Five Alternative Uses For Your Infocomm CTS, CTS-D, and/or CTS-I Certification Pins

By Paul Konikowski, CTS-D

Earlier this week, CEPro reported that Infocomm was changing the CTS, CTS-D, and CTS-I certification tests as of July 1, 2013 “to reflect changes in the AV Industry”.  I am not surprised they are changing the tests; not that there was anything particularly wrong with the old tests.  But I saw it coming…

About a year ago, Infocomm asked me and a dozen other CTS-D holders to attend a one day round table discussion about the current CTS-D test, and what could be improved.  The biggest topic of the day seemed to be LAN infrastructure, and how more and more AV devices need to be on public or private data networks.  There was also a larger need for trade coordination that should be evident in the new tests.

Well, all this talk of CTS, CTS-I and CTS-D tests got me thinking about the whole process, including the lovely gold lapel pins that Infocomm sends you when you pass one of the tests.

I wore my CTS pin to at least one interview.  I wear the CTS-D pin to trade shows sometimes, but I think I am in the minority because I rarely see them.  Yet Infocomm still sends them out every 3 years, assuming you have earned the proper RUs and renewed your certification.

So I started to wonder what everyone does with their “unused” pins; and I came up with the following Five alternate uses for your Infocomm CTS, CTS-D, or CTS-I pins:

1. Infocomm Certified Golf Ball Marker

2. Infocomm Certified Miniature Belt Buckle

3. Infocomm Certified Bottle Opener

4. Infocomm Certified Ear Piercing

5. Infocomm Certified Letters With Wax Seal

What alternative ways have you used your CTS, CTS-D, or CTS-I certification pin? Any crazy ideas? Send them to pkav.info@gmail.com.  

ps- One reader wrote me an email and said “I have always used my pins as a tie tack behind the tie to hold the tail in place. That way you see nothing on the front of the tie.” Another reader suggestions included using their CTS-D pins as tacks on their corkboard.  Keep the suggestions coming!