CEDIA is working to ease the labor shortage crisis affecting many of its members by affirming its commitment to workforce development and veterans’ employment.
The association's workforce development initiative, which is being led by former association head Don Gilpin, seeks to provide a comprehensive solution to one of the most consistently voiced pain points of CEDIA members — lack of a qualified workforce.
The new initiative lays the foundation to begin filling the pipeline with skilled home technology professionals.
“Our industry is growing at a rapid pace with more than 50 billion devices expected to be connected by 2020. We are prioritizing the development of our workforce to answer the needs of our members,” says Vincent Bruno, CEO of CEDIA. “The strategic two-pronged approach, developed with insight from our research team, our members and our stakeholders, will allow for industry professionals and veterans to confidently and knowledgeably navigate a career path within this industry.”
CEDIA is working with the U.S. Veterans Administration through its Transition Assistance Program to ensure a career path within the home technology industry is presented as a viable option by a professional career counselor.
Additionally, CEDIA is working with the U.S. Department of Labor to develop a nationwide, updated apprenticeship program for the Electronic Systems Technician. The new apprenticeship program lays out training and testing more clearly and allows for scalability depending on skill levels.
Workforce development initiatives have been and will continue to be a priority for CEDIA for the coming year. Gilpin is now the director of CEDIA's Workforce Development and Veterans Employment program.
