When AVIXA published its report 'Pro AV: Are Women Fully Welcome?' it revealed what many in the industry already knew: women are underrepresented in Pro AV. Various factors contribute to this lack of representation, including pay equity, parental leave, and advancement opportunities.
Yet, when we sat down to talk with a few women on our team recently, another contributing factor quickly emerged: awareness.
Jen Ehland, a Certified Technology Specialist and Design Engineer at FORTÉ, studied Engineering in college but was unaware of careers in the AV industry.
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'The only careers presented to me during school were programming and more traditional engineering ' like electrical, mechanical, or chemical,' explains Jen. 'Nobody told me that AV was an option or that it's a field that bridges both creative and technical skills. Had I known that, I would have chosen this career path instead of falling into it.' |
Women's History Month is a great time to address this lack of awareness head-on. But first, some background.
The AV industry has grown significantly in the last several years, and experts predict it will continue to grow. AVIXA estimates the pro AV industry will eclipse $400 billion in revenue by 2028.
FORTÉ is growing faster than the industry, averaging nearly 30% growth per year. To support this growth, we're hiring across a broad range of career areas, some of which require no previous AV industry experience. As we look to fill these roles, we want to make one thing clear: women are welcome here.
'At FORTÉ, it's our commitment to empower and support women across various areas. We're dedicated to ensuring equitable pay, recognizing the value of every individual's contribution,' said Joy Todd, Vice President of Human Resources at FORTÉ.
In addition, FORTÉ recognizes that many of the skills the Pro AV industry needs most right now are the skills in which many women excel, including:
Why these skills? Many companies are completely rethinking how they meet, collaborate, and innovate in the modern workplace. That means AV is no longer viewed as an add-on service or a nice-to-have feature - it's a business-critical capability.
To help increase awareness of Pro AV careers, the following is a high-level overview of some typical roles within our industry.
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'FORTÉ hired me as an Install Technician. Since then, I've worked in several departments - all on the technical side. If you want to learn and expand your skillset, the people at FORTÉ won't tell you no. They're going to help you out and support you.' Marianna Bjerken, Certified Technology Specialist and Field Engineer - FORTÉ. |
While gender parity challenges remain, the AV industry is making progress towards greater equity for women.
"Maternity leave supports the well-being of FORTÉ's female employees during their life transitions,' adds Todd. 'And investments in career development allows for future growth at FORTÉ, which is equally important. By recognizing the full spectrum of talent that women can bring to the table, FORTÉ positions the company for sustained success in the industry.'
With continued efforts from industry leaders like AVIXA and professional development organizations, the future for women in this field looks brighter. For example:
FORTÉ is the largest global audiovisual and unified collaboration systems integrator with 33 locations in the United States. We are 100% employee-owned (ESOP) and have an entrepreneurial culture that nurtures professional growth and respects work-life balance.
'Because FORTÉ is employee owned, we know we're in this together,' says Jen. 'The culture here is that everyone owns a piece of this company, and everyone has a voice.'
Marianna agrees. 'FORTÉ is a very open, friendly environment. Everyone sees each other as equals here, and people work together as a team.'