The knowledge and training needed for our industry to effectively use the latest technologies has been treated to a triple whammy in the past couple of years. First, COVID-19 has either eliminated or greatly reduced the “classroom” live training programs that have traditionally been offered to help installation companies learn about new applications and the equipment/software that operates those devices and systems. The second issue is that the customers of security and low voltage contractors are demanding the latest and greatest technologies be installed in their systems, which means that the contractors’ personnel need to have detailed knowledge of those technologies. The third issue is that many states are requiring that field personnel (installers, service techs, sometimes salespeople) must seek and receive “Continuing Education Units” (CEUs) in specific amounts of training hours and/or completion of training programs for those employees to maintain their state specific licenses. This problem is magnified for some companies who, for example, operate out of Philadelphia but also provide systems and services to New Jersey customers across the Delaware River. Those companies who cross state lines may likely have to make sure their employees are properly licensed in multiple markets.

Having provided live and recorded training programs for our industry for the past 18 years, I have intimate experience with these issues. It would appear that to keep abreast and have the knowledge to use the latest products, dealers will need to seek out an online alternative to the live training classes that were held in the past.

SecurityCEU.com is a company dedicated to providing the education and CEU requirements that this new world requires of low voltage contractors. Since 2003 SecurityCEU.com has been partnering with knowledgeable content providers to provide rich and in-depth training modules that are inexpensive and easily accessible over the Internet.

Connie Moorhead, president of SecurityCEU.com, emphasizes the mission of the company: “We are dedicated to provide current and factual content, U.S.-based technical support, and ease of student use. SecurityCEU.com is the answer for those companies and personnel in need of approved, quality training,” she says.

A quick tour of the SecurityCEU.com website shows the evidence of their commitment to our industry. There is a pull-down box so that students in a particular state can quickly see which SecurityCEU.com online courses will provide the needed approved credits for their location. There are multiple options for course usage payments, such as monthly, al a carte, or annually.

Industry affiliations are critical as specific organizations and companies want to have full and complete training programs available for their members and users. Well-known organizations such as the PSA, ALOA, and ADI are associated with SecurityCEU.com. They are currently also partnered with the WBFAA to deliver training modules for the installer apprentice program for the state of California.

Having recently partnered with SecurityCEU.com and the ADI Academy to provide the “Introduction to Fiber Optics” online training module, I can personally attest to the comprehensive course development that is provided in-house by SecurityCEU.com. They use a fully integrated process, starting with project management and interface design. After the course has been conceptualized by the content provider and SecurityCEU.com, their media development team takes over and creates an interactive platform for students, including audio lectures, videos, and online testing after a course is completed. Using the SCORM (Shareable Content Object Reference Model) standard, SecurityCEU.com training modules can be easily be used by students. For example, if a student stops on a specific training section to take a break, when he or she returns to their course they will be placed right where they stopped; no more wandering through a confusing web-based training to get started learning again.

Online training is the most efficient and cost-effective way for our industry to learn and grow. Costs are low, and students no longer have to travel to remote locations with all the associated costs (i.e., plane tickets, hotels, etc.). As the pandemic is still a concern, remote learning is also a safer way to gain knowledge.

We are seeing the rapid shifts and changes in the technologies used in our industry, as well as increased desires from end users for high-tech systems. Being online, SecurityCEU.com can quickly provide updated education on the products and systems that customers are demanding.

SecurityCEU.com has been a reliable provider of training for our industry for almost two decades. If you would like to check out their products and programs visit https://www.SecurityCEU.com and take a look. And if you wish to help a brother out, go to https://www.adiglobalacademy.com/shop/home.php?&cat=597 and take the “Introduction to Fiber Optics” training on the ADI Academy. Fiber is now, and the training can be received right from your desktop.