The AVIXA Foundation is working hard to inspire the next wave of AV professionals, and this effort is on display at this year’s show. “Our mission at the foundation is to show the next generation of AV professionals that this is the industry of choice for them,” says Joseph Valerio, director of workforce development at AVIXA and the program director of the AVIXA Foundation. “And we do so by bringing many partner schools of ours and nonprofit community partners who run workforce development around the country and the globe to check out the show.”
At InfoComm 2019, Friday will feature an AV Career Day, in which companies will conduct “speed networking” with students and nonprofit organizations, and demonstrate to these individuals the variety of job roles that exist in the industry. There will also be a reception with young professionals who will share their own personal experiences working in AV. “We use this day as a way for them to hear from our great exhibiting companies why to get into AV in the first place, why they’re important for the industry and to help them make connections for potential jobs in the future,” Valerio said.
[AVIXA Foundation Updates Mission, Hosts 5K, by Megan A. Dutta, May 19, 2019]
Prior to Friday's Career Day, the foundation hosted its first-ever 5K Walk/Run that morning. According to Valerio, more than 400 runners registered for the event, which raised funds for the charitable foundation and helped raise awareness of the work it does for the industry. “We think it’s just a great way to get everyone together while we’re at this reunion that we have, and to have a healthy competition race to benefit the foundation, its charitable programs like our scholarships, internship programs and tech crew programs that we’re starting at high schools around the globe,” Valerio said.
