Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted on Wednesday announced the launch of Telecommunications Tower Technician programs at North Central State College, Hocking College and Vanguard-Sentinel Career & Technology Center.
“The Telecommunications Tower Technician programs will help address the workforce gap by providing students with the in-demand skills and experience needed to get a high-paying job with clear opportunities for advancemen,” said Husted.
The launch is part of a larger effort by the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation and BroadbandOhio to develop the workforce needed to expand broadband access and 5G in Ohio.
Husted traveled to North Central State College in Mansfield to promote the program, which will launch in the spring at NCSC, Hocking College and Vanguard-Sentinel Career & Technology Center.
The program is 240 hours and will cover a variety of topics, including safety, basic rigging-and-fall protection, principles of electricity, fiber optics, wireless technology, cell components, antenna basics and spectrum management.
“The Kehoe Center is perfect for the Tower Tech program,” said Dorey Diab, president of North Central State College. “We have the space available and numerous laboratories already in place to support the training required. In addition, we’re excited to work with new industry partners to provide the qualified workforce they require.”
The state identified the program as a plug-and-play model to bring to Ohio, worked to find the institutions that would host the program and provided initial funding to help launch it.
“Hocking College is proud to be a pilot site for the Tower Technician 1 program in Southeast Ohio, partnering with the state to expand telecommunication training in Ohio and preparing Ohioans for good jobs in Appalachian Ohio,” said Betty Young, Hocking College president.
“We are excited to be part of the 5G broadband initiative in the state of Ohio and to establish a program in Northwest Ohio that will meet the workforce needs and will give students the opportunities to earn in-demand industry credentials and pathways to a great career,” said Superintendent Greg Edinger of Vanguard-Sentinel Career & Technology Center.
“The Ohio Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation has worked closely with our industry to develop these first-class Telecommunications Tower Technician 1 (TTTI) programs that will ensure the Buckeye State’s educational system is graduating career-ready technicians,” said Todd Schlekeway, president and CEO of NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association.
The “Strengthening Ohio’s Broadband & 5G Workforce” strategy, released in September, identified the need for a skilled and prepared workforce. The strategy outlines a plan for increasing broadband industry career awareness and creating more training and education programs in Ohio. The three Telecommunications Tower Technician programs will provide students with the knowledge and hands-on experience to start their careers in the telecommunications industry as a Telecommunications Tower Technician I.
The “Strengthening Ohio’s Broadband & 5G Workforce” strategy can be found on the BroadbandOhio website.
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