In an industry built on technological expertise, suggesting that companies should openly share their knowledge might sound counterintuitive. Yet a growing movement toward free, accessible training is fundamentally reshaping professional AV and proving that educated ecosystems benefit everyone.
Walk into any AV integration meeting and you’ll find IT professionals, broadcast engineers, and commercial integrators all speaking the language of IP infrastructure, yet each struggling with the others’ specialized knowledge. The IT team understands network architecture but stumbles with real-time AV protocols. Broadcast professionals know content delivery but lack infrastructure depth. Integrators excel at deployment but need stronger IP fundamentals.
For too long, the answer to this knowledge gap has been locked behind paywalls and proprietary training programs. But IP-based AV doesn’t work like the analog world did. Success depends less on knowing proprietary secrets and more on understanding how interconnected systems work together.
When an IT professional truly understands AVoIP integration with network infrastructure, something powerful happens, they become advocates who can articulate value to stakeholders. They ask better questions, design more robust systems, and create more successful deployments. The cost of their training is dwarfed by the value they create.
This is why forward-thinking manufacturers are abandoning the old model. Instead of viewing training as a profit center or competitive moat, they’re making certification programs freely available, recognizing that the real return comes from a more knowledgeable workforce across the entire ecosystem. Companies trying to maintain knowledge silos find themselves increasingly isolated, while those embracing open education see accelerated growth.
Flexible Learning Opportunities
Online training is essential for AV integrators because it provides flexible, up-to-date learning opportunities in an industry where technology evolves rapidly. With new products, standards, and integration methods emerging constantly, online training enables professionals to stay current without disrupting their daily work schedules.
As the industry continues its shift toward AV-over-IP, shared knowledge strengthens the entire community. By combining Audinate and NETGEAR training resources, we’re giving integrators, designers, and end users the skills they need to build better networked AV systems. This collaboration supports the long-term growth of our whole ecosystem.
When Audinate made the strategic decision to offer its Dante Certification program for free, it represented a fundamental belief that industry advancement matters more than gatekeeping expertise. Just as important, Audinate keeps updating its Dante training program to stay current with today’s changing AV landscape, equipping professionals with cutting-edge networking skills, whether local or cloud-based, and AVoIP expertise. As with many training programs, participants can earn AVIXA Renewal Units (RUs), helping them maintain their industry credentials while expanding their technical scope.
A Growing Coalition
Audinate isn’t alone. A growing coalition of manufacturers, including Crestron, QSC, Sennheiser, Powersoft, Lightware, and SDVoE, are making training freely accessible at the NETGEAR Academy. This is a testament to the collective recognition that knowledge sharing lifts the entire industry.
This approach builds what might be called “ecosystem literacy”: professionals who understand how different technologies work together to solve real problems. A commercial integrator who can access free training on network fundamentals alongside Dante certification and manufacturer-specific content becomes exponentially more valuable. Manufacturers contribute to a community of educated professionals who become advocates for their solutions.
The question manufacturers should ask has shifted from “How do we monetize our training?” to “How can we make our training as accessible as possible?” In an interconnected, IP-based world, a competitive advantage comes from empowering the most people to succeed with your technology. This is a strategic recognition that in IP-based AV, an educated ecosystem creates more value than protected knowledge ever could.
Gus Marcondes
Gus Marcondes is Senior Technical Training Manager for NETGEAR Enterprise worldwide, based in the UK. With a remarkable journey from recording studio assistant in Brazil to TV Globo broadcast director (cutting between 50+ cameras for shows like The Voice Brasil and Rock in Rio), Gus went on to work with leading AV manufacturers including RANE Pro, ALTO, DENON Pro, and Audinate before joining NETGEAR. He brings a unique "edutainment" approach to technical education and spearheaded the 2025 redesign of NETGEAR Academy, which offers free, AVIXA-accredited certification programs from NETGEAR and its partners. Gus teaches in five languages, using storytelling to make complex AV-over-IP and networking concepts accessible to professionals worldwide.
