In the fast-paced security field, it is crucial to stay current on best practices, tools, and technologies. Attending in-person training will equip you with the skills needed to implement cutting-edge solutions from Axis and stay up to date on network video innovations, while also building trust and credibility in your field. And it opens the door to future growth: classroom training is one step toward becoming an Axis Certified Professional (ACP), a credential increasingly sought after by customers and employees in the industry.
To better understand the many benefits of classroom learning, we spoke with Axis educator Dennis Montalvo Barthelemy and recent student Martin Ahtee about what makes in-person courses unique.
Dennis, a sales engineer and trainer in the Nordics region at the Axis Communications Academy in Lund, Sweden, says “fundamentally, classroom training helps partners become faster, smarter, and more efficient users of Axis products and technologies.”
Connecting theoretical ideas with real-life scenarios
One of the major benefits of attending in-person classroom training is simply the human connection of it all. Online interactions are limited to scheduled screen time. It’s much easier to have a conversation and learn from each other’s shared experiences, when you meet in person. Often, a chat during a lunch break leads to a discussion about the best way to tackle a job and opens up opportunities for networking.
You meet peers, you meet other companies, maybe a potential customer as well, and you can talk with them, Dennis says.
In moments between sessions, for example, participants on site have time for casual dialogue about projects they’re working on, while also networking with trainers and colleagues in the industry. Here, students can apply the theoretical training they’ve just learned to real-world examples and receive immediate feedback.
This immediate feedback from peers and trainers is what Martin, the Business Developer at IT infrastructure firm Atea, says helps classroom training stand out from online learning. Martin recently completed the Network Video Fundamentals (NVF) and Axis Camera Station courses as part of the process to become an Axis Certified Professional.
“It’s quite a big difference when you have other people around you in hands-on learning,” he says. “I was kind of expecting an ordinary classroom training, where you sit and listen to the instructor, but in this case, it was more interactive, and there were a lot more discussions than I was expecting.”
Martin says he still keeps in touch with his instructors and feels empowered to check in with them when he has questions or ideas about how to tackle specific solutions.
“The instructors did an outstanding job – not only were they knowledgeable and pedagogical, but they also managed to keep participants engaged and active throughout the sessions,” Martin says. “On top of that, their sense of humor created a positive and relaxed atmosphere, which made learning both enjoyable and effective.”
Insight, inspiration from other participants
For Martin, who plans to test for Axis certification in the coming months along with his team, his in-classroom training led to discoveries about new ways to use Axis cameras that he might not have otherwise encountered in online discussions.
“I got some inspiration from [other participants] because a few of them worked with cameras in ways that I wasn’t really aware of. It was very eye-opening that you could use cameras in a lot of different ways,” he says. Martin says he came away with novel ways to implement Axis solutions and help his retail clients apply Axis analytics, beyond just monitoring a scene.
“There’s a lot of settings that I wasn’t aware of in some of the applications in the cameras – for example, different ways to use heatmapping and analytics,” he says. “So that saved me a lot of time Googling. The customer that I work most with is a furnishing retailer, and they use people-counter and are also interested in other insights in their business.” In this way, Martin can pivot new knowledge into potential added benefits for his customers.
Customers recognize Axis credentials
Becoming an Axis Certified Professional, Martin adds, will add a layer of authority to his already robust credentials.
“For my company, it’s important that we can prove that we are maintaining the knowledge of certain products. That’s a big thing – and for me personally, the certification is evidence that I know stuff about this, and that makes it easier when I talk to customers. I have a level of trust from the start.”
Customers and potential new team members seek out Axis Certified Professionals because certification proves expert-level understanding of network video systems and a dedication to learning. Moreover, the Axis Certification Program includes a built-in recertification process, which encourages continuous education and reassessment – so you’ll always be on top of the latest network video technologies, approaches, and methods.
End users are increasingly seeking certified specialists in system design, support, integration and installation, and Axis certification helps to draw in new business and establish credibility with customers. Training helps you identify right away what the best tool is for the job, and how to implement it in the most cost-effective way.
Knowledge is a very powerful tool,” Dennis says. “We see more and more that you can win business by telling this end user that your people are certified.