Welcome Friend of CALBO,
At CALBO, our goal is to be the premier resource for all California code officials and industry colleagues. We hope you will find this newsletter to be of value as you protect the build environment in the Golden State.
A Publication of California Building Officials
1022 G Street | Sacramento, CA | 95814
916-457-1103 | info@calbo.org
Dear CALBO Friends and Colleagues,
To most of us this year the holidays probably have a low key feel about them, but the sense of togetherness, joy, and hope are the hallmarks of this time of year remain.
It is that last feeling, hope, which CALBO holds to most right now. 2021 is just around the corner and though we will all be dealing with the impacts of COVID-19 for some time to come, there appears to be light at the end of this tunnel. 2021 will bring a vaccine and relief that though we have tragically lost so many in this country already, those numbers will slow and this disease will pass. We have strong hope that spring will bring opportunities for us to resume the great traditional in-person offerings CALBO is known for, a conference and training in May or June, and normal Education Weeks in the fall.
Until normalcy returns, CALBO continues to strive to offer its members the best training, advocacy, and camaraderie the current environment allows. I have been very pleased with the quality of the webinars we have produced so far, and see the value of continuing to offer webinars as a supplement to our trainings in the future. Again, I cannot thank CTI, the instructors, or CALBO staff enough for the hard work they have put into creating these valuable training offerings. But even more so, I want to thank you, the membership for also seeing the value in virtual training by attending the webinars in great numbers. You are the reason we exist and produce the training and perform the advocacy that we do.
While on the topic of training and support, I want to take a moment to tell you how excited and anxious I am for this month’s Virtual Education Week. This year’s Education Week is like nothing CALBO has done before. This pandemic will not stop us. In an effort to continue to provide the quality California specific training our members rely on, while also demonstrating California’s ability to innovate, adapt and overcome, we have prepared an Education Week like you have not seen before. This will not be simply a series of day long webinars; Education Week virtual attendees will get live video and real-time interaction with instructors, duplicating the interaction one would get in the classroom. But, this is more than a pandemic work around to keep good training going. This virtual Education Week is a launching pad for a new era of CALBO working in the digital realm. That said, we cannot do it without you. If you have ever thought “I wish I could get an Education Week style training without having to fly or drive” or your agency is like so many that have training funds, but travel and lodging monies are scarce, this is the Education Week you want to give a try. For the first time ever (maybe the only time) CALBO’s Education Week training is available to anyone with an internet connection. Anyone in the building safety industry on earth can now easily attend a CALBO Education Week.
So, check out the website, pick a class (or 4) and spread the word that CALBO and CTI training continues unabated. With your support I am eager to look back on this year as the time California’s building safety agencies came together and showed the world that nothing slows us down and that 2020 was the year we took challenges and made them opportunities to revolutionize how we do things.
In closing, I continue to wish you, your agencies, and your families’ health and wellness. May the holidays we celebrate this month be filled with merriment and I along with your CALBO Board of Directors and staff look forward to continuing to serve you in what I am sure will be a happy new year!
Stay well,
Shane G. Diller, M.P.A
Assistant Director, Development Services
City of Elk Grove
Whether you are attending a CALBO webinar or Virtual Education Week courses, get familiar with GoToWebinar online training platform to ensure you are prepared for your next online training experience.
Dear CALBO Colleagues,
Pandemic. I don’t know about
you, but that was a word that was new to my vocabulary until this
past March. Since that time, like you I have been
working to change practices and procedures in this aggressively
changing environment. CALBO has been no exception to this,
and I wanted to share with you some insights over the past nine
months as the CTI Chair.
Just like our members, CALBO and CTI has adapted to the ever-changing protocols. We have tried hard to keep our educational offerings afloat and staggered throughout our populous state, but unfortunately, we had to cancel our in-person ABM and two of three of our Education Weeks. However, with adversity comes opportunity and I’m very proud of how we have seized great moments to shine as an organization and profession.
CALBO had “dabbled” in online training, but our goal was to roll out a robust, holistic virtual model that would offer an enhanced and personalized experience for the student. With the pandemic, we rolled these offerings out sooner than expected and they have been an unparalleled success. CALBO webinars last from 90-120 minutes each but are instructed by subject matter experts in real-time. This enables all students to participate, pose questions and participate in a simulated in-person setting. We have been very pleased by the response from both our students and online instructors. Please continue to check the CALBO website for the latest offerings. At this time, registration is open for 12 future webinars over the coming weeks.
Are you knowledgeable about a certain topic or passionate about your industry? The CALBO Training Institute (CTI) is continually looking for new course developers and instructors for its training opportunities throughout the year. There are opportunities for every skill level. We welcome your contributions!
