Commercial Integrator March 2021 - 26

CAREER DEVELOPMENT
training will increasingly be available live
during the event via videoconferencing
and/or recorded and accessible online
after the event
For commercial AV, the tradeshows of
note should be InfoComm (and ISE), NAB,
and CES. Examples of trade events for resellers
are offerings from multiline distributors
such as the Almo E4, Ingram Micro Pro
AV Summit, Synnex VISUALSolv Immersive
Exchange events, and Exertis Big Book
of AV. At each one they and their vendors
provide presentations and training, many of
which carry CTS RU credits.
Lest you think commercial AV is only
about specific technologies and hardware,
think again. It is first and foremost a
business and this requires training as well.
Three industry associations stand out in this
regard, NSCA and AVIXA for commercial
AV and the DSF for digital signage.
The NSCA (National Systems Contractor
Association) has a storied history in the
commercial AV space and their focus is
the business versus the technology of AV.
A wealth of resources on their website
include an Essentials Library filled with
best practices documents and templates
for companies looking to put together
processes and strategies.
NSCA's annual Business & Leadership
Conference (BLC) is a unique executive
conference in that it purposely avoids
product and technology related sessions,
essentially creating a business retreat for
forward-thinking company leaders. Their
annual Pivot to Profit delves more into
technology-related topics in the context
of a business transformation event. The
non-profit NSCA Education Foundation,
meanwhile, aims to expand the industry's
talent pool through its Ignite career education
and recruiting program, and offers
countless scholarships to fuel the careers of
industry up-and-comers.
As noted previously, AVIXA (the Audiovisual
and Integrated eXperience Association)
is best known for InfoComm which by all
accounts is the premier commercial AV
industry trade event each year. While this
focuses on the technologies and tools of the
trade, certifications such as the CTS address
business issues that relate to the operation
of an integration firm. AVIXA also conducts
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Commercial Integrator MARCH 2021
Myriad manufacturers offer training on their
specific products. Make sure you're learning the
specifics of products you install most often.
market research and has webinars throughout
the year that touch on business topics.
The DSF is the not-for-profit independent
voice of the digital signage industry,
reflecting the diverse constituencies that
make up the industry. Their goal is to continue
building a strong foundation for the
advancement of the industry. To this end,
they partner with their members and key organizations
to provide education, networking,
and business advocacy to continue
moving the growth of the industry forward.
So whether someone is launching a new
ad-based or information-based network, or
they've been around since the inception of
digital signage, their role is to provide the
resources you need to thrive.
Ongoing Education
The commercial AV and digital signage
industries are ones that provide or enhance
an audiovisual experience and solve
problems for end users that stand in the
way of them attaining their goals. The tools
used to provide the experience and solve
those problems are a tangled web of technologies
brought together in AV, digital
signage, and IT systems.
The daunting job of the integrator is
to understand and embrace all that goes
into AV and digital signage systems. This
goes beyond the speeds and feeds of
individual products. We must understand
the underlying theories of audio, video, IT
and the dynamics of content and viewer
engagement along with best practices and
then apply them to the needs of our clients.
This requires ongoing training!
Our industries are constantly in motion
(moving targets come to mind) and evolving.
There is always something new that
we need to know. I like to say that I am not
impressed with what I know but rather what
I do not know.
I should add the word " yet " to that
statement. The good news is that the
information in " yet " is all readily available,
but not in a single place. It all begins with
the creation of an education plan. This is
a marathon, and not a sprint. It takes time
and dedication. Certifications are the best
path forward, followed by more advanced
training in individual areas.
Hopefully, we have provided some direction
toward meeting your own educational
goals. The net result is being part of an
ever-evolving industry that provides a true
value to those we serve. CI
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Commercial Integrator March 2021

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