The upcoming CEDIA Expo, taking place in Dallas, Texas from 29 September to 1 October, will include a reinvigorated educational programme which will feature over 150 sessions, including the CEDIA Expo Conference, manufacturer product training and show floor stage sessions.
Curated by CEDIA, the conference will have many new sessions, including a new wellness track and lighting tracks. The popular open forum session, ‘Ask the Experts’ will return as part of the programme, including a Spanish-language track.
This year’s CEDIA Expo will see the debut of the CEDIA Advocacy Town Hall, a free session about the legislative and regulatory issues facing the home technology industry.
As part of its global focus, the CEDIA Expo Conference will bring advocacy, connection and education to the home technology community through formal training and professional development, advocacy activations, and insightful speakers on emerging trends.
The CEDIA Expo Conference programme includes a diverse mix of formats, including thought-provoking seminars, engaging panels and interactive half-day workshops.
One of the highlights of this year’s programme is the free Keynote presentation, where Greg Durkin, founder and CEO of Guts+Data will take a deep dive into entertainment technology and content. He will discuss the implications of the fragmented content landscape for the connected home experience and the invaluable opportunities for integrators in the fast-evolving digital media landscape.
Over half of this year’s sessions are brand new, including the new wellness and lighting tracks. The wellness track will explore the design, verification and customer positioning of wellness technology solutions, while the lighting track will focus on one of the fastest growing solutions areas in the industry.
Free and open to all CEDIA Expo attendees, the new Advocacy Town Hall will be another highlight where visitors can join CEDIA for breakfast and explore advancing the smart home technology industry and fighting for its governmental rights.
Industry-leading manufacturers, including Crestron, Legrand and Sound United, among many other brands, will present hands-on training sessions, new product information and live questionnaires on the latest technology during CEDIA Expo’s manufacturer product training (MPT) courses.
Attendees can also take advantage of the end-to-end CEDIA certification pathway, including the ANSI/ISO-accredited CIT and IST certifications, with preparation sessions, onsite testing, and tools to leverage certification.
“A key component to CEDIA Expo is the professional development and education available at the event for attendees,” said Jason McGraw, CTS, group vice president for CEDIA Expo and KBIS, Emerald. “Together, the conference programming and the exhibit floor offer a unique value for attendees by providing the opportunity to educate and grow. Attendees can go forth and apply the knowledge as they discover new technologies on the exhibit floor.”
Amanda Beckner, CTS, vice president of education and training for CEDIA added: “CEDIA Expo is our industry’s best peer-to-peer learning opportunity. Attendees will learn directly from presenters and exhibitors, but you’ll also learn a great deal from the way their peers react – to both sessions and booths. There truly is no substitute for this kind of in-person experience.”
At the Conference, attendees can expect a host of educational topics, including audio, business, certification prep, networking, and emerging trends to name a few. Visitors looking for business advice will find courses on everything from incorporating new products into their sales pitches to growing profits from products they’re already selling.