CEC Tracking Software Update
In 2014, the WCTA Board of Directors started discussing potential for an improved system of tracking member pesticide applicator recertification CEC’s (Continuing Education Credits). A framework for such a system, intended to manage upward of 1000 individual point records along with a complete archive of accredited educational offerings, was put together and a software developer was hired, the same firm who built the Alberta government’s system used by Lakeland College for tracking pesticide points for Alberta applicators.
With the goal of minimizing interruption to other association operations and understanding that building a completely new, customized software system from scratch would be challenging, the phased build was estimated to take 3 to 4 years. Working with the developer, staff put together a detailed list of system requirements and development began slowly but deliberately by late 2014.
By end 2015, it became clear that narrowing down the functionality of the software was much more difficult than anticipated. For example, the new program was originally intended to double as a member record database with a high level of automation.
A beta version was available for inspection by June 2016 but further development was scaled back until mid-2019. WCTA Executive Director Jerry Rousseau explained, “Albeit an important project and one of the last of our planned modernization goals, for a long time we were never able to give the software build full attention due to many competing priorities.”
Steady work resumed last fall with the goal of launching the software mid-2020 but the corona virus disruption, one which continues to affect the entire world, has impacted the timeline.
Good news for WCTA and BCLNA members whose records are being tracked - staff has received a tutorial and system training is scheduled to start the last half of August. At the same time, functionality will be reviewed along with identifying any glitches.
After that, the significant task of individual point record data entry can begin. “It will take some time to manually enter and double-check everyone’s points but we’re optimistic the new software will launch this fall,” concluded Rousseau.