The shortage of labor is not unique to the custom installation market, but it has been an ongoing struggle for many years. CEDIA is tackling the issue head on in several ways. First, the association unveiled its Next Gen Smart Home Career Toolkit to help integrators connect with the next generation of employees. Also, CEDIA unveiled its slate of 80 sessions for CEDIA Expo 2023 education this fall in Denver.
Mandy Beckner, vice president of education and training at CEDIA, reviewed both the initiatives with CE Pro in this podcast episode.
The CEDIA NextGen: Smart Home Career Toolkit is designed to help integrators forge connections with local talent pipelines. The kit includes ready-to-use resources employers can present to colleges, trade schools, government agencies, community centers and more. Community outreach assets include:
- Informative and energetic industry promotional video
- Presentations explaining the industry and viable career pathways
- Quick facts sheet
- Jobseeker brochure
- Print-ready promotional poster
- Classroom presentation for integrators
CEDIA NextGen: Smart Home Career Toolkit also includes resources for individuals looking to begin a career in the smart home industry, such as:
- A guide to career pathways
- An overview of skills needed at each stage
- Average salary ranges by title
- A guide to relevant certifications and credentials
Beckner describes how should dealers use it by taking it to a local career fair to conduct in-class presentations, or educate career counselors about the industry. The Toolkit offers leave-behind assets for guidance offices, career centers and employment offices.
This new kit comes at a great time. A recent Bank of America survey of more than 1,000 small businesses nationwide showed business owners are increasingly focused on employee retention as they struggle to find talent. In fact, 34% of small business owners plan to increase their staff head count, that is up from 26%. Moreover, a recent study by JobSage designates an AV technician is the Most Interesting No Degree Job in the U.S. with growth expected for that role through 2031. Using data from ZipRecruiter, the study showed the average AV tech makes $40,000 to $60,000 per year, with that expected to grow. According to ZipRecruiter, 72% of people said jobseekers would skip college if their job did not require it.
At the same time integrators are seeking new employees, they are working to retain their existing staffs. Over the past 12 months, 53% of small businesses say they have added additional benefits and perks to existing compensation packages. Over half have increased base pay, 34% gave cost-of-living bonuses (34%), 33% gave out more vacation time (33%), and 27% added additional training resources for employees.
It’s that last statistic that leads into CEDIA Expo. The show, which takes place Sept. 6-9 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, features 80 CEDIA course, of which more than half of them are brand new, according to Beckner.
“We have a fantastic program for CEDIA Expo 2023 education. The conference starts on September 6 and runs through September 8. September 6 is the day before the show starts. That means there’s a full day dedicated to education for the trade show even opens. Ultimately there’s also a day on the end of Expo dedicated to getting the business done of the trade show having a deep, engaging experiences,” she says.
Among the 80 sessions, CEDIA is bringing back a one-day program dedicated to rack building for technicians. There are also a blend of other workshops that same day, as well as seminars, panel discussions and case studies. Attendees can get an All Access Pass to attend all sessions at the show.
Hear much more from Beckner by listening to or downloading the podcast above. Find past episodes of the CE Pro Podcast by subscribing to the CE Pro YouTube channel or our Apple and Spotify podcast feeds.