I have to set up an installer training standard/manual for new hires and was wondering if anyone has ever done this. If so, what did you focus on the most and did you use any books to reference too? Most of the installers in the company are good at installing the equipment but lack the technology background to actually understand what their doing other than the labor part. I am at a loss for putting together this training because when I try to put all the "this is what Ive learned, this is how it works, etc." info on paper its rather overwhelming because I catch myself going into something before I explained what has to be known to understand the explanation. If you know of anything that I could benefit from I would greatly appreciate it. TIA

Color codes- yes
Certain configurations on plates jacks etc-yes
Other technical specs like IR colors over CAT5
Basics on Digital over coaxial, splitter/combiners/diplexors usage Great

I could make a basic sheet for reference on a full page, but showing them what not to do and why is hard to put on paper......

Experience taught all of us, through trial and error.....

You might as well grab a manual from DeVry and go through it..j/k..

Its like teaching a child not to touch a hot light bulb or eat a bug, without the experience of doing so, they always wonder and sometimes its a great learning experience if they do it wrong before they do it right........

Set up a demo and put them on the spot.......Visuals, hands-on are all definitely the way to go.


But some people work way too different....

I have been trying to do the same thing for 5 years. Everytime I sit down to write something I realize I am either going into too much detail or not enough. I have a collection of articles, diagrams, and pictures that I have tried to incorporate but just doesn't seem to happen.

My newest guy seems to learn from doing. Well he learns by me telling him he did something wrong. I can show him 60 times how to do it right, and he won't remember a thing. I let him go on his own, and say this or that is wrong, and he will remember that until the day he dies. Drives me crazy.

I don’t have the time to try and write down everything a new installer needs to know. We use the materials from The Training Dept. http://www.trainingdept.com/ The videos are great for new hires. They are expensive but much cheaper then trying to DIY. Hire a Pro. LOL. Seriously they are very good and cover most of the basics. There is even a written test for each tape to evaluate how much the new guy comprehended. Good first step, but you still have to watch any new guy until you know you can trust him.

I should probably get a set... wouldn't hurt for an old timer to re-fire the brain cells on install 101... kind of helps us to look at jobs from the newer guys point-of-view... Sometimes we, when training or sending guys out to the front lines... (well I anyway), tend to assume they will think, and problem solve the same way as I would... but doesn't quite work that way!

Go to http://www.infocomm.org

This is one of the places we get our installers some training. They have some good online courses. Check out the AV essentials for newbies and then the online installers course for someone with a little experience.

Matt

Great info! You seem to have alot of knowledge to offer based on the few posts you have responded too. Whats your forte?

Well, I'm an Integrator of a sort. I'm not a real integrator for the fact that I work for a campus and I only integrate classrooms, auditoriums, boardrooms, video-conference rooms or any other type of room they throw at us. I'm a lead tech in charge of designs and installations.

I used to hae a consumer repair shop at home until we moved. Now i'm too lazy to build a new one. I started doing some private work and have a web based business selling cables and bulbs to name a few. Other than that, I'm just a dude waiting 4 more months for my little buddy to get here. :)

Well congratulations and welcome to this site as Im sure you will have a valuable stature here. As long as no one pisses you off and vice/versa. I followed your link and saw some pic's of your work and Im honored to have another competent installers input on issues I/we may have.

Good luck on your forum as the administrator!

David D.

Lol, thanks!

Huh?!?!?

Whats your question?

There was an old telecom guy named Mike Sandman from Chicago who put together a decent video a looong time ago on getting wire through residential construction. Some of the techniques border on hack & slash, but a fresh face needs to learn the best practices as well as a little taste of ugly reality.

Another source for some decent tips is the Platinum tools tech section
[Link: platinumtools.com] I just happened across this a few weeks back and I thought it was well done.

I remember teaching myself some tips and tricks by browsing the old Labor Saving Devices catalogs and trying to figure out why the hell anyone would get stuck using some of those odd contraptions...

It also helped me that my former partner had been an electrician specializing in retrofitting updated electrical systems and lighting into Victorian-era homes during the '70s. That guy can get anything anywhere!!