In 2020, the CFA Board of Directors created a Strategic Plan to focus Association energy for the next few years.  This plan identified education as a primary need for field workers and a formalized plan to qualify training for the wall foreman as a key opportunity.  Working with the World of Concrete, this course syllabus was developed to begin establishing professional development education for the concrete construction companies’ workforce. This syllabus outlines the process of and course options for earning a learning certificate designed to prepare individuals for the principal workforce category of wall foreman.

A wall foreman is described by the Concrete Foundations Association as the primary representative of the company for jobsite operations. Responsibilities include working with (or serving as) the project manager for residential foundation installations; directing all field crews from excavation through final site work (as applicable); managing material application, security, and efficiency; implementing and maintaining safety operations; being responsible for on-site equipment and operators; serving as “competent person” on-site for safety programming; and managing training operations for workforce development.

Goal: Establish a consistent set of courses delivered through national education programs, including the World of Concrete, the Concrete Foundations Convention, and virtual learning management systems.

Program Description:

During the World of Concrete 2023, the inaugural Wall Foreman Qualifications Certificate will be made available to registrants who achieve a total of 12 hours of qualifying education, as selected and authorized by the CFA in consort with the World of Concrete. This qualification process is aimed at preparing attendees to be considered for advancement to a wall foreman level of responsibility at the discretion of their employer.

Attendees registering for education during WOC 2023 will be required to take six hours of specified residential concrete construction courses presented by industry experts on Thursday, January 16. The three required courses are described below. In addition, attendees can select the remaining six hours of qualifying education from a pre-approved list of WOC seminars, including the optional four-hour ACI/CFA Residential Foundation Technician seminar (written exam will not be required unless candidate is seeking full certification).

Attendance will be verified at each session—show staff will scan badge credentials and each person’s attendance will be accumulated to ensure completion of the required 12 hours. Approximately three to four weeks after the end of WOC, the CFA will send a certificate to each verified attendee to show they completed the 12 hours of qualifying course work,

REGISTRATION: Available only through WOC 2023. To access the discount code from CFA Co-Sponsorship, use this custom link https://www.compusystems.com/servlet/ar?evt_uid=130&promocode=A30. Note: CFA Co-Sponsorship code includes discounted $25 for WOC Exhibits Only admission, if registering by 12/12/2022.

EDUCATION OFFERINGS: The following courses comprise the required and elective coursework options during the WOC 2023 for attaining the Wall Foreman Qualifications Certificate.

CFA REQUIRED COURSEWORK (three industry training courses for a total of six hours, Thursday Jan 19):

• Concrete Basics That Impact the Residential Concrete Industry – Joseph Daczko
  [Session ID: CFA1] Thursday, January 19th (8:00–10:00 am
  Concrete basics is a big part of the annual World of Concrete education, and there will be three concrete basics courses presented in 2023. Yet, none of them will really focus on the basics with regard to residential walls and what makes residential concrete different in expected quality and performance. This presentation will cover the current chemistry of the concrete mix and specifically focus on the three-legged stool performance of time, temperature, and humidity along with the basic internal risks or failure modes of plain concrete and what is being done about it.
• Residential Wall Forming and Reinforcement Best Practices – Brent Anderson
  [Session ID: CFA2] Thursday, January 19th (11:00 am–1:00 pm)
  From removable forms to insulated concrete forms, today’s residential wall market has a broad spectrum of systems and applications. With each selection comes a different set of factors and best practices to be aware of for effective quality control and safety. Additionally, for reasons ranging from shrinkage crack control to engineered foundations for higher loading conditions, plain concrete must be reinforced in different ways to deliver good results. Once backfill is introduced to the foundation system, good decisions are rewarded and bad decisions magnified.
• Finishing the Residential Foundation Wall for Performance: Curing to Drainage – Mike Hancock
  [Session ID: CFA3] Thursday, January 19th (2:00–4:00 pm)
  The finished wall with forms removed or left in place is not the end of the construction. The true performance—aesthetically, structurally, and in terms of moisture control—is largely decided by which curing practices are implemented, what the climate conditions are, the exposed nature of the finished surfaces, the selection of water barrier, and the installation and maintenance of drainage systems. Together, these will literally make or break a foundation wall with a lifetime of inconspicuous performance or perpetual troubleshooting.

