Recruiting of young professionals is a challenge for the AV integration industry. Some have gone so far as to call it an “invisible industry.” (OK, that was me.)
Trade organizations NSCA and InfoComm are extremely focused on raising awareness of career opportunities in the AV integration industry by, respectively, providing multimedia collateral for integration firms to use to educate students at their local levels and working with colleges to weave appropriate pre-certification training into their curriculum.
They’re fighting the good fight because the AV integration industry is filled with folks who love their jobs. The more students and young professionals are aware of AV opportunities, the better it is for their careers and the industry.
We asked AV integration professionals what’s so great about this industry. Here’s what they said.
Chuck Wilson, executive director of NSCA, says there are “hundreds of things” that make the AV industry great, but he was willing to narrow it down to three:
I have always loved the challenge and sense of accomplishment you get from taking a customer’s need, then forming a concept and turning that into a solution that exceeds the client’s expectation and delivers value beyond what was promised. In that sense it’s the perfect industry for those with a the people-pleasing mindset that is so prevalent in the AV industry.
Next would be the technology and with proper configuration and integration of user interfaces we can deliver a real wow factor. Each year something new surprises us and aids in our ability to continually wow our customers and give us the tools to develop repeat business with those existing clients.
In the end I think it’s the people. I often say we are like the Hotel California where you can check in anytime you want but you can never leave. Our industry has been blessed to have thousands of people who may switch jobs but never want to leave once they make friends and develop a network of peers. What makes this great is the relationships we’ve all built and the support and kindness and how we all help one another by sharing best practices and have each other’s back.
@commintegrator Great question! The people, #1. Also the chance to stay on the cutting edge of fun technology that enhances lives.
— KMB Comm (@KMB_Comm) July 26, 2016
Josh Shanahan, president of SVT, points to the wide-ranging impact that AV industry folks can make:
One of the greatest things about the AV industry is that it affects almost every industry, vertical market, age group, demographic and walk-of-life … even non-humans. AV is literally everywhere, it’s so prolific and will be even more so with IOT [Internet of Things] and the increase in demand for immersive interaction.
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Brad Walsh, president and COO of Beacon Communications, takes pride in being part of an industry that helps people become safer and to evolve how they work and live:
The AV integration industry is evolving at a tremendous pace. Our world has a perpetual desire for new technology and the good news is there are brilliant minds within our industry capable of fulfilling these desires. This industry has taken tremendous steps with its solutions to make our schools safer, to improve protection for our homes and to help our hospitals operate more effectively. While we will have our share of challenges ahead, I believe our industry has taken great strides to positively impact our community.
@commintegrator AV is fun!! That's why I love it. We get to make fun gadgets play nice, where our customers can enjoy the simplicity.
— Smizzle (@S_Smizzle) August 1, 2016
