ESPA Launches EST Certification, Seeks Potential Techs at Vocational Schools

The Electronic Systems Professional Alliance (ESPA) – formed by top CE trade organizations to create a "career-ready workforce for the electronic systems contracting industry" -- is increasing its focus on high schools and technical colleges.

"That's where the big numbers are going to be," says executive director Grant Mydland.

Over 100,000 young adults attend architecture and construction training every year, according to Mydland. Add IT and science/math training to the mix and that number rockets to 3.2 million.

To tap that market, ESPA has launched a pilot program with Indianapolis-based Walker Career Center to provide hands-on training for students interested in home construction and electronics.

The students already have built 23 homes since Walker's program began. "They've done the wood paneling, foundation, sheet rock …," says Mydland. "Now they're doing low voltage work."

The aim is to get these students excited enough about the electronic systems trade, and prepared enough to pursue certification as an Electronic Systems Technician (EST).

"In the long term, the opportunity for us is to replace traditional vocational educational training to focus on jobs for the future," he adds.

To be sure, ESPA has a big job ahead. The organization must create a "turnkey package" that includes instructor guides, educational materials, guidelines for hands-on training and more.

Mydland also would like to see a way for more professionals with real-life experience to participate in the educational process. For example, he says, "I would love a way for retirees to bypass teaching certification."

ESPA Still Focused on Traditional Channel

The low-hanging fruit for ESPA is the community of CE Pros that already values training and certification.

So, despite its increased activity in academic settings, ESPA still is tending to the traditional trades, and for that the organization is launching a campaign called "Choice."

For technicians, "It's their choice if they want to succeed," Mydland says. "You can watch your colleagues advance and your paycheck stay the same, or you can choose" to progress.

Integrators, too, have the choice of hiring certified techs or getting them certified.

Mydland acknowledges integrators' fears that, "If I train them, they will leave."

But the solution is not to not train them, Mydland says: "The number one concern of employees is: Does my employer care for me? Where am I in my career?"

With that in mind, integrators need to remind their installers – in whom they've made a substantial investment -- "I take care of you. I'm making a commitment to you."

Still, Mydland concedes that the industry needs help learning how to keep trained techs loyal.

The third leg of the "Choice" campaign is the consumers, who "have a choice to require certified technicians to work in their homes."

The consumer (or builder or end-user) angle is tricky, and one that CEA, CEDIA and NSCA have all tried to tackle.

For ESPA's part, "I just care about the certification being done," Mydland says. "The industry has to do a better job talking about certification."

Certification is Launched

ESPA beta-tested its EST certification exam at Infocomm in June and CEDIA in September.

From that, Mydland says, "We learned there is a significant need for it – for technicians that never had certification and really want to make a commitment, not just working at Dads, but taking ownership."

EST candidates can sit for real for the certification exam at CES 2009 in Las Vegas.

The ESPA review course will be held Saturday, January 10, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The exam runs the same day from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The EST curriculum covers five key domains: electrical basics; tools; construction methods and materials; wiring and installation practices; and standards, codes, and safety practices.

Candidates can find out more about the program at http://www.espa.org and register for the course and exam at http://www.cesweb.org.

ESPA was formed in November 2006 by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) and the National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA)