Hello,
I am curious to find out what other integrator are doing as far as training for technicians. We are trying to develop a training program and other than the manufactures certifications, what else would you include? Is there anything online that you would have them do? Is there any customer service training that you put them through?
#1, good topic. I am curious to hear what others say.
Note, we are putting together both an installation book and course in the next few months (see some entries such as IP Camera Cabling Installation Guide, Installing Dome Cameras Indoors Guide, IP Camera Installation Tool Shootout - Avigilon, Axis, Ideal, Hanwha, Triplett, Veracity, etc.). The installation course will start in March.
One way we have started to expand upon this, slowly but starting, is training the technicians in products we already use. For example if Tech A is good and intrusion then have that tech teach the others about intrusion. Could be a specific product line or general intrusion knowledge, or installation of intrusion. Then expand to other technicians to do the same with different technologies that way everyone has a chance to do the teaching. They may not like teaching but it will definitely help with their customer service skill being able to talk in front of multiple people. Other training includes safety training on a regular basis.
Tech cross-training is always a good option if your projects have the time to account for an extra man on the site. I would rotate techs between crews and sites when available so they could learn different methods and systems.
We are in the same situation. We don't have the time available either but you have to make time regardless. Eventually if you don't make time for training the employees they start to get bitter and look for other employment options. Even if it is just an afternoon of training in the office. At least you are doing something.
Training in security is a sore spot. When I came into the industry it was basically only OJT thru trail-and-error. Since then I've thought classes on basic CCTV and networking for installers that aren't product specific but was more knowledge and principle driven with hands-on sections. You can always encourage tech's to take networking classes at a community college by paying for them and allowing their schedule to let them attend the class, but a lot of integrators don't seem to understand the benefit of general network knowledgeable tech's.
IPVM has quite possibly done more for the industry by providing coherent guidebooks on various topics that you can use as a training tool for your techs. There are some online training labs with various manufacturers, but I highly suggest having a training room/bench in your office where you can test or train across various systems.
Fortunately when I started back in the early nineties projects back then had plenty of time to train another technician. Heck we had two techs for 3 doors and a motion. The margins just aren't there anymore.
"I highly suggest having a training room/bench in your office where you can test or train across various systems."
imo, this is the best solution.
IPVM has great content covering fundamentals and I encourage everyone to take note of the value of learning same - and I think the new course John mentioned will add even more value for integrators looking to get their new people up to speed and making money for them..
However, I find that most techs learn the best by doing stuff themselves... especially the day to day stuff that they will be tasked to do once out on their own.
As others have mentioned, OJT is costly, and face it - lots of really good techs aren't the best 'teachers'. Two different skill sets.
In a controlled lab environment in-house, techs can learn from whomever you think can best teach stuff - while allowing them to get their hands on stuff and think about what they are doing, without the pressure of real-world OJT.
Thanks for all the replies, I am glad that it's not just us in this position. We are working towards a training program that will get someone from a JR tech position to a SR tech position. I was thinking that not only is it good for them to have practical training, but certifications would help justify pay increase and promotions to SR levels. Here is what I was thinking:
Junior person comes in, minimal knowledge (i.e. can do some cabling and mounting devices). They can take online intro courses to CCTV, Access, Burg, Networking, etc. Once these are complete (ideally over a 3 month period) then they move up a bit in pay. After that, we give them a list of tasks that they should learn within the next 3-6 months and they need to make sure they learn them while onsite with a SR tech (i.e. how to wire a door strike, card readers, DC, etc). Once they pass 6 months, we can start to do some practical training in the office (i.e. Avigilon, Milestone, S2, etc.). After a year, they can start to get certifications from manufacturers.
I find it difficult to bring in a technician and then offer a career path that keeps them engaged and excited.
My $.02...
You are training your employees one way or the other. The training is either OJT, which is akin to learning to play golf by finding the pieces one at a time and making it up as you go along. Later, tiger woods shows up to show you how well it CAN be done, and you have to unlearn all the bad things you taught yourself. This ultimately results in lost time and/or poor job quality, both of which you "pay" for ultimately passing it on to your customer.
Option two, is to proactively train your people on a regular schedule and assume it as a cost of doing business. This way no one is fakin' it till they make it, they have the skills required to do the job they are being paid to perform, and your customer gets what they are paying for; a well oiled professional team that is worth the money.
I come from an odd background of tech, manager, CIO, engineer and designer roles and honestly if most integrators would take on option two as a way of life, SO many more projects would land on time and under budget.
I realize this doesn't address the pathway to training as such, but I just have such a bad taste in my mouth for companies that send people out to do a job that I can tell they have no clue how to do. And it happens a lot. Don't let someone touch anything they haven't been trained on. Pretty simple. But maybe unattainable...
The training is either OJT, which is akin to learning to play golf by finding the pieces one at a time and making it up as you go along...
No that is self-training.
OJT training is On-The-Job-Training, and works best when a senior technician partners with a junior one, and instructs by example.
Nothing wrong with learning off-the-job, but if I had to choose I would take training done by someone I trust to evaluate the employee’s competency.
While I agree in principle, that unfortunately is not how it often goes down. OJT ends up being a guy pointing out a task followed by corrections after that task was attempted. Like I said, this is just observation from 20 years of PMI and infrastructure design, not a knock on anyones program in particular.
I took both CCTV & Network course with IPVM and found it very helpful, informative and geared towards CCTV. For me, cost, time and convenience were the motivating factors. Of course, the quality of the course was the number one factor.
In addition to industry-specific knowledge, I believe that it is beneficial for security technicians to have an understanding of basic electricity and electronics. This would include things like Ohms law, series/parallel resistance principles, knowledge of how basic components (transformers, diodes, resistors, capacitors, transistors, batteries, etc.) work.
I am surprised at how many techs I encounter today know how to wire various components together but really have no underlying knowledge of how they work.
My Union, Local 134 IBEW Chicago, Illinois teaches the apprentices intrusion, cctv, access control & fire systems. Since there are many different manufacturers all with something different, the basics remain the same. Journeyman night classes are taught as well also classes focusing on code and preparing the student to take NICET exams. It's always a work in progress updating the classes to keep up with technologies to remain an asset to the Electrical Contractors that employ our members.
That's pretty neat, I used to be with Local 435 in Winnipeg, and had wished the local did some more training.
I think the issue was it wasn't like the electrical locals where the hall hires people out, the local represented security techs at a few different companies, and them companies didn't like working together. Spilled over to the techs sometimes.
We got this idea from Toyota in how to assess competency and development of technicians. It is called the "Harvey Ball". You need to first define each skill requiring competency assessment to perform the technician role. The four quadrants are:
No quadrant - No exposure to competency
1st quadrant - Exposure to competency by watching a senior tech doing the work
2 quadrants - Can do the work under close supervision
3 quadrants - Can do the work without supervision
4 quadrants - Has been objectively/formally/hands-on assessed or tested to having the competency.
We break the technician role and define each skill required, what their current status, and then creating a path for their development that meets the skill needs of the company.
With respect to soft skills (like customer service, motivation,...) the Harvey ball doesn't work. We find defining what "meets expectations", "exceeds expectations", and then "does not meet expectations" helpful in giving good feedback to technicians in development.
These tools help communicate to new employees how to understand their compensation and how they can improve their performance and accountable for their own development.
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