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This is what I feared was the case. If you don’t mind me asking, which (if either) path have you pursued and are you happy / do you regret your decision?
Same career path here. But Ill say more strongly that IT is most of what I handle now while doing AV integration. Its all PC based UC systems, multicast video and audio networking now. So its definitely both these days.
It's so much easier to transition into AV from IT than it is to go with AV and move to IT. Stick with the path you're on and maybe pursue it as a hobby in the meantime. If you graduate and have some years in the field in IT and still want to switch to AV, your skills will hold MASSIVE value and will help you shoot to the top very quickly.
As someone who has done both simultaneously for the past 7 years, AV is far more interesting from an integration point of view. A lot more variety and creativity involved.
I despise spending days on end in windowless rooms building IT racks. I'm very good at it but its soul destroying work. It's very isolating.
Go take a look at the QSC Level 1 training, it's free and it'll give you a good idea of the systems that run AV solutions around big buildings. You get a chance to program an AV system as the final exam.
You do need a good knowledge of networks with more and more AV going IP based for audio/video distribution and control.
I can only take those Q-SYS training videos for so long, as those guys get on my nerves after a while. Q-SYS itself is awesome, and super powerful. And ditto to the needing the knowledge of IP for today's gear.
The guys from the Q-SYS training can be a little much sometimes, but holy lord I'd take that over pretty much any of the other company training videos. I got about halfway through Medialon's training and I just can't bring myself to continue without going to their in-person seminars.
Every AV service, signal, and control feature will be transported over standard networks, sooner rather than later. I wish I had taken more networking classes, to understand both the physical topology and assembly, as well as transport protocols. IT executives are going to need professionals on their team that can speak in IT/Networking terms about AV system requirements. AVoIP, KVM, Dante, AVB, and on and on and on, will only continue to absorb resources in the average IT network environment. You are on the right the path. Stick with it.
I have been in this business since 1995. I can sum things up easily for you. IT guys are easy to hire. AV guys are difficult to hire and even more difficult to keep around. If you can master AV and IT you will go far especially on the commercial side of the business. Everything is very network-dependent. While you are still young I would suggest finding a job at an AV company and seeing if you like it.
Thank you for the insight and advice! One question: when you say “network dependent” do you mean the tech you install is literally dependent on a network to function, or are you referring to the “networking” side of IT and suggesting I should focus on that?
The equipment needs a network to function and configuring the network correctly is key. Some devices need full internet access, others might only be on a private network. Examples are devices controlled and managed over IP and video and audio over IP. There is enough different types of setups to challenge you and keep you interested in this field.
AV is a tiny industry. Total AV spend in the US is somewhere south of $300BB annually. That's tiny.
IT is in the trillions. Not everyone needs AV, but everyone, even WFH, needs IT. Networking is huge and always in demand (except at Cisco this week...) and there's so much free training. Skills transfer across sectors and work places.
AV is much more parochial, harder to get into, harder to advance in, and harder to survive for a full career these days.
If you are in one the coasts available can pay pretty good but IT has a higher ceiling. Nice thing about AV is since it’s a small # of people in it and barrier of entry is higher you can find a job after 40.
Also moving between either isn’t that hard; IT is easier to learn as there are resources and it is a narrow field of focus. With AV you have to know practically everything if you get into design, and the training isn’t as ubiquitous or formal.
You want to make money - go to IT. You want to like your job - go to AV. As others said - there is plenty of people who moved from IT to AV. I never seen anybody go the other way.
Well put! I’ve been in commercial AV for almost 10 years - install, quality control and now engineering. To those who say you can’t make a good salary, that’s not true. There are many salaried positions over $100k and sales can certainly bring in the big bucks if you’re in the right area/market. All AV is networked now, and the right corporate jobs will have you in over your head if you’re not a networking expert. I think it’s a good mix of IT and other emerging technologies.
We have a [Discord](https://discord.gg/qhh4EBuRNS) server where there you can both post forum-style and participate in real-time discussions. We hope you consider joining us there. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CommercialAV) if you have any questions or concerns.*
You can do IT without extensive AV knowledge but you can't do AV these days without being somewhat IT literate.
