Adventures in getting recertified
ericmedley
Posts: 4,177
Well, the info is trickling in on just what I'll have to do to get recertified. As you all may already know, there is now more official information on the website.
What it boils down to for me is not too much. Just spending between $3000 and $4000 and I'll be good for one more year. The classes are $300 per day, so $900. Travel and hotel/food will be around $2000 or more. This, of course, doesn't include lost income...
It was recommended for me to take Programmer 3 again. (I took in in 2003) That would get me 6 CEUs and then I'd be within range of doing a few online courses. That'll get me to 7. Then I'll have to do a CEDIA thing or something similar. That's probably going to run me some more money too.
I taught Audio Engineering and Music Production graduate courses at the University of Nebraska and am an active memeber and officer in A.E.S. I still do some inservices and 'guest apperances' at audio schools around here. I had hoped to somehow parlay something of that nature into the CEUs. No luck so far.
This whole thing has made me wonder about my future in this. I really need to re-think my fee structure if I'm going to have to pony out $3-$5K each year to stay certified. I don't think Master's Degree Architects spend this much per year to stay certified. (I also teach CEU courses for Architects too (AIA). I wonder if that counts in any way???)
Times they are a changin...
What it boils down to for me is not too much. Just spending between $3000 and $4000 and I'll be good for one more year. The classes are $300 per day, so $900. Travel and hotel/food will be around $2000 or more. This, of course, doesn't include lost income...
It was recommended for me to take Programmer 3 again. (I took in in 2003) That would get me 6 CEUs and then I'd be within range of doing a few online courses. That'll get me to 7. Then I'll have to do a CEDIA thing or something similar. That's probably going to run me some more money too.
I taught Audio Engineering and Music Production graduate courses at the University of Nebraska and am an active memeber and officer in A.E.S. I still do some inservices and 'guest apperances' at audio schools around here. I had hoped to somehow parlay something of that nature into the CEUs. No luck so far.
This whole thing has made me wonder about my future in this. I really need to re-think my fee structure if I'm going to have to pony out $3-$5K each year to stay certified. I don't think Master's Degree Architects spend this much per year to stay certified. (I also teach CEU courses for Architects too (AIA). I wonder if that counts in any way???)
Times they are a changin...
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Wow - if this is the case . . . that's . . . I can't quite find a word that describes that very well, anyone else want to try?
If you could attend a one day class to take a test, maybe online, send a program... I have no problem!
I don't have the time to jump through hoops for re certification.
Maybe they could setup something special for the veteran dogs?
I'm thinking of starting my own AmCE certification: requirement, 10 episodes of the Roadrunner.
The information is sorta smattered all around the AMX University web site. I did find it by looking around. The site doesn't seem to be organized around the idea of an already certified person needing to find out how to get recerted.
If I were to guess, it seems to be organized more in a style that assumes you already know the structure of the course work. (Which I don't)
The main body of information I have was an email response from AMX to some questions I sent to their general AMX Univesrity email address. I basically told them my situation and asked for course recommendations and/or some kind of plan on how to get my CEUs.
With my current set of credentials they suggested one of two courses. One being retaking Programmer 3; the other taking the course track for RMS certification. We have no use for RMS since we rolled our own. So, for me, there is one course.
Having taught and worked in an academic setting, I understand AMX's model. It's basically an 'education track' model. You create a set of curriculum tracks that guide new people through what they'll need depending upon which product they want certs in. It's a great plan for getting new people through a system efficiently. However, I feel it's a poor system for continuing education or continued maintainence of established graduates of a course.
You find the teachers kinda floundering on people like me. There's not really a track that works for where I'm at. So, someone like me ends up taking the same courses over and over again or taking courses that have no use. To me that seems silly.
If I were running the ship, I might have some kind of thing where people like us who've been out in the field for a while might come in and do 'in services' on a regional level or some kind of mentoring program or something like that. I've always liked the idea of recirculating knowledge within a field. It could still be supervised by official AMXers. As it stands we end up just getting out there and foating around without much interaction between us.
I mentinoed architects before. I like their model of getting together and sharing ideas in a more free-form manner.
The AIA here in the Charleston area brings lots of people like me in twice a year to conduct classes which then break down into open discussion groups. They basically come to me with some ideas for topics based upon feedback from the architects. I create a presentation on the subject matter. I do the presentation, which usually lasts about an hour. Then the group goes into open discussion which usually lasts another hour or so. (Food is a big part of this thing)
In my case the topics tend to be on architectural issues as they pertain to Audio Video or Control/computing/ networking or Acoustical design. They are great educational events and I learn so much myself.
The other nice thing is, by nature of the circular feedback, the course works tends to stay very current and cutting edge.
The architects get 3 CEUs per course. They can get pretty much what they need for the year in 1 day if they don't mess around. Most people I know attend both events at opposite halves of the year and get it done that way.
Well, I'm just rambling again. I'll stop
First off I am not connected to the AMX training department so this post is subject to revision. I recently attended Programming 3 after also attending in 2003. And I can assure you the subject matter was fresh as a reflection of AMX today verses 5 years ago.
If you are an AMX dealer or VIP then all classes are offered at no charge. Travel expenses are on your company, but a 3-day trip to Dallas should be no more than $1000. The networking opportunity with your peers and AMX personnel is in my opinion, worth the price alone.
If you are an independent programmer but not a VIP, I would highly encourage you to do so as continuing training is one of the benefits.
If that is the case I'm all for taking Prog 3. I totally enjoyed Prog 3 in 2003 and have recommended it many times. Also I was unaware of the dealer discount. The schedule I saw didn't have any Dallas dates for Prog III. They were all in Costa Mesa. That would have been good information to include in the email sent to me.
I suppose how this will all play out depends upon your current situition.
I wish there was a way for us to be able to navigate these waters on our own. I just don't know where to go to find the info.
Do you know if they're going to offer P3 in Tampa?
--D
I have been told that it's somewhat 'per demand' So, those of us who want/need it should make some noise to our reps and/or AMX directly
Totally based on demand...contact your sales rep.
BTW, it was Brian who relayed the information to me about making noise to the reps. Thanks to Brian for watching our backs!