Irrigation Professional (Tools Included)

With the rise of smart controllers and water-saving technologies, the demand for expertly skilled irrigation professionals continues to rise nationwide to install, repair, diagnose, and maintain complex irrigation systems. This online irrigation course prepares you with the foundational knowledge and skills for mid-level to advanced careers in the irrigation repair and maintenance industry. This field offers steady employment, strong earning potential, and advancement opportunities in one of...

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3 Months / 58 Course Hrs
Open Enrollment
Offered in partnership with your preferred school

CSU Channel Islands

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Learning method

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Course code: GES7095

What you will learn

  • Understand how to rebuild multi-valve manifolds with precision and efficiency
  • Learn to install dual-zone control kits for optimized irrigation performance
  • Diagnose complex wiring issues, including lightning strike damage
  • Locate valves and faulty wires using three types of locating equipment
  • Grasp how to schedule service calls strategically and efficiently
  • Review how to communicate professionally with customers across all channels
  • Apply pricing strategies that enhance profitability and elevate your brand

How you will benefit

  • Access to 66 video lessons filmed on real customer job sites during live repairs
  • Gain practical, virtual, hands-on experience through one-of-a-kind virtual service calls that deliver real field training and business education in a digital format
  • Lessons are immediately followed by the online test with a Certificate of Completion provided for a passing grade
  • Lessons taught through clear, step-by-step instruction by irrigation repair and business experts with decades of experience and more than 20,000 service calls completed
  • Master complex diagnostics and precision repair skills through practical instruction that ensures every detail is relevant, applicable, and designed to accelerate your career growth
  • Become a confident irrigation professional with the foundational and advanced-level skills sought after in the job market

How the course is taught

  • Self-paced, online course
  • 3 Months to complete
  • Open enrollment, begin anytime
  • 58 course hours
  1. Beginner 101
    1. Starting from Scratch: Irrigation System Basics
    2. Pros Know Irrigation Part Names
    3. Happy Valves 101
    4. Nozzles Talk! + MP Rotator Nozzles
    5. Clearing Debris from a Spray Nozzle
    6. How to Repair a Drip Manifold
    7. Replacing Existing Spray Heads
    8. Replacing a Rotor with a Reducer Fitting
    9. Replacing a Rotor + Barb Fitting
    10. How to Replace the Internals of Spray Heads
    11. How to Adjust a Pop-up Impact Rotor Head
    12. Greys Anatomy
    13. Spray Head 12 Inch Replace And Leave High
    14. How to Add a Rotor with Flex Pipe
    15. Introduction to Gluing Irrigation Pipe
    16. New Discovery With Customer (2 Lessons)
  2. Intermediate 201
    1. Replacing a 4-inch Pop-up Gear Rotor + Barbed Fitting
    2. How to Evaluate a Sprinkler System for a Leak
    3. Rerouting Three Pipes Around a Future Basketball Goal
    4. How to Repair 2-T's in a Double PVC Break
    5. How to Install New Drip Retro Kits
    6. Replacing a Control Valve Top, Diaphragm & Solenoid
    7. Replacing the Top, Diaphragm and Solenoid of a Master Valve
    8. Replacing a Top, Diaphragm & Solenoid of a Zone Valve
    9. Replacing a Residential / Light Commercial Irrigation Control Valve
    10. How to Install an Irrigation Water Meter and Cut Off Valve
    11. Re-Evaluating a Sprinkler System After Locating Equipment Got it Working
    12. Replacing an Existing Controller
    13. Troubleshoot Faulting Wires – Install a Dual-zone Control Kit
  3. Advanced Diagnostics and Repair 401
    1. How to Replace a 3-Valve Manifold and Master Valve
    2. How to Replace an 8-Valve Manifold
    3. Repairing Two Pipes Stacked Tightly
    4. Installing a Master Valve using a Dual-zone Control Kit
    5. Troubleshoot Faulting Wires – Install a Dual-zone Control Kit
    6. Wire Repair Using a Jumper Wire After Locating Work Found the Break
    7. Introduction to Locating Work
    8. Using Locating Equipment to Find a Valve Not Working + Wire Repair
    9. Locating a Broken Wire
    10. Advanced Trouble-Shooting Zones Not Working Using Two Types of Locating Equipment
    11. Using Locating Equipment to Advance Troubleshoot a Faulty Valve
    12. After Locating, Wire Repair and Reassessing: Properly Wrapping Up the Project
    13. Proven Process to Diagnose Irrigation: Gain Confidence to Charge a Premium
  4. Business Strategy and Customer Service 501
    1. Using Standardization to Create Meaningful Highly Profitable Customer Connections

Jim McIlwain

Jim McIlwain is a nationally recognized authority in irrigation repair, known for his online Irrigation Repair Training and live teaching events. Coach McIlwain is a seasoned irrigation expert and 22-year irrigation company owner who teaches from experience gained on more than 20,000 service calls.

