Max A Bartsch considers that the training of personnel specialized in AV solutions is one of the challenges for the industry in Brazil. There must also be more information for end users.
By Richard Santa
At the age of 15, Max A Bartsch became interested in audio. A personal taste that grew thanks to his studies in high school, which were focused on electrotechnics. This is how he began a life dedicated to audio, but with a particularity, studying on his own.
From those beginnings until today, this Brazilian, born in Ribeirão Preto de Sao Paulo, fulfills 35 of work with audio and 25 with video. He says that "my first knowledge was with a great Brazilian self-taught claudio named Claudio Cesar Dias Baptista. Then I bought a book that is my Audio Engineering Hand Book, by Dan and Caroline Davis. So I understood that the best way to learn something in the world is in "real life and on the road".
The first job of our Professional of the Month in the audio area was as a sound technician in a rock band in his city, in 1980. "At that time in Brazil we didn't have any kind of equipment to make a high quality sound, everything was imported and too expensive. So, we did everything, we took the speakers and cabinets done. We took the components and made the amplifiers and mixers."
In this way, Max A Bartsch learned a lot about electronic circuits and all the processes to make them and develop good plans in the audiovisual system. With all the knowledge acquired, he managed to set up his own company in Brazil, Bart Servicos, which he currently runs.
Seeking certification
His knowledge as a self-taught grew thanks to the fact that he has enjoyed every moment. He even says his favorite hobby is electronics and microprocessor programming. He is always on the street and likes to go to the United States to see new ideas and technology from the audiovisual industry. The interest in learning more, led him to join InfoComm and in July 2014 he presented the exam to obtain the CTD and CTS-I certification.
What is a Max A Bartsch workday like? In this regard, he comments that "I start working around nine in the morning, in the office or even in the field. Normally the works are discussed a day before or in a brief meeting in the field."
He highlights that one of the main difficulties has to do with the fact that in Brazil there are no schools to train professionals, and that is why AV companies have to train their staff in the field. As a way to solve this problem, he is working hand in hand with Nelson Baumgratz, CTS–D, to create a school of installers in Ribeirão Preto, Sao Paulo. "This project will help my company and others in the sector because we will have more professionals in the market."
Challenges for the industry
Max A Bartsch reiterates that the audiovisual industry in Brazil needs to do more certification courses and be better prepared. But not only this is one of the challenges for the future of the AV industry in your country, there are also others from the technological that must be developed.
He points out that the great challenge from technology is the user interface of the final consumer, "because we technicians, installers and designers, know about technology, but users avoid it although they do not live without it. The industry has to make the end-user interface as user-friendly as possible."
The experience of 35 years in the AV world, makes our Professional of the Month a qualified authority to talk about the future and the expectations that the industry has in his country and in the region. He assures that there is a great opportunity, especially in the sementos related to automation and light control, because there are more gadgets and devices that connect with home automation and what qualifies as the great idea of the last century: the internet. "I've always said, the team that was born without an RJ45 connector, was stillborn."
He also considers that the evolution of the AV industry in his country is going very fast, due to the growth of the economy and the globalization of Brazil. But there is not much about education. "The priority of educating installers and designers. It's a new world here and there's a lot to explore."
On his vision of the industry, he concludes that "My goal is to help people make the job easier without losing money. Even in the design and in the field. I believe that consumers need to be better and more clearly informed about making more investments in VA, whether for work or home, and the government to use these technologies. In addition, employees who go to school and study more and more. That way they will have more experience and earn more money."
Your right hand
One of the most important people for Max A Bartsch, both personally and professionally, is his wife Fabiane. She is not only part of her family, she also has an active participation in the AV industry with knowledge in fiber optics and structured network. Both lead the family company, Bart Servicos. "My right hand is my wife. Within the company he is the one who takes care of the financial part and organizes the calendar of trips and meetings".
As a good Brazilian, he is a football fan. Not only that of his country, since he also enjoys American football, being a fan of San Francisco 49. He currently does some fitness training. Music is another of his passions. His favorite genre is progressive rock and roll, from bands like Genesis, Yes and other old ones.
