Inside BICSI’s ICT Project Management Path: From Field Tech To RTPM

We take a break this week and recover from BICSI and a cold.  Today we explore how BICSI’s PM 102 and the RTPM credential give ICT project managers practical tools they can use right away. From project charters and stakeholder risk to network diagrams and earned value, we focus on what speeds delivery and keeps budgets on track.

• PM 101 vs PM 102 and who each serves
• Project charter, stakeholder mapping, and risk planning
• Network diagrams and finding the true critical path
• Earned value management tied to measurable outputs
• Change control that protects margin and schedule
• Why RTPM fits ICT better than a generalist PMP
• Using PM 102 hours toward PMP requirements
• Virtual and in-person training options and tools
• RTPM exam process, Pearson VUE, and handbook
• Career path choices between RCDD and PM tracks
• Visual field communication and simple daily goals
• Hybrid conferences, global access, and learning culture

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Chapters

• 0:00 Why Project Management Matters
• 1:11 Subscribe, Reviews, And Livestream Details
• 2:23 Introducing BICSI PM 101 vs PM 102
• 3:15 Skills Taught: Charter, Risk, Flow
• 4:10 Budgeting, EVM, And Change Control
• 5:08 Closing Projects The Right Way
• 5:39 Who PM 102 Is For
• 6:09 RTPM vs PMP: Industry Fit
• 7:16 Delivery Options: Virtual And In-Person
• 8:08 RTPM Exam: Prep, Hours, Blueprint
• 9:05 Career Path: RCDD Or Project Management
• 10:30 Application, Handbooks, And Pearson VUE
• 12:02 Global Access And Language Notes
• 12:33 Career Value Of The RTPM Credential
• 13:38 Using PM 102 Toward PMP Requirements
• 14:25 Common Struggles: Network Diagrams
• 15:33 Making EVM Practical And Visual
• 17:05 Field Communication And Simple Goals
• 18:23 New Installer Updates And Conference
• 19:12 Hybrid Conferences And Real Learning
• 20:20 Virtual Access Expands Opportunity
• 21:07 Teaching Craft And Instructor Skills
• 22:03 Wrap-Up And Knowledge Is Power

Transcript

SPEAKER_01: 0:00

As you know, I always sign off my shows. Knowledge is power. In this industry, you have to be a constant learner. One of the areas that seems to generate the most interest is project management. So today we're going to talk about Bixie's project management course. Welcome to the show where we tackle the tough questions submitted by installers, project managers, engineers, customers. We're connecting at the human level so that we can connect the world. If you're watching this show on YouTube, would you mind hitting the subscribe button and the bell button to be notified when new content is being produced? If you're listening on one of the podcast platforms, would you mind giving us a five-star rating? Those two little steps help us break the algorithm so we can get this message out to more people in the ICT industry to educate, encourage, and enrich the lives of everybody in our industry. Thursday nights, 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, live stream where you get to ask your favorite RCDD questions. That would be me. It's broadcast on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook. So as I mentioned, you've got to be a constant learner in this industry. And one of the premier education platforms that we have available to us is Bixie, and they have a really good project management class. Now, this episode is actually generated by you, the audience, because I got so many questions about the project management course. I had to invite Bixie on and have them come talk about their class. So I brought with back to the show another guest who's been here before, Christopher Hobbs from Bixie. Chris, how are you doing, buddy?

SPEAKER_00: 1:52

I'm doing well. Thanks, Chuck, for having me back.

SPEAKER_01: 1:54

My pleasure. It's always a pleasure to have you guys on board. Um, so you guys have a project management course. So you changed the numbering on it. So it's a PM 102, I think, now, if I remember right.

SPEAKER_00: 2:04

That is correct. The uh the online course that we have that is self-paced is the PM 101. That's a very basic introduction to project management. And then we have a five-day course that is the PM 102, which really covers in depth more project management topics.

SPEAKER_01: 2:20

Gotcha. I didn't realize the PM 101 was a was a um self-taught or self-paced course. So is that a prerequisite for the 102?

