09.15.2009 — The CEDIA Learning Labs, which started as a gleam in the eye of CEDIA Education Council head Mike Creeden of M+R Digital Innovations, celebrated their one-year anniversary with some pomp and ceremony.

CEDIA leaders and sponsors gathered for some cookies and congratulations outside the lab rooms at CEDIA Expo 2009 in the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.

The four hands-on training labs are a venue for dealers and their technicians to “get their hands dirty” performing some actual installation tasks while being educated at the same time. The labs were sponsored by ADI, which pulled together a myriad of manufacturers to help fulfill the vision.

The four labs were:

• Cable, Connectors and Testing
• Video Display Technologies and Calibration
• Computers
• Audio and Component Installation

Tom Polson, president of ADI, said that the distributor was committed to the bringing hands-on education to CEDIA. “I can promise you that we will continue to be here,” he said.

Creeden said the need for the Learning Labs is greater than ever, adding that dealers need to continue to educate themselves “to stay relevant.”

Some of the training that took place included: terminating fiber, terminating cable or even understanding the specific fasteners that should be in every truck for wood, metal and concrete TV mounting.