Build and develop the skills and safety knowledge required for entry-level employment as a fiber technician. This course covers the fundamental principles of safely installing, testing and maintaining fiber networks.

Indiana Electric Cooperatives and Hoosier Energy are partnering with the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) to offer the Indiana Fiber Technician Training Program. 

Today’s high-speed fiber networks provide the bandwidth required for working remotely, distance learning, and modern healthcare. Skilled fiber technicians provide the quality and safe workmanship required for the networks to support those needs. This course provides future technicians with the required professional skills while learning to work safely alongside electric infrastructure. 

A focus on safety makes this program different from others. Telecommunications workers are exposed to the same inherent hazards as those who work with energized lines. Participants will learn the fundamentals of the electric system and be able to identify hazards to ensure they know where to work, how closely they can work in proximity to energized lines and how to protect themselves.

Course graduates will be able to safely install, test, and troubleshoot components to completed systems, including subscribers’ FTTH locations. Classes are designed to culminate in the FBA OpTIC certification, but technicians will benefit from immediate application to their daily work. 

Course Outline

The program consists of 168 hours of classroom and hands-on skills training. It is carefully geared to specific skills needed to safely operate and maintain a fiber plant, regardless of manufacturer or topology. The program is vendor-neutral in terms of materials, tooling and topologies. The skills learned will be relevant in all fiber environments. 

Electives

Once the certificate program is completed, electives will be offered based on interest. 

Courses with an asterisk * will be taught by Hoosier Energy and Indiana Electric Cooperatives. All others will be taught by S&N Communications.

More Information

CERTIFICATION

Graduates will receive the Fiber Broadband Association OpTIC Path Certification.

This certification was developed by the major stakeholders who created and grew the fiber industry. They saw a need for a qualified workforce to enable the unprecedented broadband funding and implementation to be successful. The purpose is to help create a well-trained workforce that can properly install and maintain the networks. 

The certification has garnered national, industry-wide acceptance. It is trusted by network operators and employers because of its:

• Specific relevance to needed skills
• Repetition and stacking of skills 
• Cross relevance between classroom knowledge and hands-on application 
• Career-long learning and growth

ABOUT S&N COMMUNICATIONS

S&N Communications, Inc. is a leader in turn-key fiber infrastructure, power distribution and gas construction, design services and underground utility locating services.

REGISTRATION

Classes are limited to 12 participants to ensure an interactive experience. There is a limit of one participant per cooperative. The registration deadline is August 30, 2024.

TUITION

$4,500 per participant. The sponsoring cooperative is responsible for travel, lodging and meal expenses. One-third of the tuition will be billed in 2024 and two-thirds of the tuition will be billed in 2025.

Note: Per-person tuition is based on 12 participants per cohort. Tuition for non-IEC-member cooperatives is an additional $1,000 per person.

LOCATION

All modules will be held at Indiana Electric Cooperatives, 11805 Pennsylvania Street, Carmel, IN 46032.

QUESTIONS?

Adam Lock, alock@indianaec.org or 260.413.4474

Matt Figg, mfigg@hepn.com or 812.360.0530