SPEAKER_00: 2:29

It is not. So the PM 102 class is designed for entry-level technicians that have moved into a project management role or even experienced project managers that have really had no formal project management training.

SPEAKER_01: 2:40

So in that PM 102, I want to focus mostly on the PM 102 course because that's where I seem to get most of those questions. So in that PM 102 course, what skills does that class teach to help make a project manager uh increase their success?

SPEAKER_00: 2:54

That's a great question. So the biggest skill we teach is to how to formally manage a project. So breaking that down, our instructors will explain the importance of a project charter, which is something that I have found to be extremely lacking in the ICT project management world. We will explain why it's important to have a risk management plan and how it understand and how to understand the effects stakeholders can have on a project, both in positive and negative uh impacts. In the class, we'll have the students create a network diagram to understand project flow and identify key tasks that must be completed on time. And that's always a big confusion. People think network diagrams and they think of computer networks, but this is actually how the project is actually networked together, each of the individual tasks and how they're networked together. Uh in planning for project budgets, we cover earned value management and its role in ensuring projects get completed at or under budget. And as we all know, customers change their minds during projects. So having a good change management plan is vital to ensure that we don't have budget overruns or unrealized opportunities on the project. And then lastly, and perhaps just as important as kicking a project off with a project charter, is how to properly close a project.

SPEAKER_01: 4:03

Those are all the weak areas. I'm glad you guys are hitting those. Um, project closure is probably one of the big ones. Before I get back before I get to that one, you you said something early, and I I agree 110%. Our industry is really not good at creating project managers, right? That generally what we do we'll do is we'll take a somebody in the field, like a lead tech or or a project foreman who's really good at what they do, and then we throw them in a project management role, and while some succeed, like you just some of the things that you just mentioned, they haven't really been educated on or taught. It's a different mindset because you got to think about anytime a customer asks you something, the number one question that's got to go through your head is how does this impact my job? Does it impact the schedule? Does it impact the manpower? Does it impact the the cost? Right? So I was glad to hear that. Um so I'm assuming there's some kind of aids in the program like forms and stuff like that. What is it in there that they can have as a takeaway?

SPEAKER_00: 5:01

So the VCT class, which is our virtual classroom training, offers many documents and templates that'll give the project manager a great starting toolbox for managing their projects. And they actually use many of those tools in the class to develop a project plan for a simulated project. Uh, the in-person class, they have access to all those online tools and they can be downloaded and used for uh future projects if they need.

SPEAKER_01: 5:24

Oh, very cool. Who would you say is the ideal candidate for that PM 102 course?

SPEAKER_00: 5:30

Honestly, anyone who's transitioning, as you said, from the field as a technician or lead into project management, or even a person who's been a project manager but has had no formal training. Now, I've had plenty of PMPs who've sat in the class and said they got more out of the PM 102 class than they did from any PMP test prep class, primarily because we explain why we use the tools and techniques in the class and when it would be appropriate to use those tools and techniques instead of saying, well, you have to use all of them.

SPEAKER_01: 5:57

One of the things I say kind of often, and and maybe you can confirm, deny, or educate me, uh, because I get asked that you know, what's the difference between the PMP and the and the RTPM, right? Um and I tell them they're similar, but the project management class that's offered by Bixie is like you know, the it's fine-tuned for our industry. It's project management. You get the same foundational stuff that you get in the PMP course, but it's fine-tuned for our industry because not everything goes across industries project management-wise.

SPEAKER_00: 6:30

That would be correct. You know, if you look at the PMP, which is which is a great credential, uh without a doubt. But it's uh P uh PMP is a project management generalist. You know, they're designed so they can manage any project across any sector. Whereas the Bixie ICT RTPM, the Registered Telecommunication Project Manager credential, is designed specifically for our industry. And we cover those things that are really required and needed for our industry and the the things that have the importance for our industry and for the people that are working projects in the ICT industry. So that's really what the key difference is between the two of them.

