How technicians can make the most of recovering field service work

By Wael Mohammed and Nicole Berg

Companies are adjusting to life on the other side of COVID-19. Major shifts in technology are driving transformations in just about every industry.

For field service technicians, this means there’s a surge in demand for IT services on the horizon. Companies will need technicians to help them turn their ambitious plans into reality. 

Field Nation processes over 1 million work orders per year. This means that, through our field intelligence, we are able to spot trends in the field service ecosystem in real time. The number of jobs being posted to our platform is a direct indicator of recovery in the field service space.

We can also break this data down by work type. This analysis lets us know which types of work are recovering the fastest. What’s more, it lets ambitious techs know which skills are currently leading to the most work opportunity.

Now is the perfect time for techs to review their Field Nation profiles and make sure they’re promoting the full spectrum of their skills and certifications. If they are lacking those skills or certifications, now is the time to expand their field service tool belt to ensure they aren’t missing out on current and future opportunities.

We’re excited to share this analysis with you. We want to connect you to useful resources in the event that you’re looking to get certified in a new type of work.

Let’s dive in.

Data overview

Store openings are outpacing closings. Retail giants like Walmart and Amazon are pouring resources into their in-store experience. These retail technology trends point to an industry-wide investment in new technologies.

Our data shows how these trends are leading to a rise in field service work.

The weekly volume of work being posted to the Field Nation marketplace has risen to pre-COVID levels. Actually, our 2021 numbers rose above our 2019 numbers within the last 12 weeks. The number of unique sites that field technicians using our marketplace are serving is also outpacing 2019 and 2020 numbers.

Below, we break down four of the service types with the most promising recovery trajectories. If you are looking for training and/or certification in that service type, we’ve also gathered the appropriate resources for you.

Networking

The number of networking jobs has grown over the past several weeks. As of week 24, networking work showed 77.9% year-over-year (YoY) growth, with an 8.7% increase in posted jobs in the previous four weeks. Businesses are continuing to expand their network infrastructure, and we expect this type of work to continue experiencing growth after the pandemic has fully ended.

Related certifications

• CCNA – a foundational networking certification that covers a broad range of fundamentals for IT careers (e.g. the latest networking technologies, security, and automation/programmability skills)
• CompTIA Network+ – technicians can earn CEUs from AVIXA for completing modules in Networking Technology and Networked AV Systems
• CompTIA A+ Certification – among the top certifications requested on the Field Nation platform
• Google IT Support Professional Certification – for technicians looking to learn Network protocols
• CCT – a starting point for individuals just starting their career as a networking professional
• CCNP – a customizable certification in CISCO Enterprise networking that allows technicians to pick an area of specialty (network design, SD-WAN, automation, etc). one of the most in-demand new certifications on the Field Nation platform in the past year
• CCDE  – for expert-level network design engineers

Additional resources:

• AVIXA – short lessons including Introduction to Network Security, Segmenting Networks with VLANS and Subnets, and Monitoring Network Traffic
• AVIXA recommends this additional reading about Networked Audiovisual Systems

Digital Signage

The number of digital signage jobs is rising sharply. As of week 24, digital signage had grown 125.9% YoY, and in the past four weeks the number of digital signage jobs posted increased 40.11%. Retailers are investing in digital signage as a new way to engage their customers and personalize their in-store experience, which means this skill set is in high demand.

Related certifications

• Crestron Technical Institute – training and certifications for AV Installers, Design Engineers, and Programmers
• Extron certification – available to industry or AV professionals interested in validating their knowledge of current technologies
• AVIXA CTS Certification – certification from a leading resource for AV training, standards, market intelligence, and thought leadership.
• Kramer Pro AV – offers both “Pro AV Sales Associate” and “Pro AV Sales Engineer” certification

Additional resources:

• Installation
• Networking and Technology

Point-of-sale

We are also seeing a spike in jobs related to point-of-sale systems. As of week 24, POS had  YoY growth of 32.2%, with a 5.2% increase in POS work over the previous four weeks. Retailers are investing in self-checkout, and we believe that grocery, pharmacy, and general retailers will continue to move toward this contactless shopping technology.

Related certifications

• CompTIA A+ Certification – among the top certifications requested on the Field Nation platform

Additional resources

• Udemy – affordable online IT and software courses taught by professionals.
  • Point of Sale (POS) System)
  • Udemy: Create POS System – Inventory and sales with PHP 7 & adminLTE (Also available in Spanish)

Telecom

While its numbers aren’t spiking as hard as digital signage or POS, telecom is in the midst of a steady recovery. As of week 24, telecom had 29.8% YoY growth, and in the past four weeks the amount of posted telecom work has grown 12.5%. Investments in 5G are keeping the demand for telecom services stable. As hybrid work becomes the new normal, we predict continued demand for this type of work.

Related certifications

• RCDD (BICSI) – required for individuals who work for or with the U.S. Department of Defense on telecom-related design projects

Additional resources

Udemy Telecom resources – a wide range of courses that cover a variety of telecom-related topics.