Steve Van Dyke, CCS, CDT, NCARB

Welcome 2026!

Have you made any New Year’s resolutions? Most seem centered around self-improvement, like dieting, quitting smoking or the trendy “dry January” where you quit drinking for a month. I think most folks would confess that these attempts, while well intended, have little lasting effects. The weight comes back, you sneak a smoke and, well, quitting anything for a month isn’t really intended to make any appreciable change. This year, why not make a resolution to improve yourself professionally? You could:

Pursue a CSI Certification. The Northeast Region is offering online preparation classes for the Construction Document Technologist (CDT) test, and you can find details at www.nercsi.com. Already have a CDT? How about a Certified Construction Specifier (CCS), Certified Construction Contract Administrator (CCCA) or a Certified Construction Product Representative (CCPR)? Enhance your resume by showing the world that you really do know what you are doing!

Attend a WCCSI monthly program. We meet every third Tuesday of the month, offering a wide variety of topics, typically accredited by AIA for HSW learning units. The original alternative to the lunch-and-learn snooze-fest, our programs are engaging and usually involve hands-on demonstrations, crowd participation and frequent road trips to manufacturers and showrooms. You don’t get a cocktail hour in the office conference room, so increase your knowledge while having fun doing it.

Check out the Northeast Region Conference. Hosted in Buffalo, NY this year, you can check out a trade show, attend seminars, tour local architecture and participate in cocktail parties and an awards banquet. Most importantly, expand your network of trusted advisors making you more knowledgeable and thereby more valuable to your employer and clients.

These are easy resolutions which offer permanent changes for you. Credentials, knowledge and connections are not going to fade away after a month. They don’t occupy months or years of your time and don’t require you to give up anything that you love. In fact, they are actually fun. So make a resolution this year to become more engaged in Worcester County CSI and to make an investment in improving yourself professionally. I guarantee you won’t regret it.