SPEAKER_01: 7:05

Now, as you know, we're in we're in the COVID times. It's causing people to think outside the box, especially when it comes to training, right? Um, so what are the delivery options? Because you mentioned the the five-day course. What are some of the delivery options for that PM 102 course?

SPEAKER_00: 7:21

So we have two delivery options. Uh, the primary mode of delivery right now is through virtual classroom training, which is an online instructor-led class. It is five days. However, uh prior to the winter conference, we are offering a face-to-face class, the first one we've had since all this COVID stuff started. Now, that's granted, if things don't change, as you know, with COVID and with new uh variants that are coming out, uh, that may get changed and moved to virtual. But uh, we are offering that at the conference uh Tuesday, January 25th to Saturday, January 29th, uh, Tuesday through Saturday, so those people who wish to attend the conference can attend. And as of right now, I am the instructor for that class.

SPEAKER_01: 7:57

Well, very cool. Very cool. The um if somebody wants to take that RTPM exam, is this a good class for them to take before the class? And before the exam?

SPEAKER_00: 8:10

So this is not a test prep class. However, everything we cover in the class has the potential to be on the test. You know, the class is designed to make a person a better project manager. Uh, as with all of our exams, self-study is going to be important. The RTPM certification handbook suggests 125 or more hours of study. And the exam blueprint outlines the exam content and is also found in the RTPM certification handbook, which you can find on our website.

SPEAKER_01: 8:37

So I'm gonna throw a curveball at you. Okay. Uh this wasn't one of the questions, but yeah, I have a feeling you can answer pretty easily. So I get quite another question I get quite often is from field people who, you know, technicians, foremen, stuff like that. And they're looking for that next step, right? They they want to get out of the field, whatever. And I get asked all the time, Chuck, which way should I go? My RCDD or should I go towards my project management certification? How would you answer that question?

SPEAKER_00: 9:03

Well, we get that question a lot at Bixie as well. And really the first thing I always ask, well, you know, where where are you going now? What are you doing? Because well, there's not one answer that fits all. If you work for an organization that does a lot of design work and that's something that you want to move into, then the RCDD makes a lot of sense. However, what I have found, especially from my career, is that the most logical step for an individual is to go from a technician in the field, which is what I did, move into project management. And then once you're in project management, you'll find that you're doing a lot of design work because the customer's requirements are not as up to snuff as they should be. So as you're doing all the design work, you build up that design background and the information that you need and your experience so that you can actually sit for the RCDD exam. Uh, because a lot of times that individuals are coming from the field, they don't have that reciproc requirement met for the years of design experience. But being a project manager for several years will allow you to build that experience up.

SPEAKER_01: 10:02

And that's exactly how I answer. I the first question I usually do is when they ask me that, I come right back with them. Where do you want to go? Are you leaning more towards being an estimator or somebody designs? Are you looking more towards, you know, like running the actual projects themselves? And then based on how they respond to that, I'll tell them, you know, here's what here's what I think you should get both. I think you should have them at some point before you before you get too far along in your career, you should have both. But you not everybody can go out and although I do know one person who's studying for their um their RCD exam and their DC D C thing at the same time.

SPEAKER_00: 10:38

Oh, that I I couldn't, I could not keep that straight in my head. There's no way. Yeah, I have both those credentials, and there's no way I could keep that information straight in my head at the at the same time. Yeah, pretty bold.

SPEAKER_01: 10:50

Yeah, yeah. She was in my uh TDM study group that I did earlier this year, and just uh amazing person, amazing person. And it kind of changed my view on the younger generation because I'm I'm your typical old person, you know, you young whippersnappers don't know anything. Or or or you believe the hype that the you hear on the news, right? You know, the the the Gen X's and all the others they say how they're related. I'm telling you, I'm inspired by the new people coming in our industry. I truly, truly am. So let's talk about that RTPM exam. What's the the process to sit for the exam?

SPEAKER_00: 11:24

Sure. So to actually sit for the exam, uh anyone that wishes to apply for it, they need to go to our website, you know, www.bixie.org, and select education certification from the menu bar, and then select on the Register Telecommunications Project Manager. And then on the right side of the screen, they're going to see that RTPM certification handbook. And it's going to have answers to every question a future RTPM would need. Uh and as far as applying, there's a link on the same page where they'll go and they'll complete an online application.

