The Optical Telecom Installation Certification (OpTIC) Program initiated by the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) is designed to quickly scale technical education, fill the existing fiber skills gap and accelerate fiber deployments across North America.

The program will be offered nationwide through vocational schools, community colleges and veteran training programs. Wilson Community College in North Carolina will be the first to pilot the curriculum, consisting of 144 hours of combined class and lab courses followed by a 2,000-hour apprenticeship fully approved and recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor.

The program will include technical content and hands-on practice, with the goal of compressing the time needed to equip personnel to be safe and productive in the field. Participants completing the program will be certified as an FBA Accredited OpTIC Technician.

“The need for a highly-trained fiber workforce has never been greater, so we’re thrilled to launch a certification program that will be extremely valuable to the industry,” said Deborah Kish, vice president of research and marketing at the FBA. “We expect the OpTIC program to be recognized across North America as the gold standard among training programs directed at developing highly competent fiber splicers, premise installers and technicians that are required for today’s fiber deployments. Moreover, this certification program will help create jobs across North America and ensure all broadband deployments are fiber first.”