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We'd like to congratulate Metra Electronics, Installer Institute's parent company, for celebrating 70 years as the leading aftermarket manufacturer!

Known as the "Installer's Choice" for aftermarket car audio installation accessories, Metra Electronics was founded 70 years ago to produce the most innovative and cutting-edge mobile electronics products. Metra Electronics' philosophy focuses on meeting the needs of the installer, the real "end user". Their devoted customer base has provided Metra Electronics' success, and we know that's the key to another successful 70 years. Congratulations to Metra Electronics, and on their behalf, thank you for your loyal support!

NOPI Nationals Motorsports Supershow
September 19 - 21, 2014
Atlanta, Georgia
This show is for car enthusiasts to show off their custom designed vehicles, compete in drag racing or drifting competitions, and the "Glow Off" competition. This event is located at the Atlanta Dragway. Look for Installer Institute and come say hello!

SEMA
Las Vegas, Nevada
November 4-7, 2014
This is the premier automotive specialty products trade event that brings more than 100,000 industry leaders and car enthusiasts to the Las Vegas Convention Center. Look for Installer Institute at booth #11839 with the Metra Home Theater Group!

CES
Las Vegas, Nevada
January 6 - 9, 2014
The Consumer Electronics Show is the largest expo for electronics enthusiasts and we are excited to be a part of it. Look for Installer Institute at booth #12434 with the Metra Home Theater Group!

Randy DuVall, Snap-on Industrial Account Manager, visited the Installer Institute last week to talk to the students about the quality of Snap-on tools. He spent over an hour talking about the history of the company, the tool quality and even passed out some tools for the students to look over. The real purpose of his visit was to go over the student discount program for all enrolled Installer Institute students. The discount that is now offered to Installer Institute students will allow them to purchase high quality tools at an affordable price.

Installer Institute is now offering a new comprehensive installations course for car audio installers. This new program includes the courses in the Basic and Advanced Installations programs and also offers students workshops for job skills development and learning to start and own their own business as a mobile electronics installation professional. Students will also earn MESA and MECP certifications to gain an successful advantage in the car audio industry.

During this 23-Week, 900 Hour Program, Students Will Learn:

• Mobile electronics & installing as a professional
• Subwoofer enclosure design & vehicle acoustics
• Security & remote start in a digital world
• Leather interior installations
• Intro to home audio & structured wiring
• Custom fabrication
• Fiberglass enclosure design & construction
• Intro to automotive window tinting
• Painting & welding
• Career building & starting your own business

If you have a passion for car audio customizations and mobile electronics and would like to make your hobby a full-time career, this is the program for you. View the complete course outline and learn more about this new program.

Effective October 1, 2011 

Allows students to use the Post-9/11 GI Bill^® for -

• Non-college degree (NCD) programs: Pays actual net cost for in-State tuition and fees at public NCD institutions. At private and foreign institutions, pays the actual net costs for in-state tuition and fees or $20,235, whichever is less. Also pays up to $83 per month for books and supplies.
• On-the-job and apprenticeship training: Pays a monthly benefit amount prorated based on time in program and up to $83 per month for books and supplies.
• Flight programs: Per academic year, pays the actual net costs for in-state tuition and fees assessed by the school or $10,000, whichever is less.
• Correspondence training: Per academic year, pays the actual net costs for in-state tuition and fees assessed by the school or $8,500, whichever is less.

Regular readers will know I was spirited off to Las Vegas at the beginning of January to attend my eighth or ninth Winter Consumer Electronics Show. Quite a statement to even be there in these tough times for a website as specialized as us.Over the last fifteen years or so I have managed to get along to quite a few though. In the early days there was simply enough cash floating around for some distributors to think it was a Good Thing for me to get there and the guys at ProPlus Sound and Matthew Robins of then Icetronic both helped out. Also, Pioneer took me along to see the birth of OEL, now called OLED and Kenwood have taken me too.In the latter years, Blaupunkt ran a posh trip taking Snapper Spike and two Fast Car competition prize winners and we got so much work out of it (due to professional quality pictures) that we then started asking different outfits to help us both get there after that. In return for features in Fast Car, they would chip in and the lion would lie down with the lamb.

Installer Institute Black Death Escalade has been nominated for Stereo of the Year from Aspec Magazine. This vehicle is truly one of a kind and defiantly catches the eye's of the show goers that walk by it. The stereo is massive with 8 1500 watt amps for 4 15" woofers, not to mention the doors and of course the skeleton in the back.

The Mobile Electronics Schools Association or MESA is an organization that was put together by privately owned mobile electronics schools. The goal is to build a standard for the education that a student would receive while attending an approved mobile electronics training facility. One of the primary focuses of MESA is to build consumer and retail shop awareness by developing educational standards that all MESA schools must adhere to. MESA is helping to shape the mobile electronics industry by providing well educated graduates the ability to work in a new and exciting career field.