On June 27, the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) announced that OpTIC Path™, its Telecom Installer Certification program, is now available through Central Maine Community College (CMCC).
FBA reports that Maine does not currently have the broadband technician workforce necessary to properly leverage an influx of federal and private broadband infrastructure funding. OpTIC Path can bolster the workforce by giving Maine residents an opportunity to obtain fiber optic technician certifications.
Todd Jackson, director of workforce development at FBA, said that the first step in the process of utilizing broadband funding is ensuring the state has a workforce of qualified fiber technicians.
“The OpTIC Path program provides the tools needed for any school, college, or another training facility to effectively prepare skilled fiber technicians to safely build high-performance broadband networks,” he said in a press release.
CMCC will offer the three-week, 120-hour course in partnership with the Harold Alfond Center for the Advancement of Maine’s Workforce.
CMCC dean of workforce and professional development Dwayne Conway said in the same press release, “The Fiber Broadband Association’s OpTIC Path program is an exciting addition to our course offerings. This program will ensure that graduates are prepared to enter the field ready to work. That will put graduates at the top of candidate lists and save potential employers training time and cost. As a result, our state’s fiber broadband networks can be built more efficiently.”
FBA reports that it is currently engaged with 70 community colleges and training institutions, like the Sno-Ilse Tech Skills Center, to offer the OpTIC Path program.