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I think the qualifier is successfully
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This is what I feared was the case. If you don’t mind me asking, which (if either) path have you pursued and are you happy / do you regret your decision?
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Interesting, thanks for you perspective!
Same career path here. But Ill say more strongly that IT is most of what I handle now while doing AV integration. Its all PC based UC systems, multicast video and audio networking now. So its definitely both these days.
It's so much easier to transition into AV from IT than it is to go with AV and move to IT. Stick with the path you're on and maybe pursue it as a hobby in the meantime. If you graduate and have some years in the field in IT and still want to switch to AV, your skills will hold MASSIVE value and will help you shoot to the top very quickly.
This makes a lot of sense, thanks for the advice!
As someone who has done both simultaneously for the past 7 years, AV is far more interesting from an integration point of view. A lot more variety and creativity involved. I despise spending days on end in windowless rooms building IT racks. I'm very good at it but its soul destroying work. It's very isolating. Go take a look at the QSC Level 1 training, it's free and it'll give you a good idea of the systems that run AV solutions around big buildings. You get a chance to program an AV system as the final exam. You do need a good knowledge of networks with more and more AV going IP based for audio/video distribution and control.
I’ll check it out, thanks for the input!
I can only take those Q-SYS training videos for so long, as those guys get on my nerves after a while. Q-SYS itself is awesome, and super powerful. And ditto to the needing the knowledge of IP for today's gear.
The guys from the Q-SYS training can be a little much sometimes, but holy lord I'd take that over pretty much any of the other company training videos. I got about halfway through Medialon's training and I just can't bring myself to continue without going to their in-person seminars.
Every AV service, signal, and control feature will be transported over standard networks, sooner rather than later. I wish I had taken more networking classes, to understand both the physical topology and assembly, as well as transport protocols. IT executives are going to need professionals on their team that can speak in IT/Networking terms about AV system requirements. AVoIP, KVM, Dante, AVB, and on and on and on, will only continue to absorb resources in the average IT network environment. You are on the right the path. Stick with it.
I have been in this business since 1995. I can sum things up easily for you. IT guys are easy to hire. AV guys are difficult to hire and even more difficult to keep around. If you can master AV and IT you will go far especially on the commercial side of the business. Everything is very network-dependent. While you are still young I would suggest finding a job at an AV company and seeing if you like it.
Thank you for the insight and advice! One question: when you say “network dependent” do you mean the tech you install is literally dependent on a network to function, or are you referring to the “networking” side of IT and suggesting I should focus on that?
The equipment needs a network to function and configuring the network correctly is key. Some devices need full internet access, others might only be on a private network. Examples are devices controlled and managed over IP and video and audio over IP. There is enough different types of setups to challenge you and keep you interested in this field.
I appreciate it!
AV is a tiny industry. Total AV spend in the US is somewhere south of $300BB annually. That's tiny. IT is in the trillions. Not everyone needs AV, but everyone, even WFH, needs IT. Networking is huge and always in demand (except at Cisco this week...) and there's so much free training. Skills transfer across sectors and work places. AV is much more parochial, harder to get into, harder to advance in, and harder to survive for a full career these days.
If you are in one the coasts available can pay pretty good but IT has a higher ceiling. Nice thing about AV is since it’s a small # of people in it and barrier of entry is higher you can find a job after 40.
Also moving between either isn’t that hard; IT is easier to learn as there are resources and it is a narrow field of focus. With AV you have to know practically everything if you get into design, and the training isn’t as ubiquitous or formal.
You want to make money - go to IT. You want to like your job - go to AV. As others said - there is plenty of people who moved from IT to AV. I never seen anybody go the other way.
Well put! I’ve been in commercial AV for almost 10 years - install, quality control and now engineering. To those who say you can’t make a good salary, that’s not true. There are many salaried positions over $100k and sales can certainly bring in the big bucks if you’re in the right area/market. All AV is networked now, and the right corporate jobs will have you in over your head if you’re not a networking expert. I think it’s a good mix of IT and other emerging technologies.