Rain Bird Certified Irrigation Professional:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it take to be Rain Bird Certified?
A “Rain Bird Certified Contractor” title is earned by an experienced irrigation professional taking and passing the associated Certification Program provided by Rain Bird Training Academy. The week long class educates and verifies the irrigation professional through extensive classroom training and applied hands-on workshop.
What will I get when I become certified?
When you complete your Rain Bird Certification, you will receive a certificate and professional promotional literature to help you market your business. Rain Bird Services Corporation will also create a News Release template that you can send to local news agencies in their community stating that you have achieved your Rain Bird Certification and that you are available for work. You can use press release to help market your business. In addition, anyone who successfully becomes certified will be eligible to be an EPA WaterSense partner.
How will a Rain Bird certification benefit me?
Rain Bird is the number one name in the irrigation industry today. By becoming Rain Bird Certified, you are differentiating your business from the competition and telling your customers that you have the skills and experience that they can trust. Most people do not buy multiple irrigation systems in their life, so they want to know they have a competent professional they can trust to install it right. Rain Bird enjoys the highest level of brand recognition among residential and light commercial customers. Rain Bird Certification comes from a company your customers already know and trust. It will give your customers confidence to hire you over your uncertified competition. You will be part of a select community of irrigation professionals. You will learn and demonstrate skills needed to be a successful installer of irrigation systems.
Why should I choose a Rain Bird certification over another certification?
A Rain Bird Certified Residential\Light Commercial Installer is unlike any other certification in the market today. This certification is very specifically for those people who do residential and light commercial installations with pipe up to 2½ inches. The Rain Bird Certification will let people know that you have been tested on your actual installation skills
Does this mean that Rain Bird Services Corporation is no longer supporting the Irrigation Association that offers certification?
We are very supportive of the Irrigation Association and we continue to train people to obtain and promote IA certifications through Rain Bird Academy.
I already have another certification; do I need a Rain Bird certification?
Yes, if you are doing irrigation installations or plan to do installations. The Rain Bird Certification lets your customers and potential customers know that you have the proven experience, education and demonstrated skills to be able to install an irrigation system. There is no other certification that covers installation at the present time.
Does Rain Bird Services Corporation offer only one certification?
For the present time, yes. Rain Bird plans to launch more Certifications over the next few years.
What do I need to do to become certified?
You will need at least 1200 hours of field experience, 24 hours of irrigation education, three years of irrigation industry experience and a passing score on the pre-qualifying test. Everything required to become Rain Bird Certified is listed on the Rain Bird Services Corporation website.
I am new to the industry; can I get certified?
This Certification is rigorous test of an experienced irrigators’ skill and understanding of irrigation installation. All applicants must meet all of the requirements to be eligible to be certified which includes three years of industry experience. For those irrigators who do not qualify the first time they apply, we encourage them to reapply the following year.
Is your certification program only for Rain Bird contractors?
The Rain Bird certification is open to everyone who meets the qualification requirements. Certificate holders will not be certified to install just Rain Bird products; rather they will be certified to install irrigation systems, no matter whose product they use.