does not qualify any person, nor provide any of the requisite expertise training necessary, to in any way to participate in the implosion industry, nor does it qualify one to instruct others regarding the art and engineering of implosion. "