Articles and whitepapers

Education for All (2/2/2005)

By Michael Eden, CEDIA

In this rapidly-growing industry, high-quality education and training are critical to the successful expansion of custom installation in the UK and across Europe.

The areas of home technology, automation and integration continue to undergo rapid expansion and change. In order to be equipped to profit from this market growth, installers need comprehensive education and training in the latest technologies, installation techniques and business skills. Well-educated and professionally-run companies must be able to guarantee homeowners and building specifiers the highest standards of knowledge, proficiency and service.

Training should be an on-going objective, no matter what the level. Most custom install professionals do a bulk of their skills training at the CEDIA UK Expo and some supplement that with training at the US Expo. In addition, most manufacturers and distributors offer product-based training throughout the year. With the introduction of certification, CEDIA members are encouraged to attend a specific number of training courses over a three-year period. All CEDIA training is given a CEU (Continuing Education Units) point allocation which counts towards this, and we are in the process of assessing manufacturer training for CEU points as well.

In line with successful templates used in the US, CEDIA UK runs its expo seminar programme based on five career tracks for installers, designers, sales people, project managers and business owners. This career-track approach gives CEDIA's education a 'curriculum' style foundation and allows custom installers to have a more structured approach to their educational goals.

CEDIA UK Expo 2004

Courses and costs

The list of seminars is extensive. At last year's CEDIA UK event, we held over 70 courses as well as 4 business/management-focussed courses at our regional events. CEDIA's education covers all elements of the residential custom installation business from designing, installing and sales, through to project management. But it also includes some more diverse workshops and seminars including one on the latest technology available from Silicon Valley.

The courses for expo and regional events in 2005 will include a repeat of our more popular courses as well as the introduction of a number of new courses, some of which have been influenced by the US curriculum, while others will be specifically targeted at our market. There are also a number of new ideas in the pipeline, including Installer Level 2 Certification and Boot Camp, but CEDIA's education does not stop with its members. We are also customising training for architects, interior designers, consumers and ex HM Forces employees as part of a resettlement scheme, enabling us to bring newly-qualified staff into the industry.

We believe that in order to grow and to encourage a certain standard within the industry, training should be accessible to all - with the exception of certification which is restricted to CEDIA members only. Our training courses can be attended by anyone in the trade, but the cost to CEDIA members is discounted. Costs are dependant on the length and content of the course as well as whether they are pre-booked, but a majority of the courses typically cost about GB£50 for members, and GB£75 for non-members. Membership of CEDIA for designers/installers costs GB£411.25 per year.

The Expo seminar programme for 2005 will continue to provide a diverse range of learning opportunities for custom installers. It will also increasingly embrace those coming into contact with custom installation from other perspectives, be they architects, interior designers, lighting designers, builders, electrical contractors, property developers et al. We recognise that such professionals have an important influence on residential end-users - after all, custom installation may be just one aspect of the overall job. Keeping abreast of technological developments can be very difficult for those not fully immersed in the technology on a day-to-day basis, but it is far easier for all concerned, if the appointed architect or interior designer is, at the very least, talking our language.

Training session at CEDIA UK Expo

European expansion

Another landmark for Expo 2004 courses was the delivery of seminars in French and Italian. This is a trend which we aim to continue and grow in future, in line with our European initiative to increase membership throughout the region. To encourage growth in these areas, CEDIA is working with existing manufacturer and distributor members to present the CEDIA Foundation Course, either in English or in their own language, at least once during that year. We will also be actively promoting CEDIA education and training events to European designers/installers through this same channel in the months and years ahead.

Certification

Finally, the CEDIA Expo education programme offers members the chance to sit the Installer Level I Grounder exams and become certified installers. As a result of the certification programme, we now have 76 CEDIA-certified installers among our members. By establishing clear, objective standards for the required skills and knowledge of electronics system designers and installers, CEDIA Professional Certification delivers a range of benefits to individuals, consumers, and manufacturers. The certification program establishes identifiable career paths and promotes the development of a future workforce that can assure the continued growth of the custom electronics industry. To ensure the highest degree of professionalism and competency, all certified professionals must take a minimum number of CEUs to maintain their certification. This requirement ensures that they always stay current in their skills and knowledge.

The CEDIA Expo 2005 at the Birmingham International Convention Centre, 27-30 June 2005, will include a number of new courses and improvements to existing courses. It will also be the venue for a dedicated Architect's Conference on custom installation and other added-value education related features.

Other events

CEDIA education and training is not just about Expo. The October 2004 Regional Training Event was a sell-out success, with over 90 delegates attending the two days of training and activities. On 17-18 March we are hosting another Regional Training Event, this time in Leeds, and another major autumn event is scheduled to take place on 5-6 October in Bournemouth.

Regional CEDIA training session

Reaching architects

In 2004 CEDIA expanded its CPD (Continuing Professional Development) Training Course for architects and building industry professionals. Under the 'Designing Future Ready Homes' banner, these courses ran at four roadshows nationwide, and a further seven are being organised for 2005. These will take place in London (1 March), Leeds (16 March), Glasgow (19 April), Cambridge (18 May), Southampton (4 October), Leicester (12 October) and Liverpool (19 October). The aim is to reach out with the custom installation message to more regions, more venues and more architects who can work with members to integrate technology into the fabric of new and renovated homes. CEDIA has also recently joined RIBA (Royal Institute British Architects) as a Manufacturer Network Provider to boost the visibility and credibility of custom installation. Indeed the Designing Future Ready Homes course is currently undergoing RIBA approval to increase its profile and value as a CPD course.

Reaching the consumer

With all of this activity going on, we remain conscious of our responsibility to raise the custom installer profile amongst homeowners, and build the value of CEDIA membership in the eyes of customers. As a result, CEDIA will be presenting seminars at a number of consumer events next year. So far, we are contributing to the seminar programme at The Smart Home Show (14-17 April), the Bathrooms and Kitchen Expo (8-10 May) and Grand Designs Live! (10-12 June). We are also in discussions with a number of other event organisers about providing CEDIA-led seminars to consumer audiences.

Michael Eden is the Education Facilitator for CEDIA UK. He most recently served as a headteacher at a large secondary school in Surrey, and has also worked with several government departments on training- and education-related issues.

For more details on any of the educational events or training activities highlighted above, please contact the CEDIA office on +44 (0)1462 627377 or email wendy@cedia.co.uk.

www.cedia.co.uk