GAV 101 & 102

AVE Standard | 2 Days | In-Person

Overview

General AV is where most careers in live event production begin. GAV 101 and GAV 102 are designed to give new technicians a real, hands-on introduction to the gear, workflows, and professional habits that form the foundation of every AV role. Day one covers the basics: signal flow, cabling, gear identification, and building a complete breakout room setup from the ground up. Day two expands on that foundation, adding complexity and developing the technician mindset that separates people who set up gear from people who understand what they are doing and why. These two days are designed to give participants the confidence and competence to show up for their first calls ready to contribute.

This Class Is Right For You If...

• You are new to the AV industry and want a structured, hands-on introduction to how production works.

• You've been on a few calls, but feel like you're still guessing at what you're doing, and want to build a proper foundation.

• You're a meeting planner, event coordinator, or hospitality professional who works closely with AV teams and wants to understand the work.

• You're a production company owner who wants to bring new hires up to speed in a structured, consistent way before putting them on calls.

Career Level

Entry Level: This is the starting point. GAV 101 and 102 are designed for participants with no prior AV experience and serve as the foundational prerequisite for more advanced AVE training programs. This is where the career path begins.

What You'll Learn

GAV 101: General AV Fundamentals Upon completion of GAV 101, participants will be able to:

• Identify and understand the function of common AV gear used in corporate event environments.

• Trace basic signal flow through an audio and video system.

• Cable, build, and strike a complete breakout room setup, including pipe and drape, screen, speakers, projector, and tech table.

• Handle gear safely and professionally in a production environment.

• Communicate clearly with crew leads and senior technicians during a build.

GAV 102: Building on the Foundation. Upon completion of GAV 102, participants will be able to:

• Apply GAV 101 skills in more complex setup scenarios.

• Troubleshoot common signal, connectivity, and gear issues with a systematic approach

• Operate audio and video components at a foundational level during a live event.

• Develop the professional habits and floor awareness expected of a working AV technician.

• Work effectively as part of a larger crew under the direction of a crew lead or operator.

A Day in Class

Both days are fully hands-on. Participants build real setups using full production gear, working through each stage of the process from gear pull through strike under instructor supervision. GAV 101 follows the show-day schedule from the ground up: pipe and drape, screen, speakers, projector, tech table, and audio hands-on before striking everything at the end of the day. GAV 102 builds on that experience with additional complexity and a greater emphasis on troubleshooting and independent problem-solving. Instructors are present throughout, reviewing participant work and providing direct feedback on technique, habits, and professional approach.

What You Leave With

Participants receive an AVE GAV certificate of completion for each day completed. More importantly, they leave having actually built, tested, and set up a production environment with their own hands, with instructor feedback at every stage of the process. This course is designed so that participants are prepared to contribute on their first real call, not still figuring out the basics.

Reducing Risk

New technicians without formal training are a liability on calls. They slow down builds, make cabling errors that take time to diagnose, handle gear incorrectly, and require constant supervision from more experienced crew members. GAV 101 and 102 address that directly, giving new technicians the foundational knowledge and hands-on experience to show up to a call as a productive member of the crew from day one.

Instructors

Omar Colom and Alyssa Freire, both AVE lead instructors with extensive experience training and developing early-career AV technicians.

Course Details

Duration: 1x day per course (GAV 101 and GAV 102 offered as separate sessions)

Format: In-Person, Hands-On

Class Size: Maximum 10x students

Equipment: Full production setup provided, including video switcher, projector, screen, audio mixer, speakers, wireless microphones, lighting, pipe and drape, and tech table