Catawba Valley Community College (CVCC) and Corning Optical Communications have announced a new fiber-optic training center to help develop North Carolina’s workforce of broadband technicians.
The training facility is located at CVCC’s Corporate Development Center in the metro area of Hickory, N.C. — where Corning has been manufacturing fiber-optic cables for decades.
Now in the early stages of the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program — of which N.C. will receive $1.5 billion for its infrastructural needs — there are still hundreds of thousands of construction workers and trade technicians needed to make it happen.
“Our industry stands at the brink of a momentous opportunity — the chance to connect the unconnected.” wrote Optical Communication’s Michael Bell in the announcement.
“Yet, there remains a crucial gap in the skilled workforce needed to deploy and maintain these networks,” he continued. “This joint initiative is our proactive response to this challenge, preparing our industry to meet the growing demand for fiber broadband as more public and private funding becomes available.”
Bell emphasized that it is a great time to join the industry, both financially and as a fulfilling job in support of a mission to close the country’s digital divide.
Indeed, the job can pay exceptionally well without the need to plummet into higher-ed debt. Award-winning technician Dosty Hodges told us in an interview that it doesn’t take long to be making over six figures.
“This is a great job to get into,” he said. “You don't need a college degree. [You can] come in with almost nothing, maybe even just a high school diploma. That's really all you need to jump in, and you can grow yourself into a position where you're making $75 to $120,000 pretty quickly.”
Bell expressed excitement for the prospects the center holds in bringing new folks to the trade. “It’s not just about equipping individuals with skills for the future; it’s about empowering communities, transforming industries, and ultimately, it's about connections," he concluded.
Curious about the opportunities in the industry? Check out our jobs portal and Learning Center.