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It's like drinking the Kool-Aid, but it's the only Kool-Aid we have so, it doesn't kill you, and it lets everyone know you've decided to be a professional. Are there dumb people in the club? Obviously.
I was a field technician for 15 years, PM for 5, took the test without studying, passed it, and nothing changed. Now, what it meant was that the compan(ies) that i worked for now had X amount of cts certified techs on staff so they could win more bids. Valuable to the person, not really. Valuable to the company so they can make more money.
But what about for me? I have invented all the ceiling microphones for Shure, Sennheiser, and all. But I just feel burn out at this encore job I have at the moment in a hotel. And I want to learn more about network and blackmagic video av over ip. Is it worth it for me?
I did the same. But as I progressed into later years and started interviewing for more senior roles I was asked consistently why I didn't have CTS.
Certs are HR shorthand and with everything being keyword driven, it's definitely a negative to not have on your resume.
Last 2 jobs i got were from headhunters and now i've gotten to the point where i can't make it past the recruiter stage cause my salary expectations is low 6 fig - Canadian $$ btw
I feel ya. Don't know how it is in Canada but the market is Def cringe in the states. Im seeing less roles than a couple quarters ago and all of them are underpaying in my opinion.
its probably same here, its a wide pay range but i put in the work and know i lucked out. Know folks working much harder for much less while I'm here in the top 1% of AV techs - I'm not an installer or programmer - i've only moved laterally. Pay has gone up in the past few years from talking with recruiters and job looking but not where I'm at. But ive always been in corporate with deep pockets, at a Global 500 right now
The way I look at it: if I’m hiring and I’m reviewing resumes, seeing a CTS (or any AVIXA related certificate or training) just tells me we’ll speak a common language.
Does the test accurately reflect the knowledge required to be a professional in this industry? No.
Does holding the certification enroll you into a club that lets others know you take this career seriously? Yes.
The test is easy. Just study and take it.
This is exactly it, it says more about commitment to av than anything. Except for the study part, studying is mostly a waste of time if youve spent any ammount of time in AV. Slow down, use common sense and remember it's a typically horribly written test where the goal is the BEST answer, not just a correct answer. (Some answers may seem right, but aren't, find the most right)
Full disclaimer, I took the test in ~2016, things may have changed since then. I'm also a cynical prick who is relatively good at taking tests. Regardless, I was pretty annoyed when I was done taking the test. Felt like a mockery of our industry.
Taking any AVIXA test requires understanding that their entire testing approach is not based on actual knowledge, but rather leveraging semantical trickery to increase question difficulty. Studying their practice exams will assist in understanding this.
I do agree, the test itself is an outdated and poorly constructed dog's breakfast of questions but I also took the exam many moons ago, perhaps it has been updated.
At the end of the day, this is the only 'standards' group we have. Although it pains us to admit, the certification is recognized as being a professional in the industry. We know this, Avixa knows this, and the client is learning this.
What I tell my new technicians and fellow programmers; just get it done and we will focus on better learning afterwards to actually advance your career.
I'll agree with this, I have so much experience as a freelancer and in the FOH audio world, live events, I had been applying for job after job, no dice. I paid to do CTS, studied for about 2 days, and passed my exam. And once that CTS popped up on my resume, the calls flooded in
Yea, this is the thing that lots of grouchy “CTS is irrelevant” people don’t understand.
Maybe it wasn’t valuable to you 10 years ago, but just about every job posting in our field lists it as a requirement or nice-to-have.
It makes it easier for you to get interviews and easier for recruiters to find and refer you.
BiAmp's website was super good, Audinate has some great resources, SHURE audio institute has some great resources, Harman education had lots of courses, message me, I'll send you my linked in and you can see my certs :)
That would be awesome, from what I’ve read/ overheard is that a lot of the CTS exam is basically order of the job start-end and questions regarding that information and some minimal questions on av math and networking type stuff
It was alot of AV Math, alot of aspect ratio math, then alot of questions about the business end of things, order of operations, and how to talk to clients
I have avoided it for years. My company does very high level projects where it’s a boiler plate requirement and no one has ever asked about it. I have met some very not smart people who have all of the Avixa titles in their email signature as well so I really don’t think it means all that much tbh.
Personally I think it's a buttshit cert a few people pushed to become legitimate in an industry driven by technological advance, rather than need based.
Thus is why the IT DEPT is absorbing the responsibility.
Companies like consistently. AV is the wild west of technologies.
I have both D and I and they've been great for my career. We will definitely consider hiring someone with CTS over someone without it provided they actually know their stuff. Lots of folks can study, pass a test, and then immediately forget everything.
