Technicians Join Elite Group of Certified Trainers Qualified to Deliver Multilevel BICSI Curriculum; Company Also Launching Authorized Training Facility Footprint
PITTSBURGH, PA – March 30, 2021 – Black Box, a global solutions integrator, today announced that three of its senior information and communications technology (ICT) professionals — Philip Klingensmith, Chad Scholtisek and Micah Stauffer — have been named Certified Trainers by the Building Industry Consulting Service International (BICSI). Klingensmith, Scholtisek and Stauffer join only 167 other BICSI Certified Trainers in the world, a key milestone for Black Box as the company inaugurates three new authorised training facilities (ATFs) for its technical teams in support of its ICT centre of expertise.
The exclusive BICSI certification qualifies Klingensmith, Scholtisek, and Stauffer to train professionals of all levels in ICT codes, standards and best industry practices, delivering the same world-class installation curriculum that BICSI offers in its own classrooms. Each trainer will be deployed to a separate Black Box ATF and offer three courses to Black Box team members: Installer 1, including basic skills for an entry-level installer; Installer 2, with separate tracks for copper and fibre installation; and Technician, with advanced-level emphasis on planning and implementation, troubleshooting, site surveys, bonding and grounding, and firestopping. Existing BICSI credential holders within Black Box are eligible to receive continuing education credits and maintain their status with BICSI when they attend any of these courses.
With more than 26,000 members and credential-holders representing nearly 100 countries, BICSI is a professional association supporting the advancement of the ICT profession. In addition to the Certified Trainer designation, Klingensmith, Scholtisek and Stauffer all hold BICSI’s Registered Communications Distribution Designer certification and are certified BICSI Technicians. Klingensmith is also certified as an instructor for BICSI’s Outside Plant and Registered Telecommunications Project Manager courses.
Black Box is nearing completion on its first new ATF, a state-of-the-art, 1,000-square-foot training centre in Luleå, Sweden, built to BICSI standards. The other two ATFs will be based in North America and are expected to open in 2021. Post-pandemic, all will offer a combination of on-site and remote learning.
Klingensmith commented, “Our long-term objective for the new ATFs is to provide world-class centres of learning and installation/design expertise in support of the Black Box global ICT business. BICSI represents the gold standard in ICT best industry practices, and the fact that our company now has three of only 170 BICSI Certified Trainers in the world speaks volumes about our commitment to this goal.”
Rick Gannon, senior vice president of commercial services at Black Box, added, “The creation of a repeatable ATF footprint — coupled with the high-calibre, in-house training credentials brought to the table by Phil, Chad and Micah — is a tremendous advantage for our company and our customers. It means we will be able to help ensure the best possible outcomes for our data centre and infrastructure clients who demand installations that meet BICSI’s rigorous standards.”
Further information about Black Box and the company’s Global Solutions Integration services offerings is available at www.bboxservices.com.