Like most industries these days, the pool and spa world has been changing rapidly as technology advances escalate. Which means that if you’re not continuously pursuing education and learning more about these changes, you’re not keeping up. Thankfully, there’s several professional education and certification courses in our industry that can not only help you keep up with changes and learn new skills, but also set you apart in your career path. This includes the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance’s CST Course to become a Certified Pool Technician, also referred to as a Certified Service Technician.
If you’re familiar with the Certified Pool Operator (CPO) course, the CST course covers some of the same material on water quality. But the primary focus of the CST course is to give you a technical deep dive into what it takes to maintain a pool and/or spa facility, including safety, electrical requirements, and pumps and motors.
Here’s what you’ll learn through the Certified Pool Technician course:
- Gain a better understanding of the differences between various pool and spa structures and finishes
- Understand in more detail the operational details of circulation and filtration, electrical requirements, including lighting, pumps and motors, control systems, and general maintenance
- Build your foundation of practical knowledge and learn troubleshooting skills from certified instructors so you’re better able to problem-solve on the job
- Not only understand the differences between pool finishes, but learn how to better explain and communicate common problems and how to repair and maintain them
- Gain practical, operational skills to keep pools and spas running more efficiently
While other certification courses on the pool and spa service pathway can be taken at any experience level, the Certified Service Technician (CST) course for Pool Technicians requires two years of experience as a prerequisite and is designed to help you distinguish yourself as a knowledgeable, experienced service technician.
You can either purchase the on-demand, online course to take at your own pace or join a live, in-person or virtual instructor-led course with other students. No matter which option you choose, at the end of the course, you’ll sit for the 2.5 hour, open book 100-question CST exam and must score 75% or better to pass and officially receive your CST certification.
Why Become a Certified Pool Technician through the CST Course
Throughout the pool and spa industry, certifications like the CST are an indicator of professional excellence, knowledge, and capability. Not only are you better equipped to keep guests and the facilities you manage safe, but you’ll learn skills to become a better problem-solver, communicator, and to help improve operational efficiency. With more than two years of experience plus a CST certification under your belt, you’ll also stand out as a higher quality job candidate or employee, helping you move forward in your career path.
Should you choose to stack your skills and certifications and become a well-rounded pool and spa industry expert, you can also open up your opportunities for supervisory roles, aquatics management, consulting and training, and even entreprenuership.
If you’re charged with checking and maintaining pool water quality and chemistry–or if you’d like to be able to build this skill–you’ll also want to look into the Certified Pool Operator (CPO) course which covers pool water chemistry and the complex math equations you’ll need to execute in more depth. This course is currently required in 25+ states and various local jurisdictions, as–just like maintaining a safe facility–maintaining safe water quality levels is critical! Your guests' health, happiness, and even lives depend on it.
Not to mention, pools that are managed correctly cost less to own and run, and minimize risk to the business. Rather than running the risk of losing or damaging paper log books, losing track of which pools haven’t been tested, and miscalculations, the Pool Shark H2O app takes care of all the complex pool chemistry math for you automatically, in minutes–and in 60 seconds or less when integrated with a LaMotte WaterLink Spin Touch. Logs are then locked and 100% Health Department compliant. It’s a must-have resource for any busy pool service technician, facility manager, owner, or pool operator.
