While the show floor and demo rooms focused on new products are always the center of attention at CEDIA Expo, it’s always a good reminder that the annual tradeshow also delivers tons of education and training opportunities too.
To help get CEDIA Expo attendees thinking about what kinds of sessions to add into their schedules this year in Denver, I spoke with Mandy Beckner, vice president of education and training to get the lowdown in this week’s CE Pro Podcast episode.
Mandy is especially jazzed about the education agenda for the Sept. 6-9 CEDIA Expo at the Colorado Convention Center, where the learning opportunities start on Sept. 6; the show floor opens Sept. 7. (Register for the Expo here.)
“I’ve been living and breathing this for a long time, and I’m pretty excited,” she says. “You can come and have a day dedicated to preparing yourself for getting on that show floor and having conversations with the manufacturers and trade suppliers on all things that you need for your business. Vice-versa, there’s a day fully dedicated to the trade show floor following the conference, on Saturday.”
The bulk of this year’s conference schedule consists of about 80 sessions, Beckner says. There are lots of new courses as well as popular returning classes instructed by many of the association’s familiar names.
“There will be hands-on workshops, panelist discussions, case studies, certification review sessions, things that are discussion- and project-based, and things that are primarily getting information and fresh ideas from key leaders in our industry,” Beckner notes.
“We’ve got a lot happening across a wide range of tracks, something for everyone.” Beckner had given CE Pro Podcast listeners a taste of what to expect during a previous podcast appearance earlier this year.
Of course, as usual much of the education slate is tied to continuing education units (CEUs) that integrators can earn by increasing their skill levels. Beckner adds that it’s a great way for newbies to the industry — as well as seasoned installers — to really ramp up their proficiencies in many areas, and gain certification in the process to boost their company’s cache.
“For those of you coming to this show and have been part of this industry for a while and do not hold a certification from CEDIA, we have an important question for you: Why? Why are you leaving value on the table and not taking advantage of it to show your clients what you are expert in, and to differentiate yourself from others in the marketplace?” Beckner inquires.
“This is important, because it’s a way we can define ourselves as a professional group of people who take a lot of pride in what they know and can do.”
She says it all goes toward elevating the industry and its professionalism from integrators. The more certifications that can be earned, the better for dealers to be able to present themselves to potential customers, trade partners, and more.
“At one point, CEDIA’s leadership changed and said, ‘we really have to differentiate ourselves as the professionals coming to the table in the design-build industry as someone who has a body of knowledge that is defensible, with certifications that are third-party accredited so we can go to trade schools and government entities, and say, look, what we have is independently verified and recognizable,” Beckner explains.
Listen to or download the podcast above to hear much more from Beckner about the wealth of education sessions, manufacturer trainings and other special symposiums and breakfast panels events going on at CEDIA Expo 2023 in Denver. Find past episodes of the CE Pro Podcast by subscribing to the CE Pro YouTube channel or our Apple and Spotify podcast feeds.