Page Data is proud to be a member of BICSI South Pacific

BICSI is a global not for profit organisation that has been set up to support designers and installers of Information Transport Systems (ITS) for residential, government and corporate entities.

BICSIs mission is to lead the telecommunications industry in the enhancement of quality services and methods around the globe by providing excellent education, promoting skills sharing and assessing knowledge with professional registration programs.

What is BICSI?

BICSI was founded in 1974 to serve and support telephone company building industry consultants (BICs) responsible for the design and distribution of telecommunications wiring in commercial and multifamily buildings. BICSI is a not-for-profit association assisting telecommunications professionals with their careers by providing training, certification, conferences, and publications in the design and installation of voice, data, and video technologies.

Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, BICSI has offices in Australia, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. The membership base of nearly 20,000 covers over 90 countries around the world.

History

Before BICSI was founded, a small group of people from various telephone companies and from the telecommunications manufacturing segment met once a year to problem-solve and look at better ways to perform their jobs. One of the early participants, Harry Pfister of General Telephone Company of Florida, thought it would be good for building industry consultants (BICs) to get together to discuss their own concerns. He approached the University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa, and with Larry Romig of the Centre for Continuing Education, planned the first Tampa BICs Conference, held in January 1973.

By 1974, educational meetings included BICs, architects, manufacturers, and suppliers. Informal talks and activities led to the idea of establishing a professional, non-profit association. In 1977, BICSI was formed and incorporated as then Building Industry Consulting Service International, Inc. At the January 1980 conference in Tampa, BICSI's Executive Committee named Larry Romig as its first Executive Secretary, and USF provided office space for the new association. Membership rose to 132.

In September 1991, the BICSI Executive Offices moved from the USF campus into new, independent quarters in Tampa. With the move came a dedicated staff who handled only BICSI concerns. When Romig retired in 1992, Jay Warmke, Assistant Executive Director, became BICSI's second Executive Director. In 1997, with a staff of almost 40, BICSI constructed and occupied its own headquarters building. A 25,000-square-foot building expansion was completed in 2000 to accommodate the association's growth and increasing services. In February 2002, Jay Warmke stepped down as Executive Director, and in his place, BICSI Board Member, Al Feaster, was named BICSI's third Executive Director.

Membership

Membership has grown dramatically-from 1,482 in 1990 to nearly 20,000 members today. In 1998, BICSI established its first international districts, which are formed when a designated area receives 100 members. Brazil, Europe, Australia, and Mexico achieved district status that year. Additional districts followed: the Caribbean (1999); Japan (2000); Andean and Middle East (2001); and Central America, Southeast Asia, and Hong Kong (2002).

When Europe's membership surpassed 500 in 1999, it became the first BICSI region outside of North America, followed by Brazil in 2000. The end of 2001, Australia/New Zealand became the South Pacific Region.

Education

BICSI's mission of providing excellent education, promoting skills sharing, and assessing knowledge with professional registration programs is now recognized worldwide. Educational programs cover telecommunications infrastructure design courses to include data distribution design, outside plant design, low-voltage cabling installation, and residential cabling.

In 2001, BICSI offered 23 instructor-led programs to more than 4,000 students. Then in 2002, BICSI became a registered provider for the General Services Administration (GSA).

visit the BICSI website for more information