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ICIA, Colleges Launch Nationwide Online AV Curriculum
Strong Demand for the AV Tech Online Program
“The industry told us they needed this and it’s proven to be true. It’s enrolled students for two years."
-- John Sneed
Portland Community College
NVCC Hiring New Faculty Member
“We are in an area where the AV industry is rapidly growing, and we are receiving inquiries from students on an almost daily basis. In addition, we have committed resources to hire a full-time faculty member to oversee our new program.” Click here for more information.
-- Dan Alford
Northern Virginia Community College
Area ICIA members obtain approval for an apprenticeship program, using PCC's AV Tech Online Courses
"The really telling thing is how enthusiastic our local industry members are. They’ve formed an apprenticeship board and have gotten state approval for an apprenticeship program using the courses to meet the related courses requirement.”
-- John Sneed
Portland Community College
The International Communications Industries Association, Inc.® (ICIA®) is proud to announce the launch of its college curriculum, AV Tech Online, at partner colleges nationwide. The participating colleges are beginning to offer AV courses immediately for 2003, with deadlines for registration ranging from August 22 – 25, 2003. Details and registration are accessible at www.avtechonline.org.
Until now, no higher education institution has offered a program to prepare audiovisual systems technicians. This development, which is the product of an ongoing partnership with seven community colleges across the country, is expected to jumpstart a broadening awareness on the part of students and their parents of the thriving AV industry and the enormous career opportunities it represents to students.
“We and the partner colleges are delighted to see this project ready for standard enrollment,” said Randal A. Lemke, Ph.D., executive director of ICIA and the International Communications Industries Foundation® (ICIF®). “It’s only the beginning, but we fully expect the initiative to gain recognition and expand to other institutions as students make the connection to the communications technologies they see all around them.”
The eight-course curriculum in AV, developed through extensive college/industry collaboration, can also be offered to incumbent workers, including audiovisual professionals who are seeking college credit and those who use AV technologies as a part of their daily duties. The program is offered as a college certificate program and/or as part of a college degree program.
“The industry told us they needed this and it’s proven to be true,” said John Sneed of Portland Community College. “The really telling thing is how enthusiastic our local industry members are. They’ve formed an apprenticeship board and have gotten state approval for an apprenticeship program using the courses to meet the related courses requirement.”
Dan Alford of Northern Virginia Community College echoed Sneed’s enthusiasm. “We are in an area where the AV industry is rapidly growing, and we are receiving inquiries from students on an almost daily basis. We have now committed resources to hire a full-time faculty member to oversee the program.”
While available currently through five colleges, students from all around the country may enroll for online distance education.
“This project has been carefully developed and nurtured over the past four years,” said Jacques DuBois, the project coordinator for AV Tech Online. “Offering it online has meant that students all over the country have access to these courses, and once it has been running for a while, we expect other colleges to join in.”
The AV Tech Online curriculum consists of five core AV technology courses and three related support courses.
AV Core Courses
• Intro to AV Technology
• Audio Technology
• Video Technology
• Integrated AV Systems I
• Integrated AV Systems II
Support Courses
• Electronics (for Non-Majors)
• Computer Applications
• Computer Networks
The project, sponsored in part by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education, got its start when the Educational Communications Foundation, Inc.® (now ICIF) and ICIA joined Coastline Community College, Dallas County Community College District, Metropolitan Community Colleges, Miami-Dade College, Monroe Community College, Northern Virginia Community College and Portland Community College to organize the National Partnership for Workforce Development. AV Tech Online is a product of this partnership. To eliminate duplicative effort and expense, the seven partner colleges and the industry collaborated on instructional design, course development, and even course delivery. Sharp Electronics and AMX were early supporters of this project, providing seed money to bring the colleges together.
Specific courses being offered, starting in late August of 2003, are:
Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC), Annandale, Va.
NVCC has the capabilities to deliver the program nationally regardless of a learner’s residence and will offer the following courses (registration deadline August 22, 2003):
• Introduction to Audiovisual
• Introduction to Electronics
• Introduction to Audio Technology
• Introduction to Video Technology
• Integrated AV Systems I
• Integrated AV Systems II
Portland Community College (PCC), Portland, Ore.
PCC is approved for college credit delivery and has reciprocal “in-state” tuition agreements for students in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada and California. PCC will be offering all eight courses in two fall terms.
• Intro to AV Technology
• Audio Technology
• Video Technology
• Integrated AV Systems I
• Integrated AV Systems II
• Electronics (for Non-Majors)
• Computer Applications
• Computer Networks
Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD) in Texas
• Introduction to AV Communications Technology
• Electronics (for Non-Majors)
Miami-Dade College (MDC), Fla.
While seeking curriculum approval, MDCC will offer Introduction to AV Communications Technology and Electronics (for Non-Majors), starting August 26, 2003.
Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City, Mo.
Those interested in taking the courses for non-credit continuing education can take any of the eight courses through Metropolitan Community College. The next semester begins August 26, 2003; registration is open until the course begins.
For more information on the courses and how to register, please see www.avtechonline.org and click on “Get Started.” The website offers students a wealth of information about AV technology careers in addition to specifics about the colleges offering the curriculum.
ICIA and AV Tech Online partners look forward to expanding the program to other colleges in selected markets where the AV industry has a significant presence.
With the exception of the Electronics course, hands-on competencies are not addressed directly in the online courses; however they can be obtained through a variety of mechanisms such as self-identified internships or mentoring experiences, or ICIA’s 3-day Installation Technician Course. In addition, ICIA offers a complete range of training options for entry-level AV workers through to experienced installers, designers and others. Check www.infocomm.org/education for details.
The International Communications Industries Association, Inc.® (ICIA®) is the premier trade association for the professional audiovisual communications industry. ICIA is the founder of InfoComm, the conference and trade exposition for audiovisual communications professionals who come to learn about the latest technologies and available services as well as new and alternative applications. ICIA serves its worldwide membership as the pre-eminent provider of education, training and certification.