After earning a degree in Business, he found it challenging to secure a job and promptly attended trade school for horticulture, where he discovered his passion for irrigation. Shortly thereafter, he founded his own irrigation business. Initially, his company offered both repair services and new sprinkler system installations. However, after three years, he chose to focus exclusively on irrigation repair for its greater challenges and higher profit potential. This sharp focus proved pivotal to his success, allowing him to hire and train inexperienced technicians to become highly skilled professionals capable of repairing complex irrigation issues that few can solve.

Coach McIlwain draws on his extensive experience training irrigation repair technicians and his deep practical knowledge to deliver step-by-step instruction that’s easy to learn and effective on the job. His online courses are highly regarded for making challenging subjects accessible and preparing technicians to handle real-world scenarios with confidence. His mission is to elevate the irrigation industry by improving service quality, promoting professionalism, conserving water through effective leak repairs, and increasing both technician opportunity and business profitability.

Prerequisites:

This course will benefit anyone with little to no irrigation experience.  We take you from zero to job ready. 

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

  • This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

Software Requirements:

  • PC: Windows 10 or later.
  • Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
  • Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox is preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
  • Microsoft Word Online
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader
  • Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

  • Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.

You will also receive the Irrigation Tool Kit, which includes the following items:

  • Heads & Adjustment Tools
    • Rain Bird 5004 Plus Part-Circle Rotor, 4 in. Riser (5004+PC)
    • Rain Bird 5006 Plus Part-Circle Non-Potable Rotor, 6 in. Riser with SAM Check Valve (5006+PCSAMNP)
    • Rain Bird 5012 Plus Part-Circle Rotor, 12 in. Riser with SAM Check Valve and PRS Pressure Regulator (5012+PCSAMR)
    • Hunter PGP-ADJ Adjustable Rotor, 4 in. Riser with No. 6 Nozzle (PGPADJ6)
    • Hunter MP Rotator MP3000 Nozzle, 22–30 ft., 90°–210° (MP300090)
    • Rain Bird 1804 Spray Body NSI, 4 in. Pop-Up (1804R)
    • Rain Bird 1806 Spray Body Side Inlet, 6 in. Pop-Up (1806)
    • Rain Bird 1812 Spray Body Side Inlet, 12 in. Pop-Up (1812)
    • Rain Bird Rotor Adjustment Tool (ROTORTOOL)
    • Hunter MP Rotator Adjustment Tool (MPTOOL)
    • Hunter Adjustable Wrench (172000SP)
  • Nozzles
    • Rain Bird VAN Nozzle, Variable Arc, 15 ft., 0°–360° (15VAN)
    • Rain Bird Nozzle, Full Circle, 15 ft., 360° (R15F)
    • Hunter MP Rotator MP1000 Nozzle, 8–15 ft., 90°–210° (MP100090)
    • Hunter MP Rotator MP2000 Nozzle, 13–21 ft., 90°–210° (MP200090)
    • Hunter MP Rotator MP3000 Nozzle, 22–30 ft., 90°–210° (MP300090)
  • Valves & Controller
    • Rain Bird DVF Globe Valve, Plastic, 1 in., with Flow Control, Slip × Slip (100DVFSS)
    • Hunter PGV Globe Valve, Plastic, 1 in., with Flow Control, Slip × Slip (PGV101GS)
    • Rain Bird PGA PVC and Glass-Filled Nylon Globe/Angle Valve, 1 in. FIPT (100PGA)
    • Rain Bird PEB Industrial Valve, Plastic, 1 in., with Flow Control, FIPT × FIPT (100PEB)
    • Rain Bird ESP-Me Smart Controller, LNK WiFi, 4 Station Modular, Not Included (ESP4ME3)

Material Fees are non-refundable upon registration.

Please note: Due to the high cost of the kit, it will not ship until 15 days after your start date. We are unable to deliver the kit to P.O. Boxes; you may be asked to provide an alternate shipping address for your delivery.

No. The course does not prepare you for certification or licensing exams; however, it provides the foundational knowledge and skills needed for job readiness in the irrigation repair and maintenance industry.

After you register, you will receive 3 months to complete the course. The time allotted for completion has been calculated based on the number of course hours.