SPEAKER_01: 11:54

Sounds very similar to the RCD one.

SPEAKER_00: 11:58

Very similar in the process, yes. Uh matter of fact, if you go look at all of our exams now, they're all laid out with a very similar process. All of the certification pages look very similar. Every uh credential has a certification handbook that's associated with it that answers almost all of the questions that you could potentially have.

SPEAKER_01: 12:15

I I get I gotta imagine that you get hit with the same questions over and over and over again.

SPEAKER_00: 12:20

Quite often, yes.

SPEAKER_01: 12:22

Yep, yeah. I do have another question. Um, so when they fill out that application, and this probably this probably bears more towards the the RCDD one than it does the RTPM. Um you fill out your design experience and stuff. Do you guys actually follow up on that experience and those references?

SPEAKER_00: 12:39

They do. They do follow up uh on those uh references and all. Now that may not be every person, you know, they get so many applications in, but they do follow up uh and ask. I know when I went through my process years ago, they followed up and asked uh my references because I had an individual that was out of the country at the time and wasn't responding to their email, so they were going to deny my application. So I actually called his wife and asked when he was gonna be back in. It was a uh friendly person that uh I knew, and uh she said that he'd be back on Wednesday, but it'd be following that Friday. He was leaving back out of the country again. I said, Okay, I need him to call me as soon as he gets back in. And of course he did, and he sent a response back and he apologized, said, you know, things have been crazy. And I said, Man, I understand. No worries. Just I was scrambling, gonna find somebody else to write another letter for me. Right.

SPEAKER_01: 13:29

I found that in in dealing with Bixie that they will bend over backwards to help you to work whatever challenge you have. You know, if you run into a situation just like you said, and you tell them, look, here's my reference, but he's in out of the country. Uh, I found that they will bend over backwards to help you for that. They really will. Um, that RTPM exam, how many questions are on that exam?

SPEAKER_00: 13:47

So there are a hundred questions on the exam, and you've got a two-hour time limit to take those hundred questions.

unknown: 13:53

Very cool.

SPEAKER_01: 13:53

And I'm assuming you do that with uh Pearson View.

SPEAKER_00: 13:57

That is correct. You know, all of our exams, written exams, are through Pearson View. Uh so when you fill out your exam application, you'll need to schedule your exam when you uh wish to take it after you've been approved. You'll get all that information in an email sent to you.

SPEAKER_01: 14:09

Now I know you and I talked about the Pearson View on the on the last interview. I gotta imagine that that that helps make the helps keep the integrity of the exam process better than relying on you know 300 proctors across the country.

SPEAKER_00: 14:26

It does. You think about it, it also as we're a global organization, it opens up those opportunities for exam sessions to be held anywhere. And that's really what's important as we move more towards an open and global society in general. Having access to those exams, whether you're in Cameroon or whether you're in India or whether you're in China or whether you're in Japan or wherever the case may be, um, Brazil, you know, those opportunities to take the exams are now open to you, whereas if we were using the old Proctor system or you have to go someplace to take the exam, it really limits the ability to do that.

SPEAKER_01: 15:02

Is the exam written in multiple languages?

SPEAKER_00: 15:04

It's only in English.

SPEAKER_01: 15:05

Okay. Is there is there plans on making it available in other languages, or is that just hasn't something we've that the Bixie's thought about yet?

SPEAKER_00: 15:13

Yeah, Chuck, I don't know the answer to that. I know that uh for the uh RCDD, uh, I believe that there are multiple languages for that. Which languages I that there are, I don't know. You know, I speak uh English and bad English and really bad Spanish, and that's about the only languages that I speak.

SPEAKER_01: 15:29

So I I tell people I speak English and acronyms. That's those are the only two languages I know.

SPEAKER_00: 15:35

Well, you know, you're not an industry until you have acronyms and uh vocabulary no one outside your industry knows. Exactly. That makes it a profession then.

