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Association Focus

Design School Enhanced to Meet Student, Employer Needs.

Associations Focus

Nov 1, 2004 12:00 PM

Design School Enhanced to Meet Student, Employer Needs.

ICIA/InfoComm: By Design

Anyone working with design of audiovisual facilities — systems sales professionals, designers, engineers, project and technology managers — can benefit from the newly redesigned Design School just released by InfoComm/ICIA.

Users can learn about and register for the InfoComm Design School online.

The changes significantly transform the school’s program from two five-day classroom courses to three three-day classroom courses. At the same time, students around the world will thrive on the new and updated curriculum content, offered in modular teaching units tailored to their work schedules and individual learning styles.

The new format usually includes one weekend day for each of the three classroom courses, a scheduling shift that enables students to spend less time away from their jobs and encourages support and involvement by their employers. Students now find it easier to attend the sessions in a more appropriate sequence.

In 2005, reflecting increasing convergence between presentations and IT systems, the design courses are scheduled to add information and training on DSP, networking, LANS, DVI, and HDTV signals. The teaching materials also place a greater emphasis on “best practices” and the opportunities to apply them as revealed by case studies.

The enhancements reflect a continuing trend within the association to stay ahead of the day-to-day needs of the audiovisual community. Design School joins other recently revised offerings including the InfoComm Essentials of the AV Industry Online, Install School Online, and Install School OnSite.

“Our goal is to provide top-quality education that meets the needs of audiovisual professionals around the world,” says Terry Friesenborg, CTS, ICIA senior vice president of education. “We believe this restructuring is the key to achieving that goal.”

NSCA: Getting Down to Business

NSCA Releases Resource in Time for New Legislative Session.

With the elections now over, industries like electronic systems should be preparing for the new legislative session coming in January. This means understanding the issues closest to home and targeting your state legislatures on the issues that matter most. For many systems integrators, licensure is real. For still many more, it is not far off. To help the industry, and our member companies specifically, NSCA is pleased to introduce a new resource — the Grassroots Action Center and Legislative Alert. It will help you understand the issues and make a difference in 2005.

STAY INFORMED

NSCA has just announced a new legislative tool accessible on www.nsca.org. There are two reasons you should use it: The first is to stay informed on the issues. Local, state, and federal governments impact our professional and personal lives, and unless something makes front-page news, it’s very difficult to stay up on all that is going on in the legislature. NSCA’s Legislative Alert highlights issues affecting the electronic systems industry. It also allows you to customize a search to your local area. An added benefit to the site is the e-news alerts. Sign up for this service, and news important to you will be emailed to your desktop.

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD

The second reason you should use NSCA’s new legislative tool is the Grassroots Action Center. Staying informed of policy is only half the battle — you need to have the ability to make your voice heard. To that end, a complete listing of all elected officials, customized to your district by zip code matching, with details on who’s who and all of their contact information will tell you who to contact. Then — what would you say? This, too, is a feature of the Grassroots Action Center, with pre-written letters that you can sign and email directly to an elected official. Or, you may create your own letter expressing your own views and send it to any government official you want to influence.

Because the electronic systems industry is comparatively new and continues to be regulated at such varying degrees, professionals need to express opinions on their unique skill sets. NSCA’s Grassroots Action Center provides people with timely information and a quick communications tool that will make campaigns stronger and harder to ignore. NSCA is deploying a strategy that larger associations and interest groups have known for years to be equally as effective as PAC money and donations: grassroots. Grassroots communications provide a way for the systems industry to compete with larger, better-funded interests.

Here is your chance to influence policy makers at a time when it matters most — before something negatively impacts you or your company. NSCA is dedicated to helping members take an active role in improving the business climate of electronic systems.

For more information about NSCA, visit www.nsca.org or call (800) 446-6722.

CEDIA: EST Boot Camp

Learning Opportunities for New Staff.

Let CEDIA Electronic Systems Technician (EST) Boot Camp turn your raw recruits into profitable pros in three days, Dec. 1 to 3, at CEDIA headquarters in Indianapolis.

CEDIA will take on the task of providing quality training, which will allow you to meet your other business obligations. Even better, new employees will be able to make a full profit contribution by getting up to speed. In just three days of short lectures and hands-on workshops, your employees will grow in knowledge, confidence, and skill. Upon returning home, your employees will be ready to go to work — and to make a greater contribution to your bottom line.

Make CEDIA EST Boot Camp a regular part of your training program — register today at www.cedia.org/bootcamp.

CEDIA EXPO 2004 IS A SUCCESS

The 2004 CEDIA EXPO set record attendance with more than 24,500 attendees, an increase of 2,000 from last year. Attendees kept busy visiting booths of the more than 500 exhibitors and attending various CEDIA activities.

Keynote speaker Nicholas Negroponte, MIT Media Lab founding chairman, spoke at the Keynote Breakfast. He challenged industry members to simplify products and systems. Negroponte offered thought-provoking insight into tomorrow’s use of energy and communication networking.

Howard Putnam, former president and CEO of Southwest Airlines, also spoke of strategies to improve business at the Annual Meeting & Membership Luncheon. Bottom-line improvement, leadership, and customer service were some of Putnam’s talking points. With his unique sense of humor, Putnam shared his experiences at two major airlines, emphasizing customer knowledge and maintaining a positive attitude.

Participants and observers of the Installer Olympics gathered to see the variety of skill exhibited during events such as the AmpToss, Attic Crawl, and Van Load. Jeremy Maia and Jeff Tomlinson of Anderson Audio, Morehead City, N.C., were the overall winners.

The 2005 CEDIA EXPO will be held in Indianapolis Sept. 7 to 11. Please contact Debbie Antrim or Jennifer Stewart at (800) 669-5329 for more information.

Electronic Lifestyles Announced at CEDIA EXPO 2004

For more information on CEDIA, visit www.cedia.org or call (800) 669-5329.

CEDIA honored 30 member companies at its annual EXPO, Sept. 8 to 12, for excellence in the custom electronics design and installation industry.

The Electronic Lifestyles Award winners were recognized on Saturday, Sept. 11, during a banquet at the Indiana Roof Ballroom. More than 90 companies entered the Designers’ Choice Awards, and 100 companies submitted products for the Manufacturers’ Excellence Awards.

In response to member suggestions, the guidelines for the Manufacturers’ Excellence Awards changed this year. The new guidelines eliminated the use of categories and recognized five Best New Products. In evaluating entries, the judges looked for the products that most enhanced a CEDIA dealer’s business. From revolutionary new technology to a simple widget that makes an installer’s life less stressful, the judges emphasized the product’s ability to ease the life of a custom installer. Categories were eliminated to offer awards to similar products, such as a DVD player and TV, which would have previously been limited to one winner.

For a complete list of the Manufacturers’ Excellence Awards, see Mark Johnson’s CEDIA wrap-up. Or visit www.cedia.org/awards/industry_recognition04.php for a complete list and photos of the winning entries. Congratulations to the 2004 Electronic Lifestyles Award winners.

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