PEAK Instructor Training

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Professional Education And Knowledge (PEAK) Instructor Training  

Dear IRWA Members:  

The International Right of Way Association (IRWA) is seeking qualified individuals in the United States and Canada who are interested in becoming IRWA instructors. Applicants should have relevant education, qualifications, and professional experience in one or more disciplines within the right of way and infrastructure field.  

If you are interested, we invite you to submit a letter of interest to the International Professional Education Committee (IPEC) to be considered for participation in IRWA’s Professional Education and Knowledge (PEAK) Instructor Development Training, which will take place April 10–11, 2026, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Plainfield Indianapolis Airport.  

Your letter of interest should include:

1) A brief explanation of your rationale for wanting to become an IRWA instructor.

2) The IRWA course you believe you are qualified to instruct, after having reviewed and confirmed that you meet the course’s specific instructor qualification requirements found here. This course will serve as your focus throughout the PEAK training. If you need access to a digital copy of the course materials, please indicate this after receiving your confirmation letter.

3) Identification of the applicable Course Series (course descriptions are available here).

4) A copy of your Course 219: Adult Communication Principles and Methods completion certificate, or proof of registration to attend Course 219 prior to the PEAK commencement date. (Please note that attendance at PEAK is dependent on the successful completion of Course 219.)

5) Short biographical sketch (4–6 sentences) outlining your occupational experience, professional achievements, and past presentation and/or teaching experience, if applicable.

6) Your resume, reflecting a minimum of five years of right of way experience, along with 2–3 professional references.

7) At least one letter of recommendation from one of the following: your Chapter President, Chapter Education Chair, Region Chair, or Region Vice Chair.

Please submit your letter of interest with attachments to IRWA Education Coordinator Nathan Cruzado at cruzado@irwaonline.org by Friday, February 13, 2026.  

Confirmation letters will be sent no later than Friday, February 27, 2026. Applicants accepted into the April 2026 PEAK Instructor Development Training will then be eligible to register for the training and make appropriate travel arrangements.  

At the conclusion of the PEAK training, you will be able to:
• Understand how to become a compelling IRWA instructor.
• Develop, practice, and apply engaging instructional tools.
• Identify the IRWA’s Instructor Standards.
• Recognize what learning does and does not look like.
• Understand the importance of and demonstrate checking for understanding.
• Demonstrate subject matter expertise.
• Create a dynamic learner-centered experience for your participants.  

Travel and hotel accommodations are the responsibility of the participant. Complimentary breakfast will be provided by the hotel, and lunch will be provided on both days of the training.  

Please note there are a maximum of 30 seats available to attend this in-person training.  
Selection & Assessment
Selection will be made by the IPEC Instructor Development Subcommittee based on geographic and discipline-area needs and the quality of the letter of interest.  

New requirement: To attend the PEAK program, participants must also have successfully completed Course 219: Adult Communication Principles and Methods.  

Applicants not selected will be placed on a waiting list for a future PEAK Instructor Development Training.  

During the training, participants will complete four assessments requiring them to present, instruct, and facilitate (definitions provided below). Based on performance, participants will receive one of the following assessment ratings: Acceptable, Exceptional, or Unsuccessful. The Assessment Criteria and PEAK Instructor Standards can be found here.  

If you receive an Acceptable or Exceptional score, you will be eligible to become an IRWA Instructor, provided you:  
1. Are an IRWA member in good standing.
2. Complete the course identified in your Letter of Interest that aligns with your qualifications, skills, and experience prior to your first teaching assignment.  

Please note: Participants receiving an Acceptable score will be required to team-teach at least once with an experienced, qualified IRWA instructor before teaching independently.

Participants receiving an Unsuccessful score will receive detailed feedback and may apply to attend a future PEAK Instructor Development Training.  

Once approved as an IRWA Instructor, you may choose to teach in-person classes, virtual courses, or both. Those who choose to teach virtually must complete a one-hour training with IRWA Education staff prior to their first class using IRWA’s virtual classroom platform.  

On behalf of the IPEC Instructor Development Subcommittee, we look forward to receiving your letter of interest for the IRWA PEAK Instructor Development Training.

Sincerely,  
Lee Hamre, SR/WA, R/W-RAC, R/W-URAC
Chair, International Professional Education Committee (IPEC)            

Presentation is a means of communicating information, ideas, or arguments to a group to inform, persuade, inspire, or entertain. A specific topic must be conveyed in a limited amount of time and the audience is typically not tested. In the context of IRWA, a presentation might be given at a chapter meeting or a session at the Annual International Education Conference. Generally, the presenter does not expect to be interrupted during the allotted time with questions or discussion and typically does not engage the audience to gather new information. As a result, since there are no consequences for missing the message, the audience members choose to what extent they wish to be engaged.  

Instruction is the act of teaching a specific lesson using a systematic method. It is similar to a presentation (and actually involves presentation skills) in that there is a specific topic to be conveyed; however, instruction is intended to result in a transfer of specific information and requires indication as to whether or not the knowledge transfer has occurred. In other words, the instructor is required to check for understanding. Checking may be accomplished using a variety of methods such as an exercise, a test, or a survey during/following the instruction to determine whether the audience gained the intended knowledge.  

Facilitation is an interactive process that uses various techniques to transfer knowledge. It also provides a safe environment for individuals to develop new skills and apply knowledge. When facilitating, only a portion of the message is pre-determined, and the experience of the audience becomes part of the knowledge transferred. Discussion, questions, and audience participation are expected throughout. When facilitating, you must convey the topic and the intention of the facilitation, manage the interactions, monitor the time spent on each topic, bring the discussion to conclusion, and summarize the results.            

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