SPEAKER_01: 15:44

Exactly. So, you know, you you mentioned um so the RP RTPM certification. How's it going to be beneficial to a project manager? So when the once they get that certification, what what do they get out of that when they show that to a potential employer?

SPEAKER_00: 15:59

So that's a great question, and there are several ways it'll help. The first is that the RTBM credential demonstrates that the individual has a competent level of ICT project management knowledge, and this will allow the individual to show potential employers or customers that they understand the tools and techniques to effectively manage projects. The next advantage is where bids or tenders require a certified project manager. Many times they'll list a PMP. However, personally, I have never had a customer not take the RTPM in lieu of a PMP once it was explained what the RTPM was. And lastly, as with all credentials, you know, it helps with your career advancement. You know, I've never had one of my credentials not pay me back in time and money at least a hundredfold.

SPEAKER_01: 16:40

Yeah, I agree with that 100%. My my only, and I think I've told you this last time we talked, my only thing that I I'm I'm really sad about is I waited so long to get my certifications. I wish I'd have gotten them earlier in my career.

SPEAKER_00: 16:55

I completely agree.

SPEAKER_01: 16:56

Yeah. So you mentioned the the PMP. Um could somebody use the the uh the RTPM as a stepping stone towards their PMP?

SPEAKER_00: 17:07

So uh according to PMI, the PMP requires 35 hours of project management, education/slash training. Uh and the Bixie PM 102 class is a 35-hour class, you know, 35 hours of cont content and seat time.

SPEAKER_01: 17:21

So that would that would help them for as far as fulfilling that that those hourly requirements. Is but and you said that it's it's like a general the PMP is a general kind of certification, so there's gonna be some layover. I'd have to think there'd there'd be some information that they get in the RTPM class. But you know, if I was a hiring manager and I had somebody who had a PMP and somebody in RTPM and everything else was was identical in their background, I would probably be leaning towards the RTPM certification because it's it's fine-tuned to the R industry.

SPEAKER_00: 17:52

Yeah, I would as well. I mean, if I if I'm looking, you know, all things being considered, experience and background and everything else, I would I would definitely lean more heavily to the RTPM over a PMP. I mean, you're looking at an individual who's holds a credential that is for our ICT industry.

SPEAKER_01: 18:08

Yeah, project management is it's it's managing widgets, right? It doesn't matter if those widgets are car parts, tractor parts, or the ICT industry. And so when you talk about certification that deals specifically with our industry, that gives somebody a leg up, I would think.

SPEAKER_00: 18:24

It does. It does. And you know, you you look at people that are transitioning in our industry, if they go from and project management's a career. I mean, it is a career, just like designers are careers, or engineers are careers, or being a technician in the field is a career. And when you look at a career, it's terminology and things that people may not understand. But because this is ICT project management, it's an easier transition into this career than it would be if they picked up the PINBOC or uh some of the other project management credentials that are out there and they looked at it, their minds are gonna explode because they're gonna have no idea what any of that means. It would be as if a project manager from other industry picked up the TDMMs and they tried to read them. They're gonna have no idea what any of that means in there because they're from outside of the industry. So that's one of the advantages of the RTPM. It's an easier transition for those individuals.

SPEAKER_01: 19:17

So you taught this course many times. Didn't mean to erupt you, I apologize. That's okay. So you you've taught the course a couple times, you know, somewhere between one and a hundred or a thousand. What part of the class do you find that students struggle with the most?

