Inspiring the Next Generation of Smart Home Professionals

For a second year in a row, CEDIA has been involved with the SkillsUSA Internet of Things (IoT) competition, with the aim of helping to shape the next generation of smart home professionals.  

SkillsUSA is a national nonprofit serving more than 442,000 high school, college and middle school students and professional members enrolled in training programs in trade, technical and skilled service occupations. Each year, its competitions give high school and college students the opportunity to demonstrate their technical skills in real-world scenarios.  

The Internet of Things (IoT) competition challenges students to apply technology integration concepts, such as sensor networks, connected devices, and automation systems, to solve problems that mirror those faced by professionals in the smart home industry.  The competition is developed and judged with input from CEDIA to ensure students are learning real-world, employer-relevant skills.

Eric Rasmussen from Intuitive AV, a CEDIA member who was involved with the program this year, commented: "Serving as a proctor and judge at SkillsUSA was a reminder of why this competition matters – it's building the next generation of custom integration professionals. My advice to every contestant: stay curious, keep learning and align yourself with organizations like CEDIA early. The trainings and certifications are noticed and appreciated, and they help to further professionalize the industry. We look forward to supporting the competition for years to come." 

This year, there were between 16-20 competitors, with different divisions for high school and college-level students. On Day 1, students install the materials, while on day 2, participants focus on programming and conduct mock interviews. CEDIA Foundation Operations & Workforce Manager, Tara Guertin supported the mock interviews with the high school students.  

Daniel Henderson, the man behind the SkillsUSA National Smart Home IoT contest commented: “SkillsUSA Nationals is genuinely one of the highlights of my year. We hear a lot of negative noise about the next generation; their ambition, their work ethic and their focus; and then I walk into that arena and watch tens of thousands of young people completely dismantle that narrative.

Our IoT Smart Home contestants came ready to work. They arrived prepared, asked thoughtful questions, embraced feedback, and genuinely wanted to learn. From the professionalism they demonstrated during the interview process, to some of our strongest written test scores, to the creativity and craftsmanship shown during the hands-on competition, they consistently exceeded our expectations. These students aren't just learning how to install products, they're developing the technical, troubleshooting and customer service skills that make successful integration professionals. I am genuinely proud to know many of them will go on to fill critical gaps in this industry across the country.

Smart home technology has moved well beyond being a niche market. As connected devices become a standard part of modern homes, the need for skilled professionals who can design, install, secure, integrate and support those systems continues to grow. That's exactly why competitions like this one matter, and exactly why CEDIA's growing involvement is so meaningful. We've already grown from six contestants to 26, and with CEDIA's support, I look forward to accelerating that even further; bringing in official industry certifications, aligning our curriculum with industry standards, expanding into more advanced integration technologies and preparing students for the connected homes and intelligent systems they'll be installing tomorrow.”