The CEDIA Foundation has opened applications for “Your Future, Fully Integrated,” a scholarship designed to support individuals entering the professional smart home and custom integration industry through free training and career coaching.
The initiative builds off the 100 Techs in 100 Days program the Foundation ran in 2025 with Chairperson David Weinstein stating the 2025 program “demonstrated what can happen when we make the path into this industry more accessible.”
More details on ‘Your Future, Fully Integrated’ custom integration scholarship
Selected applicants from the US, UK, India, Australia, and Canada will receive a grant covering the full cost of CEDIA’s Smart Home Fundamentals online learning pathway.
According to the CEDIA Foundation, the 20-hour, self-paced training aims to provide the foundational knowledge needed to begin working as a technician. Topics include audio, video, wire and cabling, termination and testing, construction methods and materials, project processes, equipment installation, retrofit installation techniques, safety practices, and building codes and standards.
After completing the online coursework, recipients in select US and UK markets will be invited to attend a hands-on CEDIA Residential Bootcamp, where they can apply their new skills and receive expert guidance from experienced industry professionals.
The hands-on training will take place at CEDIA’s US and UK headquarters as well as partner training facilities. Recipients will also receive a free career coaching consultation from Amplify People, a talent partner serving AV and integration professionals, to support their next steps in the industry.
Why integrators should take note
Despite the growth of custom integration (CI) over the years, workforce development remains a point of weakness within the industry. It should be noted, however, that skilled technicians are not the only positions in high demand currently, as CE Pro’s Wage & Salary study recently uncovered that sales personnel adept at intricacies of CI are just as, if not even more, in demand than technicians.
Still, technicians stand as the backbone of the industry, and until CI is able to develop robust talent pipelines akin to other building trades, initiatives like those run by the CEDIA Foundation stand as some of the few unified efforts to bring more awareness to this burgeoning channel.
“Programs like Your Future, Fully Integrated are only possible because of the generosity of our donors and the commitment of the smart home community to keep building the workforce of tomorrow,” said Tara Guertin, CEDIA Foundation Operations & Workforce Development Manager. “We encourage everyone in the channel to help spread the word. There may be someone in your network with the skills and passion to succeed in this industry who simply has not yet discovered this career path.”
Eligibility and where to apply
Your Future, Fully Integrated is accepting applications now through Nov. 13. Eligible applicants include individuals age 18 and older with transferable skills from adjacent trades such as construction, networking, and information technology, near or recent graduates, and people passionate about technology and its ability to positively impact people’s lives.
Applicants who meet CEDIA’s student membership eligibility requirements are also encouraged to take advantage of the free resource, which is available to individuals currently enrolled full time in an accredited school, college, university, or training program, as well as those who have graduated from a full-time program during the current calendar year.
Student members receive access to educational content, industry insights and trend reports, invitations to events, connections to a global professional network, and more.
For more information about Your Future, Fully Integrated, eligibility requirements, and available training locations, readers are instructed to visit https://cediafoundation.org/your-future-fully-integrated.
