A number of recent articles have highlighted colleges and universities that have successfully developed processes to take classroom technology standardization, design, installation and support “in house.” There are some exceptions (summer projects for which they may need outsourced labor to complete the rooms before classes begin, or new buildings for which they may not have hired additional staff, etc.) but it is more common now for higher education technology departments to rely on their own teams to not only oversee upgrades and installations but to develop the skills to be the consultants/ designers, installers and technicians for the entire job.
While this may prove to be economical and efficient, it puts some new stress on these technology departments. An obvious challenge is hiring enough staff for these new responsibilities- and maybe not simply hiring new talent, but making the case to get approval to increase the budget to hire new staff. One challenge that may not be as obvious is finding time and resources to keep up with new technology, product training and professional development.
Many technology managers no longer rely on dealers for their training but it can seem that on-campus training from manufacturers is not always offered. Additionally, the budget for off-site training, conferences and classes is usually skimpy at best. And many times technology managers have to use personal time for professional development days. Even keeping up with certifications, whether manufacturer specific or industry specific can seem like a battle. All of these speed-bumps add up to one big hill. How do you keep your team properly trained so that you can continue to bring all AV systems services in house?
We are trying to help…
Would you be interested in a one day, free, regional event (no extra travel days!) that gives you an opportunity to get product training from a handful of non-competitive manufacturers plus an opportunity to network with your peers from different schools?
There are ways for you to get the training and information you need from manufacturers, distributors and industry experts without cost and minimal time out of office. Just ask! Please leave your response below along with your location and we will keep you updated on trainings around your area that we may be planning in the future in cooperation with other manufacturers and SME. You can always