The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) and the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) have entered into a Collaborative Workforce Development Agreement to advance critical workforce education and training for the broadband communications industry.
This agreement helps to promote both associations’ workforce development programs: the Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program that is nationally sponsored by WIA for broadband and 5G technicians, and the Fiber Broadband Association’s Optical Telecom Installer Certification program that trains fiber technicians. The associations will work together to promote Registered Apprenticeship, develop world-class curriculum, establish industry-recognized credentials and certifications, and articulate career pathways.
“The Fiber Broadband Association is aggressively pursuing the goal to bring our fiber optic training to community colleges, veterans, and training institutions in all 56 U.S. states and territories. However, it is partnerships with accomplished organizations like WIA that enable our industries to truly advance mutual initiatives to enable every community to experience the benefits of high-speed connectivity,” said FBA President/CEO Gary Bolton. “We’re seeing considerable NTIA funding as well as private investments that will help create digital equity across North America, but we can’t do that without a larger technical workforce to actually build the networks. This partnership with WIA will help close that workforce gap.”
With $42.45 billion in Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment funding for broadband infrastructure, in addition to the $80 billion invested annually by the broadband industry, the associations, in a joint statement, said there has never been more demand to build broadband networks. To meet that demand, it is essential that industry and government join hands to address workforce gaps.
“Thanks to strong support from industry and our partners in the federal government and across the states, WIA has been expanding quality training programs across the U.S. to meet the demand for a highly-skilled broadband workforce, including through our Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program, and our 5G Readiness Program,” said WIA President/CEO Patrick Halley. “Our partnership with the Fiber Broadband Association comes at an exciting time for the telecommunications industry, and we look forward to working closely with them to further expand and enhance training and registered apprenticeships.”
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