November 2019 ertonline.co.uk


been a standout year in terms of new developments aimed at supporting every corner of the market. “CEDIA membership continues to be healthy, particularly in the EMEA areas, and we’re continuing to experience growth year-on-year,” he explains. “In recent years, independent retailers have been joining and enjoying our member benefits. “Looking just at the UK market, we now represent


around 500 integration businesses or those that are providing services into the connected home/smart home space. So from that point of view, we’re in rude health.”


Another string to CEDIA’s bow is Integrated Systems Europe (ISE), the largest AV and systems integration show in the world, which it owns half of. The show welcomes around 80,000 visitors, hosts more than 1,000 exhibitors and is inclusive for the whole of the audio/visual space, not just those operating in the residential channel, but also the commercial space. ISE has been running since 2003 and next year


will be the last edition to take place in Amsterdam; from 2021 it will be moving to Barcelona. “Primarily, this is because the show has outgrown the space in Amsterdam,” adds Mr Nimmons. “Not only is the new venue a state of the art home for our show but the city of Barcelona is one of Europe’s most vibrant and exciting. It’s the perfect choice for an exhibition and growing industry that engenders creativity and commerce.” As well as a host of technology and solutions


providers, ISE offers events, conferences, keynote speeches,


networking receptions, education and


training programmes. Next year there will be over 40 CEDIA courses and training sessions over three days. Mr Nimmons continues: “CEDIA itself is 30 years old and so is representative of a market that is maturing. We have always been about educating the market, elevating the professionalism in the channel and growing knowledge – we do this through classroom-based learning, as well as white papers and books. We even have a podcast where people can keep up to date with the latest trends and initiatives.”


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Tech Summits are the perfect platform to network and learn more about the custom install industry.


Q: What else are you looking forward to offering at ISE next year? MN: Well there’s a lot to be learned and gained from attending ISE and most of this is all for free – you don’t have to be a CEDIA member to attend. There will be classroom-based training on offer and we also have a main theatre for hosting panel discussions and booth talks. New initiatives for 2020 include a half-day Design and Build Conference, looking to bring in architects and interior designers and educate them on the benefits of smart home from an entertainment, home security and energy usage perspective – all things that homeowners are increasingly concerned with. We’re also running a Careers Day for students. A challenge in this market is finding skilled labour, so one of our aims is to help develop the next generation of this workforce and to provide sustainable development of a skilled workforce.


Q: What’s been a stand-out accomplishment for you and for CEDIA this year? MN: One of the milestone achievements for us this year has been the development of a Smart Home Technician apprenticeship standard.


CEDIA worked with the Institute for


Apprenticeships, which is a government-backed body, to define the framework for this new apprenticeship, which supports the industry as a whole and drives new talent. In terms of other initiatives – we’ve launched a Member of Excellence program which aims to celebrate excellence. We’ve done this to help the consumer, who will be able to make a more informed decision about who to work with, and for the businesses themselves to elevate their position and differentiate themselves from other members. What we’re


trying to do is encourage our


members to demonstrate their commitment to training and education, improving customer service and community outreach.


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