SPEAKER_00: 19:32

So I think probably the part that they struggle with the most is network diagrams, understanding how projects are laid out, and then once the light bulb goes off, which for me is is an amazing part. I I like teaching the online version and I like teaching the in-person version. They both have their advantages. Uh, for me, the the network diagrams is probably easier to teach online because they can they can do some things uh with the tools that we give them. But when they're in person, we use sticky notes and we put them on a whiteboard. Or on a wall, and they have to take all of their tasks and they have to lay them out from start to finish. And then they have to go through and they have to calculate their critical path. And you know, I was I was teaching at a facility uh several years ago. This would be seven years ago, I was teaching in a facility, and a gentleman says, I know exactly what task I need to pay attention to on my projects. And these individuals had brought projects to work on instead of the Bixie project. Said, Okay, well, let's see. You you mark on here what you think the tasks are that need to be focused on. You guys lay out your network diagram and let's see if you're right. Yeah, he was not. So I mean, it was just a good example. And that that right there, the light bulb went off. And one of his teammates said, Well, that's why your projects are always late. I said, Well, it could be, you know, one of the reasons why his projects are always late. And those are just some of the great tools that we have in that class is being able to see what trees in the forest we really need to focus on so that our projects get done on time and at or under our budget and they meet the customer expectations.

SPEAKER_01: 21:02

Yep, I agree 100%. The um I used to teach project manager class with when I used to work for a contractor many, many years ago. And that was one of the that was probably I would say that was number two that I found. The biggest one I found was the earned value analysis. Right? Because you know, most project managers when you ask them, is your project on time? Is it on budget? It'll say they'll say yes or no, and then you ask them, How do you know that? Show me and show me how you come you came to that decision. Right? Because you know, you you can you can you can take one one item and say, Okay, it's gonna take me 100 man hours to do it. Well, one person can do it in 100 hours, but 100 people can't do it in one hour.

SPEAKER_00: 21:42

That's correct. You know, oh that's uh the earned value management. That is my probably my favorite topic to teach in the class by far. Um, it's one near and dear to my heart. I actually teach an advanced earned value management class for Bixie. Uh it's a uh six-hour class we break over three weeks, two hours a week. Uh I do that a couple times a year. I teach that course. And earned value management for me in the class is something that the students get just because of the way we teach it. Now, if you go to other organizations and you look at the way they teach it, they teach you a whole bunch of formulas, but they don't tell you why. Right. Why do you need this formula? What is this formula good for? And the other thing is if you look at EVM in a core, the earned value is a percentage, you know, a percentage of what your plan value is. And the problem that most organizations have is they don't tie that to an actual number that they can get done, the number of cables that are pulled, the number of cables that are terminated, the number of cables that are tested, however it's broken up, but an actual, you know, non-subjective number that they can actually tie back to work that's being done. And if you do that, I mean, I managed all my projects with EVM. And it's it's such a superior way of managing projects. And then when you get in trouble and your project's not doing well, and the boss says, Well, how much you know do we have to spend on this project to get it done? You know, you have a way of giving them a number that's not throwing a number at a dartboard.

SPEAKER_01: 23:05

And you got something based on evidence. Yeah, and you can back that number up. Yeah, because you know, when it comes to you know the estimation of project management, uh, and I'm gonna probably blow some minds of some people out there, you could actually go over in your hours, but still be under on your budget. It all depends on the crew makeup. You know, what was the crew makeup during the estimation process and who were the actual people assigned to that project, which your average crew might, the the crew rate might be lower than it was what you estimated because the people you wanted on the project weren't available. And EVM will help you identify that and help identify that hopefully potential surplus. Because another great another area that's really hard for for people to understand is when it comes between the communication between the project manager and the and the staff in the field, right? When you talk to the technician, you need to make that goal as clear and as simple as possible. Right? You need to say, you need to get X amount of cables terminated a day. If you do but more than we're doing good, and then I've learned that you know from project managing jobs is if you can make it visually, it makes it even better. So I used to put a whiteboard on my on my trailer wall, and I would have pie charts and s and scales, and you can they they can literally walk in and in an instant know, okay, we're doing really good. Or we're right on target, or uh-oh, something's wrong. Because if you hand them you know a bunch of calculations done in a spreadsheet, unfortunately, some teaching some technicians in our field just aren't really good with spreadsheets.

SPEAKER_00: 24:35

No, no, the easiest way to do it is take your work breakdown structure and tell them how many need to be done, and then they report to you at the end of the week, you know, the WBS number and the number of items completed, and then you can, if you have your EVM sheet set up properly, you can just punch those numbers in, and you got an easily reporting process that can be created and given to upper management so that people know where you are with your projects and the customer as well.

