EDUCATION ALOA 2021: A Universal Success, Not A Mickey Mouse Operation This year’s convention in Orlando operated smoother than ever. By Jim Hancock, CML, CMST with only a single day being under 160 students. As the state of Florida changed some of its mandates during the week, the attendees obliged with nary a complaint. Class lunches were indeed first-class, and very few went elsewhere to eat during class days. No one went away hungry at all; it was buffet style daily with several themes, from Mexican to Cajun and all points in between. Our ACE instructors were all happy to be back in the game, and the level of energy each produced in their classes proved this point. With only a couple of minor hiccups involving shipping and schedule issues, the A 54 training was some of the best we’ve had and ran smoother than any ALOA convention in recent history. PRP testing was offered on two evenings, and it too was well attended. Many chose to sit for testing both nights to finish up one certification on the first night and pursue another on the next one. We had many take electives toward their CPL and CML certifications one evening while taking CAL, CMAL and the like on the next. Most people spent their evenings at the absolutely wonderful Caribe Royale poolside or at the Calypso poolside grill. Others braved the typical summer Florida weather (rain daily, varying degrees of intensity and size of raindrops) and ventured out to the theme parks, restaurants or other attractions in the area. The tradeshow was, by all accounts from vendors and attendees, one of the best in many years. The floor was always hopping with people at the booths and, of course, socializing with old friends they had not seen in a couple of years. If ALOA 2021 was any indication, ALOA 2022 and SAFETECH 2022 both look to KEYNOTES SEPTEMBER 2021 wesome. The only word I can put out there to describe the return of live classes and the trade show aſter the COVID-19 hia- tus is “awesome.” The week of class sessions with a wide array of subjects from fun- damentals to auto and electronics and more was very well attended, “The training was some of the best we’ve had and ran smoother than any ALOA convention in recent history.” be, perhaps, doubly awesome, if that’s a term. I hope to see you there. As we saw more than ever this year, sign up early, as classes will fill up quickly. Jim Hancock, CML, CMST, is ALOA’s educat ion manager. You can reach him at [email protected] or (214) 819-9733. WWW.ALOA.ORG
