Are you ready to take your lighting and controls’ knowledge to the next level? Learn more about lighting and earn professional designations on your own time with NXT Level online training.
What is NXT Level Training?
NXT Level is a comprehensive training that can help you sell, design and install projects. This online, self-paced training is based on every aspect of lighting and control projects, including:
- Technology
- Project cost analysis
- Utility programs
This two-part, in-depth learning experience begins with a thorough introduction provided by NXT Level 1. Then, NXT Level 2 offers a deep dive into the latest advanced commercial and industrial lighting retrofits to help individuals and companies stay ahead of the curve and distinguish themselves in the industry.
The first level helps learners gain a complete understanding of every aspect of a lighting project. It is ideal for those new to the industry or seasoned professionals looking for a refresher or to fill a knowledge gap. It consists of seven parts that provide the key fundamentals of lighting and lighting controls.
The second level provides an overview of important considerations in lighting evaluation and applications, including:
- Reviewing critical factors in evaluating a lighting system
- Receiving an in-depth analysis of LED and controls technology and their applications
- Understanding current control technologies and applications
Participants can select an area of specialization in project development, design and specification or installation and setup.
How NXT Level Designations Give Lighting Professionals an Advantage
According to the Department of Energy, only 10% of existing commercial and industrial facilities have functioning lighting controls that will turn lights off during unoccupied times. It is common practice when retrofits are proposed to not include controls because the perception is that customers don’t want to deal with them. NXT Level training provides foundational technical information around today’s lighting controls as well as how to communicate their function and value to customers.
Understanding the latest lighting techniques, advanced controls, and technologies in the rapidly evolving commercial lighting industry provides designees a significant advantage over the competition. In addition, this designation gives lighting pros the knowledge they need to help customers feel comfortable and confident. Having a trained lighting professional is like having an accountant to help with taxes. It provides peace of mind knowing that their project is done efficiently and correctly by a trained professional.
What It Takes to Earn NXT Level Designations
Each NXT Level path involves completing over nine hours of courses and passing course exams. It’s a commitment to dive deep into lighting and controls technology, energy codes and utility programs.
NXT Level Benefits and Beneficiaries
Customers benefit from designees’ understanding of not only the newest LEDs and controls but also their expertise with the existing legacy technologies in their facilities. Today’s lighting controls can help customers save additional energy and recognize and address issues as soon as they happen – two benefits that can save customers money.
Designated lighting professionals can be found through a search on the NXT Level website. In addition, they can utilize NXT Level logos on their email, cards and other marketing material to promote themselves and their capabilities.
Fifty-five percent of all NXT Level designees said the training motivated them to incorporate lighting controls into their projects.
NXT Level Designation Came From an Industry Need
At one time, companies invested in educating their staff, sometimes with assistance from lamp manufacturers. For example, GE had a lighting and controls training center on its corporate campus for generations. Operating year-round, companies would pay to send their employees to this facility.
As the industry evolved into LEDs, more people joined the lighting industry, but opportunities for technical training have continued to be reduced. In addition, the industry needed standardized training, not based on specific manufacturers’ products but focused on the technology itself. That was when the idea for NXT Level was born.
Online training was in its infancy, so NXT Level was groundbreaking because it offered the opportunity to take courses anytime. This was critical as many participants needed to take courses outside their working hours. In addition, NXT Level opened the training to people wherever they lived, in both urban and rural areas.
What’s “NXT?”
NXT Level designation is even more important, given that the internet has provided a platform for people to purchase LEDs and controls directly. Unfortunately, buyers often don’t fully understand what they need. In many cases, they select products that can result in adverse effects, such as high light levels, flicker and early product failure.
Having an NXL Level designation shows customers, especially those affected by an inadequate lighting system, that the lighting pro has the expertise to provide them with solutions designed to meet their specific needs.
To take the “NXT” step in your professional lighting journey, visit https://nxtleveltraining.com/ to learn.