The Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday passed and sent to the full Senate the Telecommunications Skilled Workforce Act. This bill establishes measures to address the workforce needs of the telecommunications industry.
Specifically, the measure requires the FCC to establish an interagency working group to develop recommendations for addressing workforce needs. The agency must also establish and issue guidance to states on how a state workforce development board can use federal resources, and promote and improve recruitment in qualified industry-led workforce development programs (including the Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program).
The measure also directs the Government Accountability Office to submit to Congress a report that estimates the number of skilled telecommunications workers that will be required to build and maintain broadband infrastructure in rural areas, and the wireless infrastructure needed to support 5G wireless technology.
Sponsors of S.163 are: Sens. John Thune, (R-SD) Jon Tester (D-MT), Gary Peters (D-MI), Roger Wicker (D-MS) and Jerry Moran (R-KS). During the vote, Thune said: “Some estimates suggest we will need an additional 20,000 tower climbers alone for the installation of wireless infrastructure. This legislation will help increase the number of workers enrolled in 5G training programs and identify ways to grow the telecommunications workforce.”
Industry trade groups cheered Wednesday’s action and said they’d work with lawmakers to advance the legislation in the full Senate and the House as well. “This legislation will grow and enable the skilled workforce needed to deploy next-generation networks, which will help the U.S. realize the promise of the 5G economy,” said CTIA SVP Government Affairs Kelly Cole.
Todd Schlekeway, President and CEO of NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association, said workforce development is a top priority for the trade group. The bill’s passage by the committee “is a critical next step in the process to foster greater collaboration between the federal government, state workforce boards, higher education and industry to ultimately develop a future pipeline of skilled technicians.”
The bill “supports training and upskilling the workforce needed to build out and maintain the wireless networks that keep us connected,” said Wireless infrastructure Association President/CEO Jonathan Adelstein. “With 5G estimated to create 4.5 million jobs and have an economic impact of $1.5 trillion over the next decade, this legislation will help the nation win the race to 5G by focusing on developing the wireless workforce through registered apprenticeship – a scalable earn-while-you-learn career path.”
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