SPEAKER_01: 24:58

Yep. I used to tell my guys all the time here's our goal for here's our weekly goal, here's here's your daily goal, here's our weekly goal. If you make the weekly goal, I'll buy everybody pizza at the end of the week. Because my goal was always you know, that number minus you know five, ten percent to give me a little bit of leeway in case we had some issues. So if they if they hit that number, I knew it was ahead of the schedule. So that that pizza for everybody. Right. You can motivate a technician with food, trust me.

SPEAKER_00: 25:24

Oh, yes. Food works well. Yes, it does.

SPEAKER_01: 25:26

So any anything other news, new news coming on uh at Bixie?

SPEAKER_00: 25:30

Really, the only new thing is uh we have a new ItSum that is gonna be coming out uh for the installers uh next year, uh released around the winter conference uh at this point. And then we've got our new installation program that's gonna come out uh probably closer to uh the middle of the year, uh maybe sooner. And that'll be the new ones. Uh maybe we can when that gets released, maybe we come back on. I'll give you some news about that and some details.

SPEAKER_01: 25:51

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You have an open invitation to come on anytime. Glad you said that about the ITSM because I was just about ready to buy one. Well, I'm gonna wait for the new one now.

SPEAKER_00: 26:00

Yeah, it's uh a couple months out and it'll be released. Very cool.

SPEAKER_01: 26:04

You getting excited about the winter conference?

SPEAKER_00: 26:06

I am. Uh, you know, I'm gonna be uh it's it's gonna be in person, at least as of now. It's gonna be a hybrid. There'll be an in-person and online version, but uh I will be uh teaching the PM class the week before the conference uh there in Orlando, and then I will be at the conference as well.

SPEAKER_01: 26:21

I'm gonna try to come over a couple, two, three nights for the exhibit halls because I always love going through the the exhibit halls and seeing all the new stuff. That's always that's always been my favorite part. I was that geek who, whenever they went to the winter conference, I attended every training session and I went to the exhibit hall. I didn't go out golfing and doing all the other stuff. I was there to learn, you know. I love doing that kind of stuff.

SPEAKER_00: 26:41

Yeah, that was me. I I enjoy seeing what new products are released. And you know, the other thing is you get a chance to talk to a lot of the product managers and they take a lot of that feedback back to their organizations because I know of one incident where a manufacturer took information I gave them, and about six months later I received a part from them and said, Hey, you know, here's your idea. Is this what you guys were looking for? And I man, this is perfect to saved us from having to fabricate something that we were doing uh with one of their products. So they do listen, it's a it's a great place to to go walk around, see the exhibitors, and then the education sessions, especially the last four or five years, have been excellent. They're just getting better every year. Yep.

SPEAKER_01: 27:18

And I kind of hope, I kind of hope that you guys keep the the virtual option there. I don't know, I don't know. I don't know if you guys have discussed it internally or not. And I'll tell you why. Because when the when you guys did the first virtual class, I gotta admit, I was like, the conference virtually, come on, that's gonna suck. But I found that there are a lot of great benefits to having it virtually because when you go to the in-person conference, you know, and they have multiple sessions going on. I found myself quite often wanting to be at both of them, but I can't be at both of them, right?

SPEAKER_00: 27:48

Oh, that would always happen to me. There would always be two sessions, no matter what what conference I would go to, there would always be at least two sessions that would be concurrent, and I would not be able to go to both of them. So, yeah, the virtual option is nice that you can go back and you actually watch all the sessions. Yeah, because there's a lot of good content. I mean, I I picked up uh something for a data center class watching one. I said, Wow, that's actually some pretty good information. I'll hold on to that for when I do uh another data center class and used it, used it in that class. The students used it. It was uh good information to have.

SPEAKER_01: 28:18

The the so the I think the is it 30 days that they keep the uh the content available for the virtual? I think it's 30, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00: 28:24

I believe so. I believe it's 30 days, correct.

