(a) The department must evaluate and approve Technician/Noncommercial
Certified Applicator Training course programs. The course must be
a minimum of six (6) hours and separate from other required apprentice
or continuing education training. Each Technician/Noncommercial Certified
Applicator Training Course submitted for approval must contain the
following:
(1) a copy of handout materials, if any, which will
be distributed to participants during the course;
(2) inclusive length of time of the course stated in
hours and minutes;
(3) date, time, and physical address of presentation;
or if unknown, agreement to provide two (2) weeks' notice of each
date of presentation;
(4) a detailed course outline indicating the scope
of the course and learning objectives (the course outline should follow
the topics covered in the most recent Texas Pesticide Applicator General
manual developed by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension);
(5) the course provider's name, physical address, telephone
number, email (if available), and company, organization or institution
of higher learning affiliation; and
(6) additional information as requested.
(b) Parts of courses which focus on promotion of products,
policies, or procedures of a company, will not be considered as part
of approved instruction time.
(c) Any person seeking approval of Technician/Noncommercial
Certified Applicator Training course must submit the required information
at least thirty (30) days prior to the first day of presentation.
The department may waive this requirement due to extenuating circumstances.
(d) The department shall evaluate and recommend approval
or denial within thirty (30) days from the date received.
(e) The course provider is responsible for establishing
procedures for:
(1) verification of completion, including accurately
recording participant attendance throughout the stated class length;
(2) awarding course completion certificates;
(3) testing to verify a participant's comprehension
of the subject matter presented;
(4) the qualifications, competence, and performance
of the authors, speakers, presenters, or instructors who produce or
present its courses, and
(5) preparation and administration of a self-study
course examination.
(f) The minimum requirements to qualify as a speaker,
course presenter, self-study course provider are:
(1) a degree from a recognized institution of higher
learning which pertains to the course being taught;
(2) five (5) years' experience as an applicator certified
by the department with a current license in the category to be taught;
(3) verifiable proof of training and teaching experience
within the preceding three (3) years; or
(4) a combination of education, work related training,
and teaching experience which would be equivalent to two (2) of the
three (3) speaker qualification requirements, as determined by the
department.
(g) If the course provider is required to make an unexpected
change to an approved Technician/Noncommercial Certified Applicator
Training course to include but not limited to the approved speaker,
location, time, or date of course, the course provider must notify
the department via email within 24 hours.
(h) If an approved Technician/Noncommercial Certified
Applicator Training course needs to be cancelled for any reason, the
course provider must notify the department by email within seven (7)
days of cancellation.
(i) The Technician/Noncommercial Certified Applicator
Training course provider must issue a certificate within twenty-one
(21) days of the course to each participant completing the course.
This document must include at least the following information:
(1) participant's name;
(2) apprentice registration number, if applicable,
or driver's license number or state issued ID number;
(3) name of course provider, company, or organization;
(4) course title (Technician Training Course/Noncommercial
Certified Applicator Training Course) and number; and
(5) date and location of training.
(j) The course provider must maintain course completion
records for two (2) calendar years after the calendar year in which
the course was given and a list of participants must be forwarded
to the department within twenty-one (21) days of completion of the
training course. The list must include the name of the course provider,
the course title, course number, name of participant, and apprentice
registration number, if applicable.
(k) The course will be approved for a maximum of two
(2) years.
(l) The department may re-evaluate or cancel a currently
approved training course during the calendar year for failure to comply
with the elements of the requirements of this section.
(m) Course providers who falsify information on course
certificates provided to participants are subject to penalties, including
and up to denial of department approval for future courses.
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