I noticed two things when I first got into the construction materials testing industry:

(1) those who had the Reinforced Concrete certification from ICC were making good money, in demand, and staying busy, and

(2) many guys (and girls) who attempted to take the test failed the first and even second try, leaving them discouraged and hesitant to keep pursuing the coveted certification. And others, seeing these repeated failures, wouldn’t even try.

The question is often asked, “How do I prepare for this test?”

First, you need to have the correct references to study from. You can download the ICC National Certification Examination Information Bulletin from this direct link: http://www.iccsafe.org/Accreditation/Bulletins/National_Certification_EIB.pdf. This document contains information for test-taking such as scheduling a test, certification renewal, how the ICC scores the tests, and more importantly what references you need to study to prepare for the test. Save this pdf document for reference and find the Special Inspector Examinations categories near the end. “47 Reinforced Concrete Special Inspector” lists the references you need.

Once you have the right references, knowing what to study is the next step. The problem I find is most people don’t enjoy reading code, myself included. Who wants to sit around and read a code book?

Some institutions and individuals offer classroom instruction. This can be very helpful because there are experienced workers who can take you through the code, explain difficult portions, and add personal experience, removing the “dryness” of studying code books. This personalized instruction can come at a very high price though and is not available in most areas.

What should you look for when seeking a classroom course, or some sort of tutoring or outside help?

Checklist For Evaluating a Course

(1) Make sure the person is qualified. “Qualified” can be a very loose term, but that can simply mean the teacher knows what they’re taking about and can help you prepare for the test. They don’t have to be a degreed teacher, or even have been in the industry for 20-plus years. They need to understand how the ICC tests, what information should be the focus of study, and which instructional methods work to help you pass the test.

(2) There should be a section for test-taking strategies. Sometimes just being a good test-taker can make all the difference. Can a person who is a poor test-taker give you the direction you need, even if they managed to pass the test themselves? You’ll find that a person who understands test-taking strategies will help you be more confident during test day.

(3) The teacher should know the difference between the field and the test. There are really two different approaches to learning Reinforced Concrete Special Inspections. The first is knowing how to perform the duties in the field. The second is passing the test to obtain the certification. These approaches are entirely different. The help you are seeking must be able to differentiate between the two, because spending time in the field going through the inspection process will not prepare you to pass the test. I’ve seen this time and time again. Why do you think you come across those individuals who know how to inspect reinforced concrete, but just haven’t passed the test? Yes, plan reading can certainly be improved in the field, and should be, but your teacher should be an expert in the test in order to prepare you to pass.

(4) The course should have a firm grasp on plan-reading concepts. This is extremely important. People who can pass the code but fail the plan-reading portion of the test become extremely discouraged by the entire process. What is often missed is learning the necessary concepts involved. A good course provides a conceptual approach to plan reading, so that any set of plans you come across can be navigated and understood. A course that merely gives you four sets of sample plans can be a waste of time. You can become familiar with all four sets, but become lost on test day when you are faced with a new set of plans.

(5) Avoid cheater courses. These are the expensive courses where you sit in a room with a highlighter and highlight portions of the code that are “most likely questions” on the test. Even if you end up passing the test, you wasted your money because you haven’t learned anything. There are better options out there for actual learning and they are less expensive than these overpriced cheater courses.

A course should be an accessible, affordable option. What would I suggest?

We’ve created an entire online course that meets this checklist to help you pass the test.

The SI Certs Reinforced Concrete Course

I developed the course by drawing from my special inspector background. I’m not an engineer or someone out of touch with the day-to-day inspection operations. In fact, I still do the typical inspection tasks every day. Also, I have master’s degree in education. I previously taught students and adults of all ages and developed many tests and teaching materials during my teaching career.

I employed a graphic designer and illustrator to walk you through the necessary portions of the code and teach difficult or confusing concepts, all the while helping you become familiar with the relevant material. My bachelor degree was in journalism, which gave me the skills to edit the course materials into fluid and intelligent read.

The plans portion of the course teaches plan reading by providing the needed conceptual foundation. You will gain plan reading skills by going over commonalities among all sets of plans and then build the foundation needed to tackle the set of plans on the test. After you learn plan reading in this fashion, you’ll be able to practice your skills with any sets of plans on job sites or in the office.

The course even contains integrated audio that provides narration at key points for additional understanding. The audio is especially helpful when learning blueprint reading. At the end of the course, there are online timed practiced tests to help you evaluate your readiness to take the real test.

If you want to pass the ICC Reinforced Concrete Test, enroll in our course today.