How to Train a Designer 2026 (how to train your Dragon)
Goal proficient:
REVIT
CAD
AutoSprink
Let them Choose be flexible if possible
I remember at AFSA convention a design manager said he had a Great CAD
person but hated jobsites
USE him/her Strengths.
Hydraulics
Hand calcs (its not the 70's)
maybe HASS
Harold Wass Book Sprinkler Hydraulics and Update by Flemming
Woods Automatic (just kidding)
Start with the basics
4" pipe 400 gpm
6" pipe 600 gpm (standpipes)
Listing
Revue computer lists -- Get some Knowledge:
Project Manager - Foreman - Installers - Fabricators
Communications
Treat Designers Well/Good (not like whipping post)
If Designer can communicate with 1 person find a fit for them.
Bonus:
Any Mentors? Or Equals
Send to AFSA Convention
AFSA for Training some Great publications
Backnote : I worked +8000 hours in installing fabricating sweeping
ect..1980-1989
1990's worked with 3 other NICET designers
(some great communication: thanks Mike James Mark)
I helped Lora with some Hydraulics (she
couldn't teach me to like CAD)
The last few years I helped a few more
Designers and a some have NICET
Chuck Bamford
On Thu, Jan 15, 2026 at 11:17 AM Steve Leyton <[email protected]>
wrote:
> Well stated Travis and yes, we need WAY more training for the design
> side. As I get closer to retiring, I've started to take on 3rd party
> plan review for a few SoCal Fire Agencies and the overall standard of care
> in our industry is still way, WAY too low for how much time and money and
> technology we've invested in both design and build.
>
> I started when I was 21. Minimum wage was $2.75 and I pressed my employer
> for double that because I was experienced at drafting construction
> documents, had studied architecture and been working for an architect in
> the SF Bay Area before moving back to SD. I saw 2nd and 3rd period
> apprentices making $19.50, $22.15, etc. The guys had lifted trucks, killer
> buggies and motocross bikes, bass boats, jet skis, whatever and I had... a
> Kawasaki 400 and a rented 1 BR converted garage. In my 2nd year, my
> boss - very tight with the BA for 669 in SoCal - got permission to put me
> in the field for up to 6 months; I don't know how many people ever hung
> pipe for a union company without joining the union, but I'm one of them.
> He saw potential in me and knew that I'd become an exponentially better
> designer with field experience, and he was right. I credit that
> experience with redirecting my energies as a designer and amplifying my
> understanding of how to create more efficient designs.
>
> In the field, I realized that in less than 2 years on the job, my
> knowledge of the NFPA 13 and 14 standards exceeded that of these trained
> apprentices (and many of our journeymen) by a wide margin. I became a
> go-to on my projects for questions about whether field changes were okay or
> not. It was challenging, flattering and educational. In the course of
> all that, I got to see where these "well-heeled" apprentices lived, mostly
> in shitty bachelor pads like mine, with a TV, bookshelves made of cinder
> blocks and 2x12s, one of my buds even had folding beach chairs in his
> living room. I considered both my personal and vocational situations and
> arrived at a very important realization for a young person: professional
> growth is a marathon, not a sprint. The disparity in wages between field
> and office in the first few years is intimidating for young person who's
> considering which direction to go, and it's patently unfair when you pull
> back and look at the big picture. Check the surveys, ask anyone from any
> part of the country, "What's the biggest challenge for you as a
> contractor?" and the answer is 75% sure to be, "Finding good designers."
> Then everyone goes back to work under-budgeting design, sending out
> mediocre and worse content, and complaining about finding designers to work
> for $50K a year when the plumbing and HVAC industries are paying $75K for
> in-house designers and shop-drafters.
>
> My answer to the theoretical question of whether I'd recommend entering
> the trade as an installer or designer (assuming the candidate is fit and
> willing to work in the field) is, "Find a situation where you can do both.
> Train as a designer for at least a year, preferably two, then field for
> 6-12 months, then get on a track to become a designer, estimator, project
> manager, design manager, administrative company exec, whatever floats your
> boat." I was beyond flattered to be included by Russ Leavitt in an
> article and a couple of panel discussions a few years ago that included Bob
> Caputo and James Golinveaux. The common thread was that we all started
> our careers as designers and... just look at us now. Or at least those
> three guys. But I was the only small businessperson on the panel, and the
> mix underscored that there are many paths through this business, and design
> is a great place to start. My message for everyone is: Stop treating
> design like the red-headed stepchild of the family, feed and nurture it,
> show your clients that your high-level service is worth a few extra
> shekels, and it might be possible to turn this barge around in the next 10
> years. But it's been pretty much the same thing for the past 45, so I
> don't know if that's going to happen or not.
