Understanding the Capacity of the Product

Understanding the Capacity of the Product

Campus classroom helps Pelco trainer keep installers focused

When Barbara Morgan settles into her classroom, she has a room full of teaching aides and equipment that keeps installers, end users and dealers focused on the topic of the day. Her message to her students is quite simple. “Understand the full capacity of the product,” with Morgan’s overall goal being the same as her students: to troubleshoot and maintain security systems to the best of their ability.

“I am often responsible for training end users from very large installations, such as operations managers, who come to our classes,” said Morgan, the global training director at the Pelco Global Training Institute in Clovis, Calif. “Integrators often encourage their customers to participate in training sessions for several reasons, chief among them is so they have a complete understanding of the systems they are using and to solidify loyalty to the product.”

A Little about Pelco

Long invested in the security industry, the Pelco campus pretty much makes up the city of Clovis. Of course, there are other business interests in this city and the area, but Pelco has made a name for itself because of its employees and the services they offer, training included.

Founded in 1957 and headquartered in Clovis, Pelco continues its neverending pursuit of 100 percent customer satisfaction. Since 2007, Pelco has been part of Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy and security management. Coming together as one, Pelco and Schneider Electric offer the unique ability to provide customers with an unmatched combination of solutions for infrastructure and security.

Today, Pelco by Schneider Electric employs about 2,200 people worldwide, with resellers in 130 countries. Their security offerings include the development and manufacturing of video security systems including high-definition and IP fixed, dome and integrated positioning camera systems; next-generation video management and software-only solutions; video matrix systems; full HD displays and more. The more—as some have come to expect—is training.

Like other building automation systems, physical security is migrating from an analog, centralized landscape to one that is network-based and IPfocused. That means existing network infrastructures can be leveraged to deliver video security solutions in new and exciting ways that drive business and increase efficiency.

With a long and prestigious history of offering high-quality, innovative products and exceptional customer service, Pelco has become a highly sought-after supplier in the video security industry.

School Is In Session

While Pelco is a homegrown product, its training programs reach the entire world. The company has 12 centers across the globe where physical classrooms are filled with students eager to hear the security message. But that’s not all. The company also does training in the field, using company offices where product representatives are stationed, and sometimes those classes are in the language of that particular customer. Company reps often serve as the local trainers, providing training for free to platinum and gold customers.

While onsite training is available, company officials charge for this service, mainly to recover the cost for getting the materials and equipment onsite.

“We also provide training in China,” Morgan said. “Most of our business and training opportunities are in North America. This is where we have the bulk of business.”

The training. Pelco’s four-day course provides a hue of different colors. First of all, there is training in the classroom, which resembles any college campus with hands-on equipment to accelerate the knowledge base. Morgan offers eLearning, podcasts, WebEx, tutorials and virtual classrooms. With a little effort and concentration, students join the open-enrollment studies and can earn the Endura certificate of knowledge.

The instructors. Morgan couldn’t do all the teaching on her own because Pelco’s reach and classroom offering is too broad. She manages 18 full-time and 10 part-time instructors, with an average tenure of 10 to 12 years.

Pelco instructors follow a defined set of criteria to make sure that students get a fulfilling experience from the learning center. They also have certifications of their own, Cisco CCNA certifications and IP competency status, adding weight to their credentials.

All Pelco trainers are profiled on the company’s Website.

The library. What good would training be without a library? Pelco has a suite dedicated to eLearning that can be accessed by customers and employees alike. 85 percent of the library queries are made from customers.

“These libraries are open to peer companies and to new students who just want to get acquainted,” Morgan said.

More than 2,000 unique users who have completed Pelco courses continue their studies thanks to the library, and more than 6,000 courses have been completed. Once a course is completed, students are given continuing education credits, and have the opportunity to evaluate the courses and instructors.

Exceptional Education in Video Security

Training is mission critical at Pelco.

“It is our goal and understanding that integrators, installers and end users want to keep up with ever-changing technologies,” Morgan said. “The Pelco Global Training Institute (PGTI) combines IP knowledge and deep experience in traditional video security to deliver best-in-class training for IP video. Through an unmatched combination of instructor-led classes in 10 locations worldwide and at many North American Pelco Sales Representatives’ offices, and a suite of online resources, including an extensive library of eLearning, podcasts, videos and more, it has never been easier to get the information you need, when you need it.”

Curricula designed and delivered by an industry-leading array of instructors, instructional designers, engineers, certified networking specialists and industry consultants, the combination of traditional instructor-led classes and Pelco’s online capabilities deliver unparalleled education for today’s video security professionals.

This article originally appeared in the March 2014 issue of Security Today.

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