Authored by:
Mike Keadle
Many of us work 40+ hours a week, then go home and work more in the evenings and on weekends.
Time is precious.
It is easy to fall into the trap of putting things like certification renewals off for one more day or one more week to spare those precious extra minutes. We get reminders months before our certifications expire. We have plenty of time. We just choose to put other tasks ahead sometimes.
I get it. I can procrastinate with the best of them—just ask my wife.
The simple fact is certification renewals are essential for all of us in the AV industry, and we need to make time for them.
You would not choose to take your car to a mechanic who failed to maintain their certifications and might not be in the position to provide the best service.
You also would not see a doctor who failed to maintain their certifications regardless of how many years they had been practicing medicine.
Certifications matter. Keeping up matters.
The technology in our industry changes rapidly—it seems almost daily at times. If we do not make an effort and put in the time to keep up, we get left behind.
It goes hand in hand that with the new technology, we need new checklists and processes to ensure our systems perform as intended.
To keep up with the industry, AQAV volunteers review the current standards every year. We look at what has changed in the industry. Standards that are no longer relevant are phased out as the technology disappears. We look at the new technology and update the existing standards or create new standards to go along with it. Once everything has been reviewed, the proposed changes are discussed (sometimes at great length) to ensure we have captured the changes accordingly. Once the proposed changes have been approved, the new standards are published and distributed to AQAV members so they can incorporate the updated standards into their operations.
AQAV certifications are good for three years. AV years are like dog years—three years is a long time. By the time your certification is due for renewal, the standards will have undergone multiple changes and additions.
It was not long ago, that we were dealing with the analog sunset we had heard about for years. It seemed like that sunset would never arrive—new devices and systems all seemed to hang onto VGA connections. Now, I rarely see a VGA connection, but I see new digital signals and adapters being incorporated into nearly every system. Sometimes these may even be new to us. For example, have you used DisplayPort Plus in any of your systems yet? I have not, yet the AQAV team has already had discussions about DisplayPort Plus to keep the AV9000 standard relevant and up-to-date.
If you rely solely on the standard from your class three years ago, you are working from an outdated standard. It may be fine for the systems you are using them on for now, but that time is limited.
You owe it to your customer (internal or external) to stay updated with the latest changes and provide the assurance certification brings.
You owe it to your employer to stay up-to-date, as well. There will be someone else keeping up and getting those certifications. Do not let yourself fall by the wayside due to someone else’s knowledge and dedication.
You also owe it to yourself to maintain your certifications. Besides the potential financial benefits, you stand to gain by staying up-to-date, there is a sense of satisfaction.
In this industry, one of the greatest feelings is when a system is designed, installed, and performs as expected without endless troubleshooting, finger-pointing, and changes. It makes the late nights and frustrations all worth it. If you do not stay up-to-date, these moments will become fewer and fewer.
Finally, you worked hard to pass the certifications the first time. It would be a mistake to let that go to waste by not renewing.
The AQAV renewal process is detailed here. If you have any questions, please reach out. We will be glad to help you stay up-to-date!
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