>
> SL
>
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Travis Mack <[email protected]>
> *Sent:* Thursday, January 15, 2026 7:58 AM
> *To:* Discussion list on issues relating to automatic fire sprinklers <
> [email protected]>
> *Subject:* [Sprinklerforum] Re: From Field to Designer
>
> Training an engineering technician requires careful consideration. Most
> field apprenticeships last about five years, yet some programs for
> engineering technicians are as short as two weeks—or simply involve handing
> over a book and sample drawings with the expectation of tackling complex
> systems immediately.
>
> If NICET III certification is regarded as the benchmark for independent
> competence and takes five years to achieve, it’s unrealistic to expect a
> fully capable technician in a fraction of that time. While quality training
> can accelerate progress, hands-on experience and exposure to diverse
> projects remain essential for developing skilled professionals.
>
> The online fire sprinkler academy offers a 10+2 week program, which
> provides substantial information. However, employers should understand that
> graduates are still trainees who require mentoring. They will not be ready
> to produce complete plans after just 12 weeks of instruction.
>
> Our industry must prioritize comprehensive training to replace those
> retiring. The role has evolved far beyond basic components like upright,
> pendent, and sidewall sprinklers. Today, the complexity demands time,
> guidance, and practical experience to build the next generation of
> engineering technicians.
>
>
>
> Travis Mack, SET
>
> *MEPCAD* | Instructor / Training
>
> 181 N. Arroyo Grande Blvd. #105 I Henderson, NV 89074
>
> *www.mepcad.com
> <https://url.avanan.click/v2/r01/___http://www.mepcad.com/___.YXAzOnByb3RlY3Rpb25kZXNpZ25hbmRjb25zdWx0aW5nOmE6bzo3MDM4Nzc5OWQwMWZjNzZkNDNhYzZlNDA1ZjI5YjM0ODo3OmUyMmI6MmNhOTFhNDc0ODQ5NWZlNWZjN2NhNTc2ZmYyNTdmMDlmOWE0NDhiNzI4NmYyMDgxMmJjODNkMjZkMjk3NGE3NDpoOlQ6Rg>*
> |
> 303-923-8215
>
> *Email: [email protected] <[email protected]>*
>
>
>
> *AutoSPRINK | AutoSPRINK FAB | AutoSPRINK RVT | AlarmCAD*
>
>
>
> *Academy of Fire Sprinkler Technology *| Executive Director
>
> 101 S Main Street, Suite 001, Decatur, IL 62523
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Rocci 3 Cetani <[email protected]>
> *Sent:* Thursday, January 15, 2026 8:53 AM
> *To:* Discussion list on issues relating to automatic fire sprinklers <
> [email protected]>
> *Subject:* [Sprinklerforum] Re: From Field to Designer
>
>
> Our company has gone 2 different routes with multiple fitters turned
> designers. We have had great success on multiple occasions with the remote
> Seneca College program which I would highly recommend. We sent 1 guy
> through the ASFA remote and in person course recently with no success. You
> definitely need to have some good in house designers that can work with the
> individual after their initial training.
>
>
>
> -rocci
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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>
> *From:* Brian Harris <[email protected]>
> *Sent:* Thursday, January 15, 2026 4:44 AM
> *To:* [email protected]
> *Subject:* [Sprinklerforum] From Field to Designer
>
>
>
> We have a young fitter/helper that is interested in transitioning from
> install to design. He’s been studying to take NICET-1 and is looking for
> “what next” to do. Looking for some input/recommendations on some type of
> path
>
> We have a young fitter/helper that is interested in transitioning from
> install to design. He’s been studying to take NICET-1 and is looking for
> “what next” to do. Looking for some input/recommendations on some type of
> path forward to help him along.
>
>
>
> Thank you,
>
>
>
> *Brian Harris, CET*
>
> BVS Systems Inc.
>
> *bvssystemsinc.com
> <https://url.avanan.click/v2/r01/___https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__bvssystemsinc.com_&d=DwMFAg&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=hLXh1DXRDwJ3oz4y7iNesSsetYhUUV0wawfPGfwmYxQ&m=evnvOK5ZaS0S4Il3o5c2R1cCImP7CFFaTM0_CGfg2RtqscoVZxecADpOKKL9lJ_K&s=O3vWgBV3KX4DdtST10MwWS-4Xgto2cBLWiTTxP6YBJk&e=___.YXAzOnByb3RlY3Rpb25kZXNpZ25hbmRjb25zdWx0aW5nOmE6bzo3MDM4Nzc5OWQwMWZjNzZkNDNhYzZlNDA1ZjI5YjM0ODo3OjQ2ZWM6OGI0Y2RmMzc1OTYxMGRlYzVjYzdhNjdjYmYxYzRjZGIwZDY2MDFmMzE4OWI2NDk3MWM4N2Q1ZDA0NDJiNTIyYjpoOlQ6Rg>*
>
> Phone: 704.896.9989
>
> Fax: 704.896.1935
>
>
>
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