How to Advance Your Career in the Restoration Industry (Top Courses)
Restoration
5 min read
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Sam Miller
RevOps Manager
Whether you're a seasoned professional looking to stay ahead in a competitive field or a newcomer eager to build a solid foundation, one thing is certain: Investing in education can open doors to new skills, enhanced knowledge and, ultimately, greater success in the restoration industry. Below, we’ve listed several ways you can cultivate your professional development.
Study Industry Standards
Complete Professional Courses
Read Study Guides
Become an Expert with Industry Apps
Dive in to learn more about these popular mobile tools.
Select from a variety of Xactimate® training options, including Xactware Classroom to access hours of training at your own pace. Learn from Verisk-certified instructors in classroom or virtual settings and engage in official certifications to validate your training level in the industry.
magicplan Training
Accelerate your sketching, documenting and estimate mastery! Browse the magicplan Help Center for how-to articles, guides and product updates. Watch webinars and video tutorials. Download eBooks and whitepapers. And be sure to join the magicplan community to browse solutions and get tips from other users.
Learn the Lingo
A good glossary, like this one, can be a go-to resource: RIA Glossary of Damage Restoration Terms.
This contains all the key terms you need to know, organized alphabetically from A to Z.
Peruse Periodicals
Subscribe to and read industry magazines to stay caught up with current news. Here are the two main ones worth reading:
This is the oldest trade publication specifically dedicated to the cleaning and restoration industry. C&R was founded by the Restoration Industry Association more than four decades ago, as a member-only benefit.
However, it is now available to the entire industry for free, in both print and digital formats.
This magazine is promoted as “the restoration industry’s leading independent resource for actionable insights.” R&R empowers restoration professionals to reach their fullest potential through useful coverage on important topics such as water damage restoration, fire damage restoration, mold remediation, contents restoration, catastrophe restoration, forensic restoration, business management, insurance and legal issues.
Attend Industry Events
Find out what’s happening this year:
Billed as “the industry’s premier event,” this annual assembly will take place April 8-10, 2024, in Dallas, Texas. Save the dates and consider attending so you can increase your industry knowledge.
This event, taking place April 3-5, 2024, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, offers an alternative to the RIA event mentioned above. It addresses cleaning, restoration and remediation processes, products and procedures. Attendees can experience live, hands-on demonstrations, specialty pavilions, workshops, and interactive sessions all led by expert instructors.
This Las Vegas event will be held September 4-6, 2024. It gives you the opportunity to connect face-to-face with like-minded peers, enjoy extensive hands-on learning opportunities as well as classroom education, and uncover emerging trends and technologies.
Watch Training Videos
Check out these and other video offerings.
RTI’s YouTube channel offers videos on a variety of topics – “content that provides Knowledge, Passion, and Inspiration” to the members of the industry. You can watch already-posted videos, and also subscribe to the channel to get notifications of new ones to watch.
This series (available for purchase) is geared toward businesses who want a thorough way to train their water restoration technician employees. It includes 150 videos on water restoration fundamentals, processes, the science of drying, and customer service. If your company owns this video series, you can learn a lot by watching it.
Partial Thoughts
While all of the resources mentioned above focus on technical training, don’t forget to upgrade your “soft skills” as well. Those include:
Communication and Collaboration – skills that help you interact effectively with other people
Adaptability and Problem-solving – skills that help you face new challenges
Time Management and Teamwork – skills that make every workday more rewarding
Becoming a soft-skill rockstar will boost your earning potential to the next level!
CHECK OUT THIS EXAMPLE OF A TECHNICAL HOW-TO GUIDE:
How to Effectively Assess and Document Water Damage (Step-by-Step)
