AudioControl and Home Technology Association (HTA) have sponsored over 30 scholarships through PrepTECH’s Dallas pilot project and are now helping dealers hire the first graduates, according to an announcement from the recently formed workforce service specialist.

In a joint mission to add fresh talent to the industry, scholarships are awarded to high-potential candidates who enter the PrepTECH credentialing program.

PrepTECH is an end-to-end find, vet, train, and place firm that offers aptitude testing, foundational training, and a job preparation program that will graduate the next 12 scholars in September. The group’s founders, industry veterans Paul Starkey, Helen Heneveld, and Mark Weisenberg, recently detailed its launch and efforts to bring new talent into the custom industry on a CE Pro Podcast.

AudioControl and HTA dealers/members will have the first opportunity to hire these candidates. Dealers pay a $1,000 annual subscription to have access to candidates, and the sponsors support the dealers with a $500 credit on the first two hires, PrepTECH explains. The placement fee for each hire is $2,000.

“As a founding sponsor, we believe it is important to help our dealers address the workforce shortage,” says Alexa Camara, president, AudioControl.

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PrepTECH Eyes National Rollout; 400 Applicants in 6 Months

PrepTECH is looking to use its vetting, training, and interviewing platform throughout the country following the rollout in the Dallas area. PrepTECH has had over 400 applicants in the past six months and is geared to process more than 100 scholars a month, the group says.

“It’s a well-known problem in the industry that growth is being held back by lack of available talent. We love what PrepTECH is doing to address the labor shortage problem in the industry; everyone wins when more techs enter our ever-growing industry,” says HTA founder Josh Christian.

The sponsor program has two levels; Brand Level at $8,000 for companies or brands under $20M can sponsor up to 20 branded scholarships and provide 20 $500 credits to their subscribing dealers, and Corporate Level at $15,000 for larger brands and companies can sponsor 40 branded scholarships and provide 80 $500 credits to their subscribing dealers. Sponsors can text BRAND or CORP to Starkey at 859-492-9801 to get enrolled.

The 36-hour credentialing program developed by PrepTECH is also available to all integrators who want to take advantage of the testing and training program (no subscription fee if the dealer provides the scholar), the company notes.

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