FBA expands fiber workforce programFBA expands fiber workforce program

The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) today announced that it has welcomed a stream of new schools to the list of institutions offering the Optical Telecom Installer Certification (OpTIC Path™) program. FBA estimates that 180,000 new workers will be needed over the next decade to meet the construction, maintenance, and expansion demands associated with the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. The OpTIC Path program provides crucial skills to jumpstart a future-proof career in fiber broadband while also helping fill the broadband technician workforce gap that plagues North America.

The Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) just announced it will expand its support of the OpTIC Path program and include it in WIA's Telecommunications Education Center curriculum. Additionally, FBA's OpTIC Path program is implemented at schools and institutions across the U.S., including most recently at Illinois' Morrison Institute of Technology, Southside Virginia Community College, University of Arkansas Hope Texarkana, Mississippi Delta Community College Caps Center, and Tennessee's Bledsoe County School District.

The Bledsoe County Schools found broad value in the OpTIC Path program. Fiber broadband careers appeal to their students for several reasons, including career stability and opportunities for growth, competitive pay and benefits, no technical or college degree necessary, and job satisfaction. Upon graduating, these new technicians will be able to help positively impact their communities as Tennessee prepares to utilize the $813 million granted to the state under the BEAD program. Moreover, fiber broadband is critical for the rural areas of Bledsoe County Community because of its transformative impact on daily life, economic development, education, and healthcare.

Read the full press release here.

FBA