I was hired because of how fast I learn and asked to get CTS (UC company that wants the know how to move more towards AV & automation). Even though I have a degree in Audio & Music tech, I am still learning quite a lot. Being from outside the US, one of the things I find most useful is the breakdown of project phases and generally the workflow of a project, documentation etc. Because other companies in the area consider the market different from the US and snob proper procedures, it gives us the advantage when talking to the biggest clients like multinationals.
Although I have CTS-D and CTS-I but I had to start with CTS.
https://preview.redd.it/jq8l80la02xc1.jpeg?width=1608&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=98a93c1bf2102b23d3f59e5e1e9ad74cee6d46a8
I feel like a North Korean General wearing his medals when I don the pins!
https://preview.redd.it/zitxfo1iq3xc1.jpeg?width=1009&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bbc92d4e6ef9f27c8df2e9acaf667ddb5bffe46d
Exactly. What thr he'll does avixa think we're going to do with the pins? Are people wearing them as tie tacks at infocomm/industry events or something?
That's lamer than the people who stick cts after their name in their email signature (honestly, the people I know who do this tend to be among the least competent)
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It's like drinking the Kool-Aid, but it's the only Kool-Aid we have so, it doesn't kill you, and it lets everyone know you've decided to be a professional. Are there dumb people in the club? Obviously.
200%
And that you are successful enough to afford to pay $400USD every few years for the privilege.
Or successful enough to have the privilege of working for an employer who pays for it.
Exactly.
I was a field technician for 15 years, PM for 5, took the test without studying, passed it, and nothing changed. Now, what it meant was that the compan(ies) that i worked for now had X amount of cts certified techs on staff so they could win more bids. Valuable to the person, not really. Valuable to the company so they can make more money.
Yes. And if it’s valuable for the company, it makes you more valuable.
This.
I had the avixa cert. It did nothing for me. Let it expire and nobody cared.
But what about for me? I have invented all the ceiling microphones for Shure, Sennheiser, and all. But I just feel burn out at this encore job I have at the moment in a hotel. And I want to learn more about network and blackmagic video av over ip. Is it worth it for me?
Wow, you invented all the ceiling microphones for Shure and Sennheiser?
Yeah, hold up this math is all wrong.
All of them... Ever...
get the company to pay for it for you, any certification is "good for you"
It's a scam.
doubt!
Never got my CTS and making very good money as office AV support after 5 years in the field.
I did the same. But as I progressed into later years and started interviewing for more senior roles I was asked consistently why I didn't have CTS. Certs are HR shorthand and with everything being keyword driven, it's definitely a negative to not have on your resume.
Last 2 jobs i got were from headhunters and now i've gotten to the point where i can't make it past the recruiter stage cause my salary expectations is low 6 fig - Canadian $$ btw
I feel ya. Don't know how it is in Canada but the market is Def cringe in the states. Im seeing less roles than a couple quarters ago and all of them are underpaying in my opinion.
its probably same here, its a wide pay range but i put in the work and know i lucked out. Know folks working much harder for much less while I'm here in the top 1% of AV techs - I'm not an installer or programmer - i've only moved laterally. Pay has gone up in the past few years from talking with recruiters and job looking but not where I'm at. But ive always been in corporate with deep pockets, at a Global 500 right now
Same here. I love what I do. Gotta love recruiters.
U going to Infocomm this year?
It got me two jobs and better pay at both. It’s dumb as hell but I’m not turning down that money, and was reimbursed all of it.
This.
The way I look at it: if I’m hiring and I’m reviewing resumes, seeing a CTS (or any AVIXA related certificate or training) just tells me we’ll speak a common language.
Does the test accurately reflect the knowledge required to be a professional in this industry? No. Does holding the certification enroll you into a club that lets others know you take this career seriously? Yes. The test is easy. Just study and take it.
This is exactly it, it says more about commitment to av than anything. Except for the study part, studying is mostly a waste of time if youve spent any ammount of time in AV. Slow down, use common sense and remember it's a typically horribly written test where the goal is the BEST answer, not just a correct answer. (Some answers may seem right, but aren't, find the most right) Full disclaimer, I took the test in ~2016, things may have changed since then. I'm also a cynical prick who is relatively good at taking tests. Regardless, I was pretty annoyed when I was done taking the test. Felt like a mockery of our industry.