ELECTIVES (select a total of six hours from WOC courses below):  

• Residential Foundations: Compliance and Competency Review – James Baty
  [Session ID: TU406] Tuesday, January 17th (8:00 am–12:00 pm)
• Concrete Basics I: Concrete Materials, Mixtures & Fresh Properties – Jeff Groom, Rich Szecsy
  [Session ID: MO01] Monday, January 16th (8:00 to 11:00 am)
• Concrete Basics II: Ordering, Producing, Placing & Finishing Concrete – Jeff Groom,Rich Szecsy
  [Session ID: MO02] Monday, January 16th (1:00 – 4:00 pm)
• Concrete Basics III: Troubleshooting Typical Problems, Tips & Trends – Jeff Groom,
  Rich Szecsy
  [Session ID: TU03] Tuesday, January 17th (8:00 – 11:00 am)
• Mix Design I: Evaluation of Mixtures – Ken Hover
  [Session ID: WE04] Wednesday, January 18th (8:00 – 11:00 am)
• Troubleshooting Concrete Cracks: Understand & Minimize Cracking – Kim Basham
  [Session ID: MO06] Monday, January 16th (8:00 – 11:00 am)
• Soft Skills for Hard Business – Wally Adamchik
  [Session ID: MO11] Monday, January 16th (8:00 – 11:00 am)
• Improving Performance Through Effective Leadership – Randy Anderson
  [Session ID: TU13] Tuesday, January 17th (8:00 – 11:00 am)
• How to Turn Inefficiency into Profitability – Brad Humphrey
  [Session ID: WE14] Wednesday, January 18th (8:00 am – 11:00 am)
• Preconstruction Checklist: Ensuring Project Success – Brian Birdwell, Rocky Geans
  [Session ID: MO102] Monday, January 16th (10:30 am – 12:00 pm)
• Fall Protection Best Practices: Industry Regulations & Guidelines – Tim Neubauer
  [Session ID: MO103] Monday, January 16th (1:00 – 2:30 pm)
• Boss to Leader: The Necessary Transition – Corey Adams
  [Session ID: TU105] Tuesday, January 17th (8:30 – 10:00 am)
• Strategic Tactical Productivity: Execution Techniques to Improve Field Project Results – Brad Humphrey
  [Session ID: WE108] Wednesday, January 18th (1:30 – 3:00 pm)
• How to Handle OSHA Inspections – Matt Murphy
  [Session ID: TH109] Thursday, January 19th (8:30 – 10:00 am)
• Troubleshooting Masonry: Cracks, Moisture and Efflorescence – Michael Schuller
  [Session ID: TU115] Tuesday, January 17th (8:30 – 10:00 am)
• What is Wrong with my Concrete? Troubleshooting Concrete Quality – Tyler Ley
  [Session ID: MO124] Monday, January 16th (3:30 – 5:00 pm)
• Cold Weather: Managing Concrete in Winter Conditions – Kim Basham
  [Session ID: WE127] Wednesday, January 18th (8:30 – 10:00 am)
• Hot Weather: Dealing with Concrete in Hot, Dry & Windy Conditions – Kim Basham
  [Session ID: WE128] Wednesday, January 18th (1:30 – 3:00 pm)
• Slump-Loss, Setting & Shrinkage: Concrete Won’t Wait! – Ken Hover
  [Session ID: TH130] Thursday, January 19th (1:30 – 3:00 pm)
• SPANISH – Concrete Basics I: Materials, Mixtures & Fresh Properties – Raul Bracamontes, Genaro Salinas
  [Session ID: MOSP01] Monday, January 16th (8:00 – 11:00 am)
• SPANISH – Concrete Basics II: Ordering, Producing, Placing & Finishing – Raul Bracamontes, Genaro Salinas
  [Session ID: MOSP02] Monday, January 16th (1:00 – 4:00 pm)
• SPANISH – Concrete Basics III: Problems, Tips & Trends – Raul Bracamontes, Genaro Salinas
  [Session ID: TUSP03] Tuesday, January 17th (8:00 – 11:00 am)
• SPANISH – Improve Leadership, Make Your Company More Competitive, & Increase Profitability – Federico Jasso
  [Session ID: THSP08] Thursday, January 19th (1:30 – 3:00 pm)