Each year we try to focus on a handful of pro AV industry trends that integrators should think about. This year, we’re thinking more broadly about trends that will impact the next decade of integration. This had me thinking about diversity and how this space is still somehow lacking in age, race, and gender diversity.
The first general realization I had about the pro AV industry hit me when I was interviewing for my first position with Commercial Integrator, and it went something like this: “huh… what actually is ‘AV’?!”
The second realization I had – after diving headfirst into covering this new-to-me space and then spending my third week on the job covering InfoComm 2017 – went something like: “huh… there really are a lot of old white guys in AV!”
Related: I’ve Covered the AV Industry for Only 3 Weeks – Here are My Impressions
The idea that this industry has a lack of young people, women, and racial diversity is nothing new. And, look, I can almost hear the eyeballs roll in some of your heads.
Whatever your feelings on diversity and its place in pro AV, there is no arguing that there is a lack of it; or that the lack of it has real, meaningful effects on the people who comprise the space.
I’m not going to stand on any soapbox. We’ve already talked about this issue and why it’s a problem for pro AV businesses.
But if you’re still of the opinion that this is a non-issue and that nothing could possibly go wrong if the status quo remains unchanged, consider these points:
- According to a 2019 CI survey of 465 AV industry professionals, just 9.9% said they were women, and about 90% said they were white or Caucasian. Why? This raises questions about whether or not there is a clear path to pro AV open for those who aren’t coming from similar backgrounds.
- Most integration firms report that finding talented, young talent is difficult. So why not take the extra step to ensure a more diverse applicant pool?
Diversity Efforts Currently in Place
So how is the pro AV diversity problem going to be solved?
There’s the AVIXA Diversity Council, a group dedicated to the idea that solving diversity problems in pro AV should be about opening doors, not labeling them.
“With variety comes options and options spark a higher level of satisfaction. Ask yourselves, would an AV integrator be valuable to a client if they only integrated one type of room system, standardized on one type of product, or had one type of design?” says chairwoman Charmaine Torruella.
“Diversity goes beyond race, gender, and faith. It also touches mental and physical disabilities, culture, age, military service people, etc. Diversity in the AV industry will promote growth and place AV more in the forefront of the technology sector.”
AVIXA also has a Women’s Council, obviously focused more acutely on the imbalance of gendered power in the pro AV industry.
They work with integration firms to help connect them with qualified women candidates, but they also work with other STEM-based nonprofits to facilitate a future where women will want to train in technology fields and become tomorrow’s AV leaders.
These programs are the backbone of efforts currently in place, but the real challenge is convincing the people – some of whom may be reading this currently – that they have to be more proactive now if they want their business to be in good hands in the future.
Integration firms: if you wish you had a larger pool of qualified applicants to choose from, you have to accept that breeding a very “samey-samey” space doesn’t help matters.
Remember my first realization I told you about at the beginning? I – as a white male, someone who by rights should have a greater chance at knowing about the pro AV industry – didn’t even know it existed before this job.
So in 2020, it will be more important than ever to take a critical look at your company: is there a reasonable gender and racial balance? Do you do enough to reach out to younger job applicants? If you own or co-own the business, do you have a transition plan in place for when you choose to retire?
If your answer to any of those questions is uncertain or flat-out “no,” consider reaching out to any one of these organizations:
- AVIXA Diversity & Women’s Councils
- AVIXA partnerships with colleges across the nation (such as Columbia College & Full Sail University)
- Women in AV
- Maverick Technical Institute in New Hampshire
- NSCA Ignite Program
