I believe that CPO® certifications are generally misunderstood, and I have personally certified hundreds of pool operators over the years.
What I mean by that is either folks think that after 2 days of intensive book work and an open book test, they will be able to run a commercial swimming pool, or they think it is a waste of their time because you could never learn to operate a commercial pool after just 2 days of book learning.
The truth, as it always seems to be, lies somewhere in between these two extremes.
What you will leave with, if in fact you are paying attention are the following:
- Chemicals are dangerous.
- Water is “alive” and requires constant monitoring.
- There is a LOT more to a commercial pool than just water, pumps, and chlorine.
- Everything in the pool environ is “connected”.
- Drowning is a real thing; swimming is an essential skill for everyone.
- Pro-action is way cheaper than reaction.
Truth of the matter, for me at least, is that the CPO® class provides a basic understanding (or a refresher) of the correct way to operate a commercial pool, and a comprehensive manual that should/will become a sort of a day-to-day operations manual.
Every commercial pool operator should have a current CPO® or AFO® certificate, and if they are smart, they will have a network of contacts who also run commercial pools that they can communicate with, or have developed a working relationship with companies like TMI.