WASHINGTON, D.C.—(December 5, 2023)—The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) today announced that College of The Albemarle (COA) is the latest education institution to offer FBA’s Optical Telecom Installer Certification (OpTIC Path™) program. Partnering with broadband internet provider Fybe, the two organizations will leverage the OpTIC Path course to produce a pipeline of expertly-trained fiber broadband technicians that will connect rural, eastern N.C. communities to high-quality fiber broadband networks.

Like in many areas of the country, the need for fiber infrastructure in eastern N.C. continues to increase. Fybe recognized that the availability of qualified fiber technicians would be critical in its ability to successfully deploy and maintain reliable, high-speed fiber networks. It noticed other N.C. communities offered FBA’s OpTIC Path program and gained a pipeline of talented fiber technicians, so Fybe partnered with College of The Albemarle to adopt the course, foster local talent, and create a strong program that will provide long-standing value to the communities they serve.

“There has never been a better time to begin or continue a career in fiber. The OpTIC Path program will deliver robust technical training and create a healthy pipeline of highly qualified fiber technicians for a high-demand, lucrative, long-term career,” said Bo Coughlin, Chief Operations Officer at Fybe. “We take pride in contributing locally to workforce development and enhancing communities that often have never had access to reliable internet. We are proud to work with College and The Albemarle and the Fiber Broadband Association to make this course a resounding success for all involved.”

“I’m incredibly excited for College of The Albemarle to partner with Fybe and add FBA’s OpTIC Path course to our available programs,” said Robin Zinsmeister, Dean of Workforce Development, Public Services and Career Readiness and Campus Administrator at College of The Albemarle – Edenton-Chowan. “We recognize this industry is ever growing, and as a community college, we work diligently to meet industry and employer needs throughout our service area. We look forward to supporting the fiber broadband community with skilled and knowledgeable College of The Albemarle graduates.”

“It is thrilling to see the OpTIC Path program grow and help communities across the nation build high-speed fiber broadband networks,” said Deborah Kish, Vice President of Research and Workforce Development at the Fiber Broadband Association. “The benefits of the OpTIC Path program are two-fold. For graduates, the program provides training for a lucrative, long-term career that will remain in high demand for decades to come. For the communities, the broadband infrastructure that OpTIC Path technicians build connects residents and businesses to new opportunities and advanced capabilities for education, health care, employment, and more.”

College of The Albemarle will launch the OpTIC Path program in February 2024. FBA is currently engaged with 40 states to roll out the OpTIC Path program, with 44 service providers and 70 community colleges and training institutions. Electric cooperatives in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Tennessee, and Oklahoma have either adopted or are interested in the program. To learn more, visit fiberbroadband.org/education-and-certification/fba-optic-path/.

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About the Fiber Broadband Association
The Fiber Broadband Association is the largest and only trade association that represents the complete fiber ecosystem of service providers, manufacturers, industry experts, and deployment specialists dedicated to the advancement of fiber broadband deployment and the pursuit of a world where communications are limitless, advancing quality of life and digital equity anywhere and everywhere. The Fiber Broadband Association helps providers, communities, and policy makers make informed decisions about how, where, and why to build better fiber broadband networks. Since 2001, these companies, organizations, and members have worked with communities and consumers in mind to build the critical infrastructure that provides the economic and societal benefits that only fiber can deliver. The Fiber Broadband Association is part of the Fibre Council Global Alliance, which is a platform of six global FTTH Councils in North America, LATAM, Europe, MEA, APAC, and South Africa. Learn more at fiberbroadband.org.

Press Contacts:
Ashley Schulte
Connect2 Communications for the Fiber Broadband Association
[email protected]

Angela Gordon
Fybe
[email protected]