Through a grant from the NTIA (National Telecommunications and Information Administration) OSUIT and the Workforce and Economic Development department have established a 10 week program designed for under-represented individuals in the community with the goal of creating a pipeline of skilled workers for the growing fiber industry.
The below non-credit courses are designed to provide quality training to individuals for in-demand, high-wage job placement. Students will earn digital badges and a micro-credential upon successful completion of the below stackable courses.
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Fiber Optic Fundamentals: This course addresses fiber optic fundamentals and combines classroom theory with hands-on skills training to provide a basic understanding of fiber optics technology and light theory. Students will be introduced to residential and commercial fiber splicing and learn to splice fiber using mechanical and fusion splicing techniques. Duration: 32 hours. Prerequisites: None.
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Fiber Optic Outside Plant: This class features classroom theory that delivers a quick refresher of fiber terminology and technology before diving into FTTX, OSP, fiber characterization, network troubleshooting, emergency restoration, and how the latest industry trends may impact field practices. This is followed by hands-on skills training, where students build and troubleshoot a passive optical network from patch panel to patch panel through various splice closures with multiple drops. Duration: 32 hours. Prerequisites: Fiber Optic Fundamentals.
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Fiber Optic FTTX Installer & Technician: This course begins with a review of fundamental fiber component information related to fiber-to-the-home consideration. The course covers best practices for product selection and ideal placement of point-to-point, decentralized, and centralized split return options. This course will provide technical knowledge and the skills needed to install and test the physical layer for active Ethernet and passive optical networks (PON). Students will gain practical knowledge and hands-on skills in all aspects of FTTX deployments, including specific issues such as testing, splitters, wave division multiplex devices (WDM), measuring reflectance, and bi-directional testing unique to FTTX networks. Duration: 32 hours. Prerequisites: Fiber Optic Fundamentals.
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Fiber Optic OTDR & Emergency Restoration: Week 1 – focuses on field testing and troubleshooting fiber optic spans/links and explains the various types of equipment and tools needed for acceptance testing, documenting performance, and finding problems in a physical fiber plant. The emphasis is on understanding proper OTDR settings, testing, and evaluation of results. Week 2 – focuses on fault location, troubleshooting, and test equipment with a heavy emphasis on hands-on skills training that simulates actual field restorations for retrievable and non-retrievable slack scenarios utilizing real-world scenarios as well as programmed scenarios with a network simulator. Students will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to help build their organization to better deal with outages. Duration: 32 hours. Prerequisites: Fiber Optic Fundamentals
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ETA Fiber Optic Installer Certification: The Fiber Optic Installer standalone certification is for individuals trained in the practice of installing fiber optic cabling at premises facilities. A special course, fee and hands-on skills exam from an ETA approved school are the required pre-requisites before sitting for this knowledge exam. If not specifically stated, the most recent technical standard revision is referenced. Link to complete outline: https://etai.org/comps/FOI_comps.pdf
- Employability Skills Training & Resume Prep: A comprehensive program designed to equip participants with the essential skills and knowledge needed to enhance their employability and succeed in today's competitive job market and learn strategies for crafting compelling resumes that highlight their qualifications and experiences. Through a combination of interactive sessions, practical exercises, and real-world applications, participants will develop a strong foundation of transferable skills and strategies that will enable them to excel in their careers and secure meaningful employment opportunities.
- Advanced Fiber Optic Technician: Completion of elements 1-4 for OSUIT's Advanced Fiber Optic Technician Micro-Credentials Program.