Dedication, Skill and a Collaborative Company Culture Give Field Staff A Competitive Edge To Stay on the Fast Track
Project completion times at Ceitronics may be superfastãbut when it comes to the company's field staff, fast tracking shares equal billing with nitty-gritty experience. Take its 60-plus installers and technicians, for instance. These are the techies who do the hands-on work at Ceitronicsãall the wiring, installing, splicing, and cabling that make a job site successful.
Altogether the Ceitronics field staff has over 600 years of experience in the low voltage industry! That's 31,200 weeks...219,000 days... 1,752,000 hours of dedication and commitment to making sure the job is done right. And there's plenty of seniority among Ceitronics installers. One in three of them have been on the job ten years or more, and one in five of them have been on the job 20 years or more!
"Ceitronics is known for the quality of its workforce," said Dave Duppong, Vice-President of Ceitronics.
"That's why we often are hired to handle intricate, comple" projects. In order to work at this high level of technical skill, as well as meet increasingly quick deadlines, our field staff have to be skilled and flexible problem-solvers. We have a very dedicated staff. They are out there face-to-face with the customer every day. The customer is coming in to them and saying, åWhen can we use our projector? When can we use our sound system? When can we use our data port?" Some of the timelines we face are pretty high-pressure. But we meet them. We stay in constant communication with our field staff, and we rely on our workers to evaluate the job, and to meet the deadlines. They know they are responsible to get the job done."
Dedication from technicians is only half the battle in a fast-moving company like Ceitronics. Skill is the other half of the equation, and skill requires constant training. Each year, Ceitronics spends thousands of dollars to make sure the field staff is kept up to date on the use of new technologies. Last year, for example, Ceitronics initiated 1500 hours of additional training for the field staff. This training includes:
- Project supervision training to help senior technicians meet rapid timelines.
- NICET (National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies) certification, which offers specialized training in codes and procedures in the audio industry.
- NICET certification in the fire alarm industry.
- Monthly safety workshops and weekly safety tailgate meetings
- Specialty audio/video workshops.
- Specialty manufacturer certifications.
- Specialty training through BICSI for industry standards and practices for voice data installation.
In addition to ongoing training, almost all Ceitronics technicians have been certified through a rigorous three-year training program sponsored by the Joint Apprentice Training Committee (JATC). The JATC is comprised of IBEW members, representatives from the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), and representative contractors like Ceitronics.
The JATC has developed a three-year, 450-hour curriculum to provide skilled communications workers to the marketplace. In Northern California, 30 cents per man-hour is distributed to the local JATCs for training the workforce. Apprentices in the program who work at Ceitronics attend classes at the JATC for two nights a week for three hours a night, and complete 150 hours of classroom training each year. They learn basic electronics, and then study specialized disciplines such as audio, fire, security, and voice data installation. They also complete 2000 hours of on-the-job training during the three-year period.
The Ceitronics field staff is composed of four distinct experience levels:
- Apprentice: Apprentices are in the three-year training program, and take 150 hours of classroom training per year. Apprentices work under the supervision of an installer or technician.
- Installer: An installer has completed the apprentice program, or has at least three years of experience in the industry. An installer is able to work without direct supervision.
- Technician: An installer is promoted to Technician level after showing dedication and superior work skills. Technicians are
frequently in a supervisory capacity.
- Senior Technician: A senior technician has more experience, education, and training than a technician and is frequently involved in project management or programming duties.
In addition to dedication, skill, and training, the Ceitronics collaborative culture and open style of management encourage the field staff to take a more active and responsible role on the job.
Ceitronics President Aaron Colton puts it this way: "We go to these guys, and we say åYou know the job, you know where the difficulties are, you see
how we are operating. What would you suggest we do differently that would make your day easier, and make Ceitronics more efficient?" And they're
comfortable giving us their recommendations, because they see that we not only listen, but we take them seriously and usually implement their suggestions. So they've learned to speak out and participate, because it doesn't fall on deaf ears.
"Ultimately, they learn that, åAt Ceitronics, I can be creative. I can share ideas and collaborate. I can really be part of this company." This is the attitude that really benefits our customers, and allows us to commit to fast-track schedules."
Facts about Ceitronics Field Staff
- The field staff of 60+ has a combined experience of over 600 years in the low voltage industry
- One in three Ceitronics techs has been on the job 10 years or more
- One in five Ceitronics techs has been on the job 20 years or more
- Every member of the field staff receives ongoing training in technology
- Last year Ceitronics initiated 1500 hours of additional training for the field staff
- There are four levels of field workers at Ceitronics, reflecting various degrees of experience and training. These levels are apprentice, installer,
technician, and senior technician.
- Ceitronics holds monthly safety workshops for its workers, and weekly safety tailgate meetings.
- Specialized training at Ceitronics for the field staff includes project supervision training, NICET certification in the audio and fire alarm industry, BICSI
training for voice data installation, and specialty manufacturer certifications.
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1. Fast Track Projects Showcase Ceitronics' Ability To Compete In Internet Time
2. Welcome To The New Millennium And To Internet Time!
3. Ceitronics Technicians Combine Over 600 Years Of On-the-job Experience
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1. Newly Awarded Ceitronics Projects