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Each year, Pool Spa Patio Expo partners with the leading associations (such as PHTA) and industry leaders to provide additional education and certification opportunities. So fly in a few days early and join us to gain business-building knowledge that you can use to build a thriving, sustainable business. All pre-conference sessions include a Super Pass and access to the Expo!
GENESIS®, a company of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance, provides the only education that fulfills the requirements for the Certified Builder Professional (CBP) certification. Their premier pool industry education program features over 100 accredited courses in business, construction, engineering, and design, which are taught by subject matter experts with decades of hands-on experience.
Schedule:
Continuing Education Units:
*Register early and receive complimentary CBP certification testing onsite—a valuable benefit exclusively for early bird registrants. After the early bird registration period ends, you'll receive an email with a special code to secure your free testing slot.
Description:
Attendees spend three days with a team of expert faculty, learning all the necessary disciplines for building a structurally sound water vessel. Topics covered include site analysis, introductory fluid engineering, geotechnical and structural engineering that includes a review of difficult sites, shotcrete, waterproofing, tile, interior finishes, coping, and concrete decking.This program is designed to move each student through all phases of concrete pool construction in great detail, unlike anything else offered in the industry. Attendees have the opportunity to learn from top experts in their field, ask questions, and begin a relationship with the faculty that doesn't end when the class is over.
This is a required course to become a Certified Builder Professional.
Schedule:
Continuing Education Units:
Description:
This course is an introduction to the fundamentals of good design and will teach you how to lay out the different improvements in your projects (e.g. pool, spa, patio, etc.). The instructor will break the fundamentals down into two categories: the Elements of Design and the Principles of Design. Once you have a good grasp of the fundamentals, you will learn how to apply them. You will start with short practice exercises and build up to a final project: creating a master plan that includes a pool and spa.
This is a required course to become a Certified Expert Pool Builder & Design Professional.
Schedule:
Continuing Education Units:
Description:
This course is an introduction to the fundamentals of good design and will teach you how to lay out the different improvements in your projects (e.g. pool, spa, patio, etc.). The instructor will break the fundamentals down into two categories: the Elements of Design and the Principles of Design. Once you have a good grasp of the fundamentals, you will learn how to apply them. You will start with short practice exercises and build up to a final project: creating a master plan that includes a pool and spa.
This is a required course to become a Certified Expert Pool Builder & Design Professional.
Schedule:
Continuing Education Units:
Description:
This course is an intensive one-day workshop designed to elevate the understanding, creativity, and project leadership of build and design professionals tackling high-complexity residential and small-scale commercial outdoor environments. This course goes far beyond pool layout and finishes, examining how pools function as anchors within a comprehensive living environment that includes wellness features, architectural structures, hardscape, and site-responsive design strategies.
Participants will explore how to uncover client needs that extend beyond the typical, how to lead multidisciplinary teams, and how to create spaces that are not only functional and beautiful—but deeply rooted in architectural style, environmental context, and human wellness. Through guided lectures, case studies, design exercises, and a final project, students will combine design principles with strategic planning and real-world collaboration techniques.
The Certified Builder Professional (CBP) credential from GENESIS® is the industry’s nationally recognized starting point for professional pool builders. It delivers third‑party validation of your construction and business expertise, helps you stand out with clients, manufacturers, and buying groups, and builds customer trust. Earning CBP strengthens your ability to build smarter and safer to high technical standards while positioning you to advance through the GENESIS® builder pathway to Advanced and Master-level credentials—elevating credibility, competitiveness, and long‑term career growth.
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) is a non-profit organization with over 3,800 member companies, making it the largest trade association representing the pool, spa, and hot tub industry. Their internationally known professional certifications enable pool professionals to build thriving businesses and stand out from their competitors with credentials that prove their valuable skillsets.
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Description:
The CPO Certification is the world's leading verifiable pool and spa training credential for aquatic facility maintenance personnel, health officials, retailers, property owners, and other professionals. CPO® certification provides individuals with the basic knowledge, techniques, and skills of pool and spa operations. This training has helped protect millions of swimmers by reducing hazards at aquatic facilities. Upon course completion and successfully passing the exam, students will become Certified Pool & Spa Operators® (CPO®).
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Continuing Education Units:
Description:
This course takes you through the PHTA Service Tech Manual and gives you what you need to know to conform to industry standards. Whether you are starting out in the pool industry, have a new business, or want to ensure all your employees are recognized as the top of their craft, this course is the perfect opportunity! When you earn the CMS certification, you also earn a name for yourself in the pool industry as a maintenance person in the know.
NEW! The Pool & Hot Tub Business Playbook
Schedule:
Continuing Education Units:
Description:
The Pool & Hot Tub Business Playbook is a one-day, hands-on business growth experience built for owners, operators, managers, and emerging leaders who are ready to work on the business—not just in it. Designed specifically for pool, spa, hot tub, and aquatic industry professionals, this interactive program moves beyond traditional conference education by combining expert insight, peer discussion, and guided workbook activities that turn big ideas into practical next steps.
Throughout the day, attendees will tackle the real issues shaping today’s businesses, including operational friction, accountability, sales and marketing systems, HR and risk readiness, growth planning, succession, leadership capacity, and the practical use of AI. Each session is built around a simple but powerful model: learn from experienced industry voices, apply the concept directly to your own business, share ideas with peers, and identify what action should happen next.
Participants will leave with more than notes. They will walk away with a working Business Playbook, clearer priorities, practical tools, and three focused 90-day business plays they can bring back to their team and begin implementing immediately. This is a high-impact day for leaders who want to strengthen their systems, protect their margins, build stronger teams, and create a more scalable, future-ready business.
Women of Water (WOW)
Reading the Room: The Intelligence That Elevates Every Interaction
Speaker:
Dale Wilsher, PCC, CPLC, CCSP
Schedule:
November 16, 2026; 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Description:
* Registration includes lunch and a book
Gather for a half-day session with women in the industry to network, have fun and learn from dynamic keynote speaker and world-renowned author, Dale Wilsher.
Participants learn how to better understand themselves, read others more accurately, and recognize what’s really happening in the room—so they can communicate more clearly, build trust faster, and respond with intention instead of reaction.
Learning Objectives: Grounded in real-world application, this interactive session equips participants to:
The session will include table discussion, real-time application, and opportunities for participants to share and reflect on their own experiences.
The focus is both practical and personal—equipping participants with tools they can immediately apply in conversations, meetings, and leadership situations.
Why Become a Certified Pool Operator® (CPO®)?
Becoming a Certified Pool & Spa Operator® (CPO®) is a smart investment for pool professionals who are looking to grow their business, expand their skillset, and stay compliant with state and local health regulations. The CPO® certification, which PHTA offers during International Pool Spa Patio Expo, is nationally recognized and provides 16 PHTA continuing education units (CEUs), helping you meet licensing requirements while deepening your knowledge of pool and spa operations.
This credential demonstrates expertise in key areas like water chemistry, filtration, safety protocols, and facility management—making you a more trusted provider for clients and employers alike. Whether you’re a pool technician, property manager, or business owner, becoming a CPO® gives you a competitive edge in a growing market.
In addition to the CPO®, the International Pool Spa Patio Expo Pre-Conference offers other high-impact certifications — including Certified Maintenance Specialist®, Certified Pool & Spa Inspector® — and the GENESIS® program for builders and designers. Each course provides CEUs and career-building credentials that help you grow your service offerings, build client trust, and stand out from the competition.
Be among the first to hear about updates for Pool Spa Patio Expo 2026, including educational sessions, speakers, pre-conference offerings, suppliers/manufacturers, networking opportunities, and more.
