Overview
Thank you for taking the time to learn more about the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA®) MECP program. MECP stands for “Mobile Electronics Certified Professional.” It is a certification program for installation technicians of mobile electronics and aftermarket automotive equipment. MECP is the only nationally recognized program that certifies mobile electronics installation technicians and sales people on the installation techniques and capabilities of automotive information technology, entertainment, navigation and safety/security systems.
MECP issues Basic Installer, Advanced Installer, Master Installer and Mobile Product Specialist certifications to mobile electronics professionals who pass a written exam and meet the professional experience criteria. To retain their certification, installers re-certify every two to four years and are encouraged to progress toward achieving Master Level Installation Technician certification, which represents both a professional commitment to the job and an ongoing willingness to keep pace with automotive and consumer electronic technologies.
Owned and operated by CEA, the program has certified more than 35,000 installers since its creation in 1991. Nearly 12,000 professionals at thousands of retail locations across the county hold current MECP certifications and more than 4,000 installers take the certification exam annually.
Why use an MECP certified installer?
The MECP program is designed to provide a higher level of professionalism in the mobile electronics installation field. The benefits of using an MECP certified installer provides you with the peace of mind that your car is being worked on by a qualified industry professional. Remember, besides your home, your automobile could be one of your family’s most important and valuable investments and it’s one you rely heavily on each and every day. You shouldn’t trust this asset to just anyone.
MECP professionals are tasked with learning new technologies as well as best practices for all facets of mobile electronics installation. All levels of installation technician certifications have a strong vehicle electrical and installation knowledge emphasis. Installation technicians are certified on one of three levels – Basic, Advanced and Master – based on their experience in the industry and knowledge about complex elements of the job. There is also a certification for sales professionals called the Mobile Product Specialist in which equipment compatibility, system design, proper terminology and product knowledge are heavily emphasized.
How do I find an MECP Certified Installation Technician?
The best way to locate an MECP certified installation technician is to call your local mobile electronics retailer and ask if they employ MECP certified installation technicians and, if so, which level their technicians have achieved. Currently MECP has over 4500 Basic level technicians, about 1700 Advanced level technicians, and about 100 Master Installation Technicians working throughout the country with current certifications. The higher the technician’s level of MECP certification, the more experience and knowledge they will have! Often with the highest level of MECP certified technician, the Master level, comes expertise and technical acumen across a wide area of disciplines that few technicians will ever achieve.
There is a great chance that your local retailer will have an MECP certified installation technician working on your vehicle when you visit them for aftermarket 12v products. Be sure you ask to see the technician’s MECP credentials so you know you are dealing with a qualified, certified MECP professional working on your vehicle. Remember, the higher level certified MECP technician you find, their experience and knowledge of your car and your equipment will be equally superior.
More Information
To learn more about all of the great automotive electronics technologies in the market today, visit
digitaltips.org. If you would like to know more about the MECP program, we encourage you to visit
www.MECP.com and learn what installation technicians and sales people who become certified really have to know to call themselves MECP certified!
