From AV Tech to IT: A Career Path That Uses the Skills You Already Have
Modern audiovisual work is networking work. Conference rooms run on network-connected codecs, control processors, Dante or AVB audio, IP video and cloud management platforms. If you are an AV technician, you are probably closer to an IT career than you think.
This guide shows how to map your existing experience to IT roles, which certifications are worth it, and how to talk about AV work so IT hiring managers understand it.
Skills you already have (and what IT calls them)
| AV experience | How IT describes it |
|---|---|
| Configuring codecs, DSPs and control processors with IP addresses | IP addressing, device provisioning |
| Troubleshooting a room that "won't connect" | Layer 1–3 troubleshooting, root-cause analysis |
| Setting up Dante or other AV-over-IP networks | VLANs, multicast, QoS awareness |
| Terminating and testing cable | Structured cabling, physical layer |
| Working on-site with end users and executives | Customer service, stakeholder communication |
| Following drawings and as-builts | Reading network diagrams and documentation |
| Firmware updates across a fleet of rooms | Patch and lifecycle management |
Target roles for AV techs
- Help desk / desktop support. The most common entry point. Pay is often similar to field AV, but it opens the door to growth.
- NOC technician. Monitoring networks and escalating incidents. Good fit if you like troubleshooting.
- Junior network technician / network administrator. Where a CCNA pays off.
- Unified communications (UC) or collaboration engineer. Teams Rooms, Zoom Rooms and Webex devices sit exactly between AV and IT. This is often the easiest jump.
- Field services engineer for an IT integrator. Similar travel and site work, more IT scope.
Certifications that matter
- CompTIA Network+ or Cisco CCNA. Network+ is vendor-neutral and a bit lighter; CCNA is deeper and more respected for networking roles. If you already understand IP addressing from AV work, consider going straight to the CCNA with our 12-week study plan.
- AVIXA CTS. If you already hold it, list it. It shows professionalism and is valued in UC roles.
- Vendor collaboration certs (Microsoft Teams Rooms, Zoom, Cisco Webex) for UC paths.
- CompTIA A+ or Security+ depending on the job postings in your area.
Look at 20 real job postings near you and count which certs appear most. Let the market decide.
Rewrite your resume in IT language
Instead of:
Installed and commissioned conference room systems.
Write:
Deployed and configured 40+ networked collaboration rooms, assigning static IPs, configuring VLANs with the client network team, and resolving connectivity issues across Layers 1–3.
Use numbers you can honestly back up, name the technologies, and connect each bullet to an IT outcome: uptime, user satisfaction, fewer tickets.
Build proof
- Run a home lab and document it in a simple portfolio page or GitHub repository.
- Volunteer to work more closely with the IT team on your current AV projects.
- Ask for exposure to switch configuration on jobs where AV and IT overlap.
A 6-month transition plan
- Month 1: pick your target role and certification; start studying.
- Months 2–4: study, lab every week, and rewrite your resume and LinkedIn in IT language.
- Month 4: start applying, even before you finish the cert. Mention your exam date.
- Months 5–6: pass the exam, keep applying, and network with IT people you already meet on job sites.
Your AV background is not something to hide. Framed correctly, it makes you the candidate who understands both the room and the network.