CEDIA says it is working with industry, U.S. Congress and other government agencies to establish the “Technology Integrator” job class within the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) set of codes.
According to the professional smart home association, integrators are currently misclassified as a subsect of the electrical trade. CEDIA views this initiative as a crucial part of the organization’s mission to support its members and advance the smart home industry.
The initiative comes as the U.S. government is reviewing the 2018 SOC for potential revision in 2028. This review marks the beginning of the revision process, which includes consideration of new detailed occupations. CEDIA wants integrators to be recognized with a separate SOC occupational code in the revision that signifies them with the Technology Integrator job class.
According to Daryl Friedman, CEDIA’s global CEO and president, integrators have unique skills that should distinguish them from all other trades, including electricians.
“Their work encompasses a broad range of expertise, including networking, audiovisual systems, automation and smart home technologies, which requires an accurate and distinct classification within the SOC system,” Friedman says.
CEDIA Rallies Member Support for ‘Technology Integrator’ Job Class
CEDIA and other industry stakeholders are preparing comments for the SOC Policy Committee to advocate for the establishment of the new trade code for Technology Integrator. Doing so will ensure that technology integrators and their professional contributions are accurately recognized and classified.
The organization is also working with Congress to create a letter of support and is urging CEDIA members and the community to reach out to their Congressional representatives. The aim is to bring greater awareness to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics about the important of establishing the occupational code for the Technology Integrator job class.
CEDIA is encouraging its members to engage with their Congressional leadership by utilizing the pre-created template. Members will receive an email with the template and a prompt to participate.
“We call on our members and industry partners to join us in this critical advocacy effort,” added Friedman. “Your support can make a significant impact by reaching out to Congressional leaders and urging them to sign a letter to the BLS, emphasizing the need for this new detailed occupational code.”
According to CEDIA, these recent efforts are a follow-up to its recent “Smart Home Day on Capitol Hill,” the first ever advocacy day in Washington, DC for the custom integration industry. It also filed comments with the FCC, educating the commission on the critical work of integrators. These efforts expand CEDIA’s historical state-based work protecting the industry from harmful regulation, including an in-person delegation to Lansing, Michigan in October.
Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site CEPro on August 8, 2024. It has since been updated for Commercial Integrator’s audience.
