Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor announced grant awards that included $2 million for CWA Local 7603 to establish a registered apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship program for broadband technicians in Idaho aimed at preparing the skilled workforce needed to improve and upgrade broadband infrastructure within the designated counties of Idaho.
“As Idaho prepares for a statewide broadband buildout, CWA Local 7603 is committed to train more Idaho residents to become highly skilled broadband technicians who know how to build safe, reliable broadband that will stand the test of time,” said CWA Local 7603 Local President Jeremiah Clever. “With the DOL’s apprenticeship grant for $2 million, we have an unmatched opportunity to partner with employers, the state, and educational institutions to lead the way on this historic fiber buildout, all while raising industry standards and providing good-paying, stable jobs to underrepresented Idahoans.”
These new programs build on the foundation established by CWA District 9’s Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee, which has administered apprenticeships for inside cabling technicians for more than twenty years and recently expanded to include fiber optic technicians. District 9 received a $5.8 million federal grant last year and a $4.6 million state grant this year to expand this program.
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