Abseilon USA has spent the past five months establishing a new type of rope access training in Houston, and companies and students alike are embracing the change.
The Houston Area Safety Council (HASC) began an endeavor with Abseilon USA in March to bring affordable, comprehensive and accountability-based rope access training to Houston, specifically in the oil industry. With only five classes underway, they've garnered attention and acclaim for their strict adhesion to Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians (SPRAT) policy, affordable price, manufacturer support and impressive student enrollment packages.
With a strong focus on preparing technicians to be competent, professional and well-prepared for working in the field, Abseilon is beginning to make a name for itself in Houston by striving above all else to enhance the experience for both technicians and their future employers.
"Before we got to Houston, we reached out to a lot of the companies that performed rope access work, and they all said the same thing: 'It's really hard to find a good technician,'" said Ken Piposar, owner of Abseilon USA. "So we thought, 'Let's help create the ultimate technician. Let's help these companies create their dream teams.'"
In the short time since Abseilon began holding courses in the Workforce Development Center at HASC, it has trained employees from a vast range of companies, from international NDT firms to local window washers trying to gain an edge on their competition by being as safe as possible.
While companies like Team QualSpec and RayAccess are taking advantage of this new training with Abseilon and seeing positive results, students are also talking about how Abseilon is stepping in (and up) in a new way.
"I went into [the class] knowing only a few basics from … working in the oil and energy sector, and I came out with so much confidence," said Amanda Brown, one of Abseilon's students from its second course. "Upon passing my evaluation, I got a job immediately. I am so appreciative of everything I have gained in one week!"
Each student who enrolls in the course is given a Kask Superplasma helmet, his or her own copy of "Professional Rope Access: A Guide to Working at Height," a hi-vis shirt and takeaways from top manufacturers like PMI and Petzl. "Lunch and Learn" sessions sponsored by manufacturers like Proto and Skylotec are helping students make educated decisions about real-world scenarios like tool tethering and equipment selection.
"We're trying to enable students to be as well-rounded as possible," said Abseilon Lead Instructor Mike Duran. "It's not enough to just know what you need to pass the test; you have to be able to use it on a jobsite. You need to know how to make decisions based on your knowledge of rope access, because just knowing the skills isn't enough to get anyone through any project or job. Rope access is more than navigating a rope, and we want to make sure students who go through our program are prepared to deal with that."
Abseilon is running monthly courses at the Houston Area Safety Council for all levels of SPRAT Rope Access.
To learn more or apply for a course, visit www.abseilon.com or call (623) 298-4551.
