Broadband Deployments Facing Possible Labor Woes: Experts
The broadband industry was already having trouble finding qualified workers, and the seemingly imminent release of BEAD funds to states could exacerbate that, according to workforce experts. "I'm scared to death" that the industry won't be able to build a stable, well-trained workforce but will focus on "warm bodies [and] quickie" on-the-job training (OJT), said Deborah Kish, the Fiber Broadband Association's vice president of research and workforce development, during the group's webinar Tuesday. "Quickie OJT doesn't work" as a long-term strategy, she said.
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Kish pointed to an FBA survey it did with broadband training provider NCTI earlier this year that indicated that broadband providers are "facing a real workforce crisis." It found that about 70% of fiber technicians are nearing retirement age, up from 62% a few years ago, which betokens the loss of decades of industry expertise, Kish said. Citing additional survey data showing that only 10% of technicians are ages 20-30, she also said the broadband industry is struggling to compete with other industries in recruiting technician talent.
A separate FBA survey last year indicated a need for almost 180,000 more broadband deployment workers over the next five years, Kish said, and BEAD funding will front-load a lot of that demand to 2026. There must be a shift toward more proactive workforce strategies, she argued. Kish and other speakers talked up the value of in-house training programs, certifications and career progression plans.
Jeff Gibson, NCTI's vice president of learning and development, said that until recently, many broadband providers had years-long hiring freezes for technicians as their networks got more efficient and self-service customer tools improved. Now, new networks are being built out, so hiring has begun again, he said, noting that BEAD will add to that wave.
With the broadband industry competing with a lot of other industries for technicians, it needs to focus on both finding new talent and retaining current workers, Gibson said. NCTI has seen more requests from broadband installers and operators for support in setting up career-progression programs that help technicians advance, he said, an encouraging sign that the industry is thinking more about taking a proactive approach.
Jeff Manning, vice president of strategy for Shentel’s Glo Fiber, agreed that the fiber broadband industry needs to do a better job of showing technicians job and career-progression opportunities. He expressed hope that the buzz around broadband and fiber is sparking interest in the industry as a technical career path.