1) Please provide a BIO about yourself:
R L (Ric) Johnson
Waynesfield, Ohio (West Central Ohio)

• President – R L Johnson Construction Services, LLC – Design/Build Electrical Contractor
• President – Elite Systems Solutions – Electronic Systems Contractor
• University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music –Radio & Television Broadcasting
• DHTI+

2) Please provide a detailed description of what you do as a professional, including your title, your function within your organization, if you’re a manager how many people report to you, etc.

• Master Electrician, Journeyman Electrician, State of Ohio Electrical Contractor, State of Ohio Fire Alarm Certificate
• Owner, President and Chief Designer – R L Johnson Construction Services, LLC – 2 employees
• Founder, President, DHTI Certified – Elite Systems Solutions – 2 employees

3) Describe a typical day of the week in your job.
Working with Architects, Engineers, Developers, General Contractors, Business Owners and Home Owners to develop a complete electrical and or electronics systems design.  Pull wires, trim out devices, program subsystems and install IP devices, i.e. Media Services, PLC’s, Lighting Controls, VoIP’s, etc.  Interface with Local and State Authorities and working with local service providers.  One to two hours per week in training or updates.

4) What part of your work do you find most rewarding? Why?
Designing a complete Home Automatic System. This allows for our client to enjoy their media, control their lighting, HVAC and experience as well as provide life safety protections.  Arriving home with a preprogrammed pathway of light, music playing quietly in the background and the proper temperature of the room bring great satisfaction to our clients and us.

5) What kind of training, education, or course work is required for what you do?
A basic knowledge of electrical, electronics, audio/visual, lighting and an on going manufacturers training program are very necessary to maintain an up to date knowledge of this fast changing industry.  A solid background in Networking and Windows continues to grow in this field.  Of course, we believe that the DHTI+ Certificate is one of our primary courses that continue to pay dividends as we grow our Electronics Systems Company.

6) What kinds of prior IT and professional experiences are absolutely essential to get this kind of position?
We started with Apple in late 1979 and continued to expand our client base as we started pulling networking cabling in the late 1980’s.  Being a computer geek helped us move towards providing these services to our account base.  A strong desire to get your hands dirty, pulling wire, drilling holes and basic programming logic is extremely important to build quality subsystems to drive media from difference sources through out the home.  As many equipment providers continue to provide more IP based products, understanding how they work, DRM, and network security issues continue to be areas that on going training as well as prior experience is absolutely necessary to provide the client with the best possible experience and the fewest call backs.

7) What types of internships/part-time jobs would you suggest before entering this field?
Working with an Electronic Systems Contractor, attending an ESPA Certified Education facility and/or working for a manufacturer in this area are extremely important.  The DHTI+ certification requires at least two (2) years of experience and quite frankly, due to its very broad based coverage, more likely three or fours years of Lead Integrator would be required.  This field is very open and has areas that can appeal to many tastes, i.e. Home Theater, Media Centers, Home Automatic, Home Healthcare and wellness are all areas that need specialized experience and training.

8) What are some of the job possibilities for experienced workers in this field?
System Designer, Systems Programmer, Lead Integrator, Media Center Integrator

9) If the work you do was suddenly eliminated, what different kinds of IT work do you feel you could do?
Commercial IP Networking, i.e. installations, designer and programmer.  Board Rooms, meeting spaces, Green initiatives all will need trained experienced DHTI+ people.

10) What is the best advice you could give to someone starting a career in the IT field?
If they are interested in a daily changing environment, then I would recommend the Residential/Light Commercial Integration field.  Working with IP based media centers, controllers and audio/video subsystems continues to be an exciting and challenging field.  Plus, each client has different needs and wants a different experience.  Using your experience and knowledge to bring this about is the most rewarding aspect of the job.

11)  What in your mind are the most important benefits of the CompTIA IT Pro Program?
Getting to meet and hear from a different group of people that have varied experiences to solve sometimes complex problems.  Networking with varies groups allows for a broader knowledge base and also gives me a better perspective of our industry.  Besides, I have developed great friendships thanks to CompTIA’s IT Pro program.