Hello from the PNW!

[Emily C]

Hello! My name is Emily, am a permit tech in the PNW, but I wear a lot of hats. My official title is a Community Development Specialist, so I am also in the land use world quite often; I manage permits and plans and coordinate routing them once their payments come in...I also serve as Clerk on the Planning Commission and I do the agenda and minutes for those meetings. We're also doing a software conversion and Comprehensive Plan update so I'm in the throws of those. There's never a shortage of work around here!

 

[Eric]

Hey Emily! It's really great that you're so engaged and proactive taking on roles with your building/planning department, including clerking with your planning commission like you mentioned. Public service would definitely benefit from having more people like you. I was the same way when I first started working for the feds about nine years ago, e.g., jumping to take on new/interesting projects as they popped up. I suppose I'm feeling more established these days and satisfied with the sense of purpose I get from my current Senior PM role. Eventually you no longer have to ask for the "fun" roles...they learn to find their way to you (lol).

You mentioned in your last post that you're currently working toward becoming an "ICC Certified Code Specialist, Residential Building Inspector, and Plans Examiner." I know it's just been a few months but curious if you have any progress to report on that?

 

[Emily C]

I am taking courses through WABO, I am in my last quarter of Building Inspector, so I am hoping to maybe take that certification this summer, before starting plans examiner in the fall.

 

[Eric]

I just checked out the WABO (Washington Association of Building Officials) website and saw the Code Official Accreditation Program you're talking about. Good stuff! It's great Washington State has a structured educational program like that where program completion tracks directly with the building official career path.

We have similar certifications in the environmental field but nothing quite as career specific. And I'd say environmental certifications (e.g., for stormwater compliance, PWS, etc.) are more valued in the consulting world than in the counterpart government permitting jobs (judging anecdotally based on certifications I see listed in signature blocks anyway).

 

[Eric]

Hi Emily - quick question: when you take a certification program through WABO, and pass the exam at the end, you become officially ICC certified in that area of code knowledge, correct? I mean, your WABO training is ICC accredited, right? Are the credentials you're earning (Building Inspector, etc.) the same as those listed here: https://badges.iccsafe.org/public/issuers/fkajyKFmSjafk22W4swltg/badges ?

I ask because I'm thinking of adding an option for forum members to add digital badges for professional certifications next to their usernames. There are the ICC certifications but also all kinds of other certifications for other disciplines (e.g., Professional Wetland Scientist in my field) that include digital badges that get added to email signatures, business cards, etc. Nothing earth-shattering but I thought adding badge credentials to usernames could be a nice touch in this forum, which is intended to cater to permitting professionals.

Do you have any of these certifications yet? If so, is there an ICC badge you put next to your email signature, for example, that you wouldn't mind me also adding to your username here?

 

[Emily C]

the ICC cert and the WABO cert are separate. When I took the permit tech courses thru WABO last year, I had to take the ICC test separately and it was way different than I expected! I don't put a badge next to my signature, but there is one available that I've included here. You can add it to my username!

 

[Eric]

Awesome, thanks for that info! A 'permit technician' badge has now been added for you .

I think displaying this kind of credential could have real merit, especially on a forum like this where people are dispensing information and advice to others. We want people wondering "so who is this person telling me this??" as little as possible.

The other big one aside from professional certifications would be organizational. If you have a similar logo for your building department you're interested in sharing, feel free to send it along and I can add it alongside your 'permit technician' badge. Check out mine - I now have USACE (where I work) and PWS (my professional certification) next to my username.

Seems pretty useful in terms of quickly communicating what sort of authority someone has to weigh in on something, don't you think?

Anyways, thanks for responding about the certification/badge and giving me to opportunity to think out loud about this in this thread (lol). If you have any other input/feedback, please don't hesitate to share!

 

[Emily C]

if you want to add that, that'd be cool!

 

[Eric]

Done! Nice addition of photo and signature as well . The hover text says "Sequim Community Development Department"...feel free to let me know if you have edits to the logo or hover text. Thank you!