A Contractor's Guide to Winter Training and Technical Resources

Don't think about how winter slows down your work. Think of it as a chance to step away from the daily grind and focus on how to improve your business for the next season.
 

NDS Drainage Courses

NDS's Pro Drainage Course focuses on the fundamentals, including rainfall and runoff, soil conditions, slopes, groundwater, and system layout.

The course walks through how to design complete drainage systems, from runoff capture and filtration to conveyance and overflow. It also addresses common drainage failures and how to avoid them. The training takes less than a day, earns CEU credits, and gives you access to calculators, design tools, and ongoing technical support.

If you're looking to expand your drainage services or learn it from the ground up, this is an excellent place to start.

https://www.ndspro.com/us/en/for-contractors/get-certified
 

Rain Bird's Structured Learning for Irrigation Pros

Rain Bird's learning platform is for contractors who want to learn on their own time. These on-demand courses cover irrigation basics and product use, while webinars and advanced sessions go into system performance and design.

Rain Bird Academy offers both factory-focused training and broader industry education aligned with Irrigation Association best practices. The format works perfectly for winter schedules, whether you're training newer team members or revisiting design tools and other things that don't get much attention during your busy season.

This platform also includes access to design guides, calculators, CAD details, and technical resources that carry over directly into planning and bidding.

https://www.rainbird.com/Learning
 

Hunter Industries Online Video Training

Hunter's online training library focuses on real-world service and design scenarios. These short courses and videos cover installation, troubleshooting, water and energy conservation, and system design.

You can earn certifications in areas like irrigation installation, Hydrawise systems, lighting, electrical troubleshooting, valve diagnostics, and irrigation design. The content is easy to revisit, making it helpful for onboarding new employees or refreshing what you know before those spring projects begin.

https://www.hunterirrigation.com/online-training
 

Regency Wire's Electrical and Lighting Fundamentals

Electrical issues are often the root cause of irrigation and lighting problems, and they're also some of the most expensive mistakes to fix later. Regency's training resources focus on grounding, wire splicing, decoder systems, and troubleshooting electrical issues at valves and controllers.

These online videos are available in English and Spanish, and the topics are specific and practical, covering problems you might see on job sites.

https://regencywire.com/training-education/
 

Use the Slow Season to Your Advantage

Training doesn't need to take weeks to improve your performance. A few focused sessions during the winter can lead to better planning and fewer surprises once your work starts back again.