THE OFFICIAL TRADE JOURNAL OF BICSI ICT TODAY
From BICSI’s Board President David M. Richards, RCDD, NTS, OSP, TECH, CT
THE FUTURE OF ICT NEEDS YOU
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BICSI BOARD OF DIRECTORS Board President David M. Richards, RCDD, NTS, OSP, TECH, CT Board President-Elect William "Bill" Foy, RCDD, DCDC, ESS, NTS, OSP, WD Board Secretary Luke Clawson, RCDD, RTPM, GROL, MBA Board Treasurer Peter P. Charland III, RCDD, RTPM, DCDC, SMIEEE, CET, NTS, ESS, WD Board Director Ninad Desai, RCDD, NTS, OSP, TECH, CT Board Director William “Joe” Fallon, RCDD, ESS Board Director Daniel Hunter, RCDD Board Director Gilbert Romo Board Director Mark Tarrance, RCDD, RTPM Board Director Jay Thompson, RCDD Board Director James "Jim" Walters, RCDD, DCDC, OSP, RTPM, PMP, CISSP, GICSP Chief Executive Officer John H. Daniels, CNM, FACHE, FHIMSS, CPHIMS
They say the best RCDD‘s are the ones who began their careers as installers. I first heard that phrase from one of our great association’s founders. Is there a motivated installer who you can picture blossoming into a future designer or project manager? Share this issue of ICT Today with them. Ever have a small project that you did not have the time or resources available to do a full design on? Try asking a skilled installer to produce a rough draft for you to work from. You may be surprised. As an instructor for the past 25 years, I have found that you can learn something new from just about anyone, even those you mentor with little or no experience. As you know, our trade, like many others, is experiencing a large deficit in skilled installers required to support the massive ICT spectrum that has stemmed from the constant evolution of converged technologies. I was asked recently at an ICT Forum what we could do to find more skilled installers. While we can all produce a few ideas, I think one of the best ones I have witnessed over the years is when somebody takes another under their wing and teaches them the ropes. Look around the industry. How many sons of sons or cousins of cousins or daughters or other family members have shown the next generation how rewarding it can be to learn a trade? Did you know that our largest demographic by far in the ICT community is our installer base? Installers have proven repeatedly to be one of our best recruiting assets.
Career paths are rarely an intuitive journey. I always tell my students the same story. We do not have a “Cabling University” out there filled with lecturers or career counselors. There are no college football or college basketball teams that represent the future grads of the ICT industry. What we do have for the next generation is BICSI and the BICSI Community. BICSI has well-defined paths to various industry credentials that empower motivated individuals with the tools and networking opportunities that often open doors leading to life-changing career paths they simply never knew existed. The theme for this issue of ICT Today is: “The Future of ICT from an Installation Perspective.” I challenge anyone who has read this far through my letter to be the one who makes a difference in another installer’s career. Open a door and show them the possibilities that are out there. You might just be surprised where they end up leading themselves from there, and how rewarding it can be for you.
EDITORIAL REVIEW BOARD Beatriz Bezos, RCDD, DCDC, ESS, NTS, OSP, PE, PMP Jonathan L. Jew F. Patrick Mahoney, RCDD, CDT PUBLISHER BICSI, Inc., 8610 Hidden River Pkwy., Tampa, FL 33637-1000 Phone: +1 813.979.1991 Web: bicsi.org EDITOR Dan Brown, icttodayeditor@bicsi.org
ICT TODAY NEEDS WRITERS ICT Today is BICSI’s premier publication for authoritative, vendor-neutral coverage and insight on next generation and emerging technologies, standards, trends, and applications in the global ICT community. Consider sharing your industry knowledge and expertise by becoming a contributing writer to this informative publication. Contact icttodayeditor@bicsi.org if you are interested in submitting an article.
Best regards,
David M. Richards, RCDD, NTS, OSP, TECH, CT President, Board of Directors Quality & Training Manager - Global Solutions Integration Black Box Network Services
PUBLICATION STAFF Clarke Hammersley, Consultant Editor Jeff Giarrizzo, Director, Technical Publications
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ICT TODAY
July/August/September 2025
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