The North Carolina Masonry Contractors Association (NCMCA) now provides masonry contractors in the Carolinas an opportunity for extensive professional development and continuing education with the NCMCA Masonry Contractor Certification Program. In addition to increasing the professionalism of masonry contractors, the program is also targeted for specification writers, architects and owners as a means to pre-qualify masonry contractor firms for building projects.

NCMCA provides two levels of certification for individuals. Contractor firm foremen, superintendents, project managers, and middle management can become “Certified Masonry Professionals” (CMP) by completing a minimum of eight day-long classes and documenting five years of experience in the masonry and/or construction field. Company principals, owners and upper management can become “Certified Masonry Executives” (CME) by successfully completing ten day-long classes and documenting at least five years of experience. All CMP and CME candidates must reaffirm their pledge to abide by the NCMCA “Standards of Conduct.”

Companies themselves become “NCMCA Certified Masonry Contractors” by maintaining a required percentage of NCMCA certified individuals on staff and by documenting company history.

A total of eleven classes are included in the certification curriculum and include instruction on occupational safety management, basics of masonry materials, specifications, masonry special inspection, design details, codes and standards, testing, grouting, structural engineering basics, blueprints & specifications, estimating and bidding, and courses on good business practice and people management. Experts from around the country instruct the classes, most considered to be the leading authorities in the field of masonry construction and operations. Class participants must pass an exam at the end of each class to obtain class completion credit. To maintain certification, individuals must earn a minimum number of continuing education credits per year.

The NCMCA Certification Program is governed by a board of nine “governors,” consisting of appointed experienced masonry contractors, an architect representative of North Carolina AIA, a representative appointed by the Carolinas Concrete Masonry Association, and an appointment by Brick Industry Association-Southeast Region, each serving a three-year term.

As of the summer of 2008, sixty individuals and nine companies have become NCMCA certified. Some 180 individuals from more than sixty companies are presently enrolled in classes and working toward certification. As a significant number of individuals and companies become certified, NCMCA will proceed with an ambitious program to market certification for use in specification documents and as a means of insuring quality masonry installation performed by the documented top professionals in the industry. NCMCA membership is not a requirement for participation in the NCMCA Certification Program.

For information, call the NCMCA office (828) 324-1564 or
email NCMCA Executive Vice President Lynn Nash: LNash@ncmca.com