Lairds of Troon · Technology engineers
Elite AV & Cyber Security Training.
Experience the only specialised AV and Cyber Security Training in Scotland led by a Military Communications Operator and Veteran. With dual MSc degrees in network defence, we bridge the critical gap between physical infrastructure and digital security.
Forged in the Field, Refined by Science
Training isn’t just theory; it’s survival. In the high-stakes world of military communications, a network failure isn’t an inconvenience, it’s a threat.
We bring that same discipline to the civilian sector. Led by Mark Laird, a Military Communications Operator and Veteran with dual Master’s Degrees in Cyber & Network Security, our curriculum bridges the gap between physical infrastructure and digital defence. We don’t just teach you to install systems; we teach you to secure them against real-world threats.
Audio Visual Integration
Precision matters. From rack building standards to advanced cinema calibration, we teach the discipline required to build systems that measure well and stay working. Master the hardware that drives the experience.
Rack Build & Cable Termination Standards
Home Cinema Audio Calibration
Lutron & Control4 Ecosystems
Network Infrastructure
A smart home is only as smart as its network. Move beyond basic consumer routers and learn to architect enterprise-grade networks. Understand the flow of data before you attempt to secure it.
Fibre Splicing & Termination
VLAN Configuration & Traffic Management
Wi-Fi Heatmapping & Optimisation
Cyber Security & Defence
The threat is real. We translate high-level military cyber doctrine into practical defence strategies for the home and office. Learn to identify threats, harden networks, and protect client privacy.
Threat Detection & Mitigation
“Cyber Essentials” Preparation
Social Engineering Defence
Real Hardware. Real Threats. Live Fire.
You don’t learn to defuse a threat from a PowerPoint slide. You learn by doing.
Unlike generic training centres that rely on virtual simulations, Lairds Academy puts real industry-standard hardware in your hands. You will terminate fibre optics, configure enterprise-grade firewalls, and troubleshoot live network attacks in our dedicated facility.
We break it. You fix it. Because in the real world, there is no reset button.
“Lairds AV doesn’t just install technology; they understand the security architecture behind it. Their knowledge is second to none.”
IT Director, International Logistics Firm
Who is this training for?
From complete beginners looking to enter the industry, to seasoned IT Managers and Electricians needing to upskill in Cyber Security and Smart Home integration.
Do I get certified?
Yes. Upon successful completion, you will be awarded the Lairds Academy Certificate of Competence.
While this is an internal award, it validates that you have trained on live industry hardware under military-grade instruction. It serves as powerful proof of practical skill for employers and clients, demonstrating you can deliver outside the classroom.
Can you train our entire team?
Absolutely. We deploy mobile training units for corporate clients or host your team at our Ayrshire facility for intensive boot camps.
Secure Your Future.
Spaces are strictly limited to ensure 1-on-1 mentorship. Don’t let the industry leave you behind.
AV and cyber security training for teams in Ayrshire, Glasgow and Edinburgh
We deliver training and CPD for architects, design teams, contractors and in-house staff across Ayrshire, Glasgow, Edinburgh and the west of Scotland, either at your offices or at ours in Kilmarnock. Our CPD sessions for architects and design teams cover technology at RIBA stages 2 to 4, and the security material draws on the same work as cyber and network security and cybersecurity and you. Lairds AV is technology partner to the Glasgow Institute of Architects.
Who we build for
Architects and design teams
CPD on where technology belongs in the programme, what has to be decided at Stage 3, and what it costs to leave it until fit-out. Delivered as a session rather than a pitch.
Contractors and site teams
Practical coordination: containment, first fix sequencing, what the AV package needs from the M and E package and when.
In-house and estate staff
Operating the systems you already have, and the security basics that matter: credentials, remote access, what to do when something looks wrong.
How a session works
1. Scope
We ask what the team already knows and what has gone wrong before. The session is built from that rather than from a deck we reuse.
2. Deliver
At your offices, on site, or at Kilmarnock. Usually an hour, longer where the group wants to go into detail.
3. Leave something behind
Notes and references, so the material is usable after the room empties.
4. Follow up
One number to call when the question comes up on a live job, which is usually when it matters.
Questions we are asked
Who delivers the training?
Mark Laird, founder and technical director. Credentials and their issuing bodies are published on the about page so they can be checked rather than taken on trust.
Is the CPD accredited?
The sessions are delivered as continuing professional development for architects and design teams and are built around the RIBA Plan of Work. We do not claim accreditation we do not hold. Ask us what a session covers and we will tell you plainly.
What do the cyber security sessions cover?
The practical ground: network segregation, why cameras and controllers should not sit on a flat network, credential handling, remote access, and what a plausible attack on a connected building actually looks like.
Where do you deliver sessions?
At your offices anywhere in Ayrshire, Glasgow, Edinburgh and the west of Scotland, on site, or at Marathon House, Olympic Business Park, Kilmarnock.
Is it a sales presentation?
No. If a session turns into a pitch it has failed. We are a technology partner to the Glasgow Institute of Architects and the sessions exist to make the coordination easier, which is in our interest whether or not you use us.
How long does a session take?
Usually about an hour, including questions. Longer where a team wants to work through a live project in detail.
THE INDUSTRY IS EVOLVING. ARE YOU?
Physical installation is no longer enough. Equip yourself with the dual-threat capability of AV mastery and Cyber Defence. Don’t just stay relevant, become indispensable.