In a move that could have a far-reaching impact on the state of industry education, veteran industry instructors David Peterson and William Drakeley have announced they are forming Watershape University, an independent educational resource focusing on design, engineering and construction of pools, spas, water features and landscapes.
Peterson and Drakeley announced the new venture following their departure from Genesis (formerly Genesis 3 Design School) on August 22. The pair said that the decision was prompted by a number of factors including recent organizational changes resulting from the unification of APSP and NSPF into the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance. (Genesis has been part of NSPF since 2015.)
The idea of branching out with their own educational resource grew out of their efforts to cross-train employees of their respective companies. “I wanted to add Bill’s expertise to the internal training of my team and he wanted his team to benefit from my knowledge, so we created a partnership to improve our businesses from the inside out,” Peterson explained in a press release announcing the move. “Now it seems appropriate to share our intellectual property and expertise with other companies in this industry that seek to improve their technical and business operations.”
Peterson and Drakeley bring decades of technical and business experience to Watershape University, including Peterson’s role as Genesis director of education and Drakely’s as deputy director of Genesis education, as well as his involvement with the American Shotcrete Association. For years, they have collaborated on construction projects and provided expert testimony in construction defect cases. They have taught classes on several aspects of business, design, engineering and construction in the pool, spa, aquatics and outdoor living industries.
“Our goal is to elevate our industry through high quality, consistent training and instruction from qualified industry professionals,” Drakeley says. “We believe we can better serve the watershaping industry by connecting with builders and their subcontractors.”
Watershape University has offices on both the east and west coast to maximize its ability to provide training and support throughout North America. It will offer programs beginning this winter. A course schedule and more details will be released in the coming months.
For more information go to www.watershape.org, and look for Watershape University on social media.
