The Fiber Broadband Association’s (FBA) Optical Telecom Installer Certification (OpTIC Path) program is now listed on the NC Careers site, after being submitted by Wilson Community College and receiving official endorsement from the North Carolina Workforce Credential Advisory Council.
This endorsement is vital for North Carolina in light of anticipated Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program funding and the need to grow the state’s base of skilled workers in fiber technology.
The OpTIC Path program is a comprehensive fiber optic technician certification course. It encompasses a 144-hour curriculum, which prepares graduates to install, test, troubleshoot, and maintain fiber networks and other broadband infrastructure.
The OpTIC Path Workforce Credential can give those who have earned it a route to a career in fiber construction and deployment. Credentialed technicians are highly sought after by employers, many of which have an urgent need for skilled labor for broadband infrastructure, said FBA in an announcement today.
The Workforce Credential designation links the certification to funding opportunities in North Carolina, such as scholarships and training support. The end result may be reduced or no cost for students to complete the certification.
The OpTIC Path program is part of FBA’s nationwide initiative to step up fiber deployments and close the digital divide. It operates through partnerships with community and technical colleges, veteran’s programs, and industry organizations. The program is expected to see 1,200 new fiber technicians graduate each year over the next five years.
Currently, the OpTIC Path program is available in North Carolina through Wilson Community College and the College of the Albemarle. There are plans underway to expand it to other North Carolina institutions next year, FBA noted.
“The OpTIC Path program offers students a new pathway to meaningful careers while supporting the connectivity needs of communities throughout North Carolina,” said Wes Hill, dean of continuing education at Wilson Community College. “By making this certification accessible and affordable, we’re empowering students to enhance their local infrastructure and contribute to lasting community development.”
North Carolina is set to receive the fifth-highest allocation in the nation of federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funding — more than $1.5 billion. The anticipated outcome of broadband expansion from this funding will create demand for skilled fiber technicians to support equitable connectivity, FBA said.
In September Telecompetitor spoke with FBA’s vice president of research and workforce development, Deborah Kish, who said that in order to meet the coming needs of the broadband industry, the time to train future workers is now, not after upcoming build-outs have already begun.
As part of an announcement in July about availability of the training program in Maine, FBA said it was engaged with 40 of the 56 states and territories for roll-out of the OpTIC Path program.