SPEAKER_01: 28:27

Yeah, so I kind of hope you guys keep continuing doing. I know this you're probably getting a lot of feedback. Stop the virtual, it's about face-to-face meetings and stuff, but you know what? It's not I I found that our industry is changing, and it's changing because we get we're we're finally starting to get an influx of newer people come in and they do things differently. And and some people, some old people like me will say, That's not the way you do this, but when you stop and think and you think about with an open mind, like they they're coming up with some pretty good ideas and they like doing things virtually, they really like doing things virtually.

SPEAKER_00: 28:57

They do. I mean, our virtual classes have been very, very popular. Uh, a lot of people attend those, and you know, they have a lot of benefits. You don't have the travel, you don't have to go anywhere. But the other thing is you you get the tools and everything during a class that you can use and actually see how they work. Um, it is different. You know, I'm like you, I'm old school. Um, you know, I I think I made the transition to virtual classes pretty easily when I was teaching, you know, as I teach them uh every so often. But uh I still like face-to-face. You know, there's there's advantages to both. Uh and it really just depends on your class makeup and you know the individuals that are in them. The younger people that that come into the classes, they do great with it. The older one the older students, you know, as long as you've got an open mind, and that's always a requirement for any class, is you got to walk in with an open mind. You do that, then you're gonna have a good time. You're gonna you're gonna learn quite a bit, and uh you'll feel like you're drinking from a fire hose. I know that every class I've ever attended has been like that. And I know as teaching them, it's the same way. You know, it's it feels like you're you're you've got a fire hose up there and everybody's got their mouth open and you're trying to pour as much in as you can, but uh it's it is uh really just depends on the student.

SPEAKER_01: 30:03

Yeah. The and you know, another benefit of the virtual class is it opens up that class to people who normally would not be able to take that class. And what I mean by that is there's a lot of people who want to learn, they want to take a class, but maybe they got a six-month-old baby at the house and they can't, you know, they can't they can't leave, they can't go to they can't go to Tampa, they can't go to Orlando to go take a week class. I mean, this opens up that opportunity for them. And and and one other thing too about about classes, you mentioned you let me know if you do this. So whenever I sit in a class now, obviously I'm there to learn, and you're right, you've the nailing, you gotta have an open mind, gotta have an open mind. But I'm actually taking two classes. I'm taking the class for the curriculum, and I'm also watching the instructor. And I'm watching, what does that instructor do that I can do as well to become a better instructor myself? So it's like it's like taking two classes.

SPEAKER_00: 30:58

Always well, we uh when you go through our train the trainer program to become an instructor, I think that kind of ingrains into you watching other instructors to see how they do things. And if you've got really good instructors that you really like to watch, I mean, we have a lot of the training delivery specialists that work for Bixie. When I'm in the office, I love walking over and sitting in their class and just watching them because they're they're so good at the craft. And if you've got a really good instructor or a really good presenter, it makes it enjoyable just to watch them present. It doesn't matter what they're presenting, it could be anything. They could be talking about butterflies migrating. And it just, if they're a great instructor or presenter, it makes it that much more enjoyable to watch. But yes, I watched what the instructors are doing to see, well, that's something good. I like what they did. I can use that or that skill or that technique in the classes that I facilitate, or you know, I didn't quite like the way they they did that, or I could have done that better or differently.

SPEAKER_01: 31:53

Oh, I don't wanted to show you.

SPEAKER_00: 31:57

Oh, the old Bixie hard hat stickers.

SPEAKER_01: 31:59

Well, I don't wear a hard hat too often anymore. Um, although I'd love to. I would love to, but yeah, I love got technicians love those hard hat stickers. They really, really do. So Chris, I appreciate you coming on. I appreciate you taking time out of your day to come on the show and talk about this class. And you're always a note, you always have an open invitation to come back.

SPEAKER_00: 32:19

I appreciate it, Chuck, and thanks for having me. It's always enjoyable to sit down and spend a couple minutes talking to you.

SPEAKER_01: 32:24

Thank you, sir. I appreciate it. Until next time, everybody. Remember, knowledge is power.