Are you sick <strong>of</strong> feeling fooled by different insurance plans? NESDA is teaming with Benefit Resourcing Inc. (BRI) to <strong>of</strong>fer a variety <strong>of</strong> insurance types from premier providers to members at discounted rates. These are the types <strong>of</strong> benefits that make your employees want to stay with you for the long haul. Thanks to NESDA and BRI, you can afford to <strong>of</strong>fer them: • Group Health Insurance • Group Life Insurance • Short and Long Term Disability • Dental and Vision Coverage • Pr<strong>of</strong>essional Employer Services • 401(k) • Liability Insurance (Pr<strong>of</strong>essional, General, Directors & Officers) • Business Personal Property Damage • Workers Compensation For more information contact Michael George at BRI at (888) 258-6820 and/or fax back the form at www.nesda.com to (317) 845-0761. Visit the BRI website at nesda.benefitresourcing.net.
ISCET President’s Article This is going to be a busy and exciting year for ISCET and its membership. We recently held our January board meetings following the annual Consumer <strong>Electronics</strong> Show (CES) in Las Vegas, and many new programs or projects were either initiated or enhanced. Our ISCET Administrator's article in "Viewing the Passing Parade" elsewhere in this issue highlights both the CES event, and the progress made during our board meeting. I'd like to devote this article to another topic <strong>of</strong> great importance to all <strong>of</strong> us in the service business. At NPSC, and various other meetings <strong>of</strong> servicers that I attend throughout the year, one <strong>of</strong> the most common questions I hear is: “Where do you find good technicians?” The consumer electronics and home appliance industries together are growing approximately six percent each year. However, the number <strong>of</strong> independent electronic service centers is decreasing by more than that percentage each year. If this shrinkage continues, manufacturers may have to consider other means <strong>of</strong> satisfying their customer's service needs. We know that a strong independent service force throughout the country can provide the best possible service for a manufacturer's product, but to do that, we have to not only survive, but do so pr<strong>of</strong>itably as well. Although the trend shows some signs <strong>of</strong> reversing, many electronics schools around the country have stopped or cut back on curricula that are relevant to consumer electronics. They have been switching to an emphasis on computers, over the basic electronics theory that we need our technicians to know. This is largely because the word "Computer" in the name <strong>of</strong> a course brings Education in <strong>Electronics</strong> By Jim Fellows CET/CSM, ISCET President in more students. While it is true that there is a need for highly skilled computer and networking engineers, the actual repair <strong>of</strong> computers requires very little or no electronics education. Placement services within schools are finding it more difficult to place graduates from their computer programs. What can be done to further reverse this trend? Enter the NCEE (National Coalition for <strong>Electronics</strong> Education). To quote from an NCEE brochure: “Consumer electronics can only thrive if our youth take part in it now and gain vital, standardized knowledge to spark their interest. That's why the National Coalition for <strong>Electronics</strong> Education has created comprehensive resources for schools to integrate courses into their educational efforts or augment existing programs.” ISCET has joined the NCEE along with many other industry-wide participants such as CEA, ETA, NESDA, NARDA, PSA, USA, SkillsUSA, USMSS, Kenwood, Panasonic, Pioneer, Sharp, Sony, Toshiba, Maytag, Whirlpool, and many other business leaders, servicers, and educational institutions. The NCEE <strong>of</strong>fers for free a standardized list <strong>of</strong> competencies in the following areas: • Appliance Service • Basic <strong>Electronics</strong> • Computer Service • Consumer <strong>Electronics</strong> Service • Wireless Communications • Satellite Systems • Customer Service Specialist Other competencies are currently in progress, and will be available soon at the NCEE website, www.ncee-edu.org. Schools across the country are showing great interest in the efforts <strong>of</strong> the NCEE, and this can only serve to help our technician shortage. You can help too! These competencies were developed by a team <strong>of</strong> “Subject Matter Experts” from a broad spectrum <strong>of</strong> the electronics industry. The NCEE is always looking for additional SMEs to help with new competencies, or to work on the annual review <strong>of</strong> the existing ones to make sure they are both current and relevant. I would encourage anyone interested in helping our industry to contact the NCEE and volunteer to become a SME in your area <strong>of</strong> expertise. This way, we can have input into the electronics content that our future employees will be learning. Of more immediate benefit to us could be improving relationships with our local technical schools. If you have an ITT or local technical school, contact them to see if you can become a member <strong>of</strong> their advisory board. Most schools have them, and they are usually glad to have new members join. You can make them aware <strong>of</strong> the efforts <strong>of</strong> the NCEE, and usually can have some direct input into the content <strong>of</strong> their electronics classes. Schools really like to have feedback from local industry in their community. Also, I know <strong>of</strong> some ISCET members that volunteer to teach at local technical schools. That way, they get to know the best students, and can recruit them right from the school. Again, I encourage everyone to visit the NCEE website, www.ncee-edu.org for more information than I can possibly cover here. As always, I welcome any input, suggestions or comments on this or any topic. I can be reached at: jim.fellows@iscet.org. ISCET Certification Update NEW FCC Fee Schedule, effective Feb. 15: Single FCC Test – old fee $35, new fee $50 Two tests – old fee $50, new fee $70 Three tests – old fee $75, new fee $90 Increased CA fees, per element: old fee $5, new fee $7.50 New Industrial Journeyman CET Exam, 2071v1.0 was recently released. It does not, at this time, replace the 1079 which still may be used. The new Study Guide & Practice Test for the new 2071 has not yet been released, but shouldbe available within the next 30 days. New Radar Journeyman CET Exam, 1067V1.0 was recently released. It DOES replace the old Radar 1065. There is also a new Study Guide & Practice Test for the new Radar 1067. These may be ordered by ISCET CAs immediately. These will be online within 30 days. 13 — February 2004
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