NEWS

CEDIA's New Hire Training Track

February 11, 2020

SAMANTHA VENTURA CEDIA Vice President of Education and Training

A few years back CEDIA recognized the need to develop a thoughtful, comprehensive, new-to-the-industry track of learning that would be helpful for the business owners looking to have their less-seasoned technicians learn the fundamentals of the industry. We realized at the time the best way to deliver this training would be online, offered in a series of courses that would cover all the essential components needed to make a seamless transition into the world of residential technology.

Now, three years later, CEDIA has once again recognized how significant this training is for the business owner seeking a comprehensive package of learning offered in a one-stop shop for their newer employees. We have taken the existing New Hire Track and completely redesigned the look and feel of the classes, broken them down to be more detailed and specific, and placed them into our brand new learning management system (LMS). In order to follow a “best practices” approach for developing this track, our director of technical training, Steve Rissi, and our director of curriculum, Derick Abshire, have sought out the expertise, knowledge, and guidance from our subject matter experts (SMEs) every step of the way, ensuring we have covered all aspects of each topic correctly.

Photo by Brian Weiss

In addition, we have thoughtfully created an individual participant guide for every corresponding class, with our intent being that, upon completion of the entire New Hire Track, a technician might feel more confident and prepared on the job. The learning is robust, engaging, and packed full of the key components needed for someone wanting to expand their knowledge base of the industry. Yet this time around, we made sure to modernize how the learning can be accessed by our learners: from the comforts of their home, a job site, or even if they find an extra hour here or there, logging in from their phone.

The updated New Hire Track has taken the existing one and broken it into 27 hours (classes) of learning, thoughtfully laying out the various parts of each topic and allowing the training to move seamlessly from one area to the next.

The new tracks are offered in a compact, easy-to-follow format. We infused a wide variety of activities into the online learning, including quizzes, knowledge checks, and interactive experiences, striving to reach all types of learners, from various backgrounds, across the globe.

In 2020, we are launching this newer, comprehensive, engaging New Hire Track, and soon thereafter, we will localize the content and offer the same track to our learners in the EMEA region. Additionally, for those wishing to learn enough online to confidently take the ESC exam after, CEDIA has for the first time developed an additional 12 classes to support the variety of topics required to pass that certification test. This is a new approach to offering our education solely online, without compromising the quality our learners expect. CEDIA’s commitment to education has not wavered, and in the coming years we will continue to support other educational interests of those in our industry, with an updated business track already in development for 2020.

Whether you are a business owner looking to support your staff or an individual wanting to jump into this industry, we are certain you will find the New Hire Track to be an essential part of the onboarding experience. We love what we do, and we truly believe that the education of those within this industry is the cornerstone of what keeps the standards of knowledge and best practices high, which in turn supports the overall growth and success for everyone in the industry.


Topics covered in the New Hire Training Track

  • Jobsite Basics
  • Introduction to Audio
  • Introduction to Video
  • Introduction to Home Cinema
  • Introduction to IT/Networking
  • Introduction to Systems Control
  • Introduction to Wiring/Cabling
  • Introduction to Cable Connectors, Termination, and Testing