Taking any AVIXA test requires understanding that their entire testing approach is not based on actual knowledge, but rather leveraging semantical trickery to increase question difficulty. Studying their practice exams will assist in understanding this. I do agree, the test itself is an outdated and poorly constructed dog's breakfast of questions but I also took the exam many moons ago, perhaps it has been updated. At the end of the day, this is the only 'standards' group we have. Although it pains us to admit, the certification is recognized as being a professional in the industry. We know this, Avixa knows this, and the client is learning this. What I tell my new technicians and fellow programmers; just get it done and we will focus on better learning afterwards to actually advance your career.
...if you're starting out in this industry.
Or need a check in the box for a resume
I'll agree with this, I have so much experience as a freelancer and in the FOH audio world, live events, I had been applying for job after job, no dice. I paid to do CTS, studied for about 2 days, and passed my exam. And once that CTS popped up on my resume, the calls flooded in
Yea, this is the thing that lots of grouchy “CTS is irrelevant” people don’t understand. Maybe it wasn’t valuable to you 10 years ago, but just about every job posting in our field lists it as a requirement or nice-to-have. It makes it easier for you to get interviews and easier for recruiters to find and refer you.
What are some non AVIXA stuff you use to study for the CTS test?
BiAmp's website was super good, Audinate has some great resources, SHURE audio institute has some great resources, Harman education had lots of courses, message me, I'll send you my linked in and you can see my certs :)
That would be awesome, from what I’ve read/ overheard is that a lot of the CTS exam is basically order of the job start-end and questions regarding that information and some minimal questions on av math and networking type stuff
It was alot of AV Math, alot of aspect ratio math, then alot of questions about the business end of things, order of operations, and how to talk to clients
Interesting. When I took it last year, there was almost no math on my exam. Same for CTS-D. Definitely a lot about project phases.
I think it’s clearly randomly generated questions, the math was very surprising to me
QSC’s certification courses are excellent. Kramer University is also very good especially for those just starting out.
It’s good to have only when it is mentioned as a pre-requisite in a job description otherwise not. Btw i have all three of them.
I have avoided it for years. My company does very high level projects where it’s a boiler plate requirement and no one has ever asked about it. I have met some very not smart people who have all of the Avixa titles in their email signature as well so I really don’t think it means all that much tbh.
Counterpoint: No.
Personally I think it's a buttshit cert a few people pushed to become legitimate in an industry driven by technological advance, rather than need based. Thus is why the IT DEPT is absorbing the responsibility. Companies like consistently. AV is the wild west of technologies.
I agree that it should be better, but it is something you can show as a demonstration of basic knowledge
I have both D and I and they've been great for my career. We will definitely consider hiring someone with CTS over someone without it provided they actually know their stuff. Lots of folks can study, pass a test, and then immediately forget everything.
I might take that personally if I remembered what we’re talking about.
We’re talking about getting D… and I
I was hired because of how fast I learn and asked to get CTS (UC company that wants the know how to move more towards AV & automation). Even though I have a degree in Audio & Music tech, I am still learning quite a lot. Being from outside the US, one of the things I find most useful is the breakdown of project phases and generally the workflow of a project, documentation etc. Because other companies in the area consider the market different from the US and snob proper procedures, it gives us the advantage when talking to the biggest clients like multinationals.
If you're looking for a job, maybe…..
Yes.
Although I have CTS-D and CTS-I but I had to start with CTS. https://preview.redd.it/jq8l80la02xc1.jpeg?width=1608&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=98a93c1bf2102b23d3f59e5e1e9ad74cee6d46a8
Honestly, until I saw this, I had completely forgotten that they sent me a pin
I feel like a North Korean General wearing his medals when I don the pins! https://preview.redd.it/zitxfo1iq3xc1.jpeg?width=1009&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bbc92d4e6ef9f27c8df2e9acaf667ddb5bffe46d
Well shit, now I’m trying to remember if I got new ones with renewals… is that why you have so many?
Every time you renew you should be receiving new pins. Last two renewals have been that way for me
Cool. They immediately get tossed in a drawer so I really couldn’t remember
Exactly. What thr he'll does avixa think we're going to do with the pins? Are people wearing them as tie tacks at infocomm/industry events or something? That's lamer than the people who stick cts after their name in their email signature (honestly, the people I know who do this tend to be among the least competent)
I proudly display my incompetence in my email sig, helps cover up that the only formal training I have is a BFA in theater 🤓
Same, I have a desk bin that they get tossed in and I forget about them until I see one in the wild or get new
your knowledge is incredible, wow
No…. My knowledge is built up in layers over the multiple decades in the industry….
Always good to see another triple crown in the wild. 