NTCA was pleased to work with our other brethren in the telecommunications industry to share some urgent thoughts with the Biden Administration this week on finding ways to develop the workforce that is needed now and into the future to build broadband networks and telecom infrastructure.
For the past several years, I have attended NTCA meetings and listened to our CEOs and General Managers share how they struggle with finding technical staff who can support their operations – from IT to tech support to install teams to construction crews. Some have tried innovative internship programs, Wisconsin leadership has seen partnerships with some local technical schools but these solutions have been “one offs” and often find the trained personnel lured away from their rural communities.
The current situation with plenty of need for these skills has really coincided at a time when there are also a number of Americans in search of employment. Could this be the ultimate win-win approach with support from the federal government?
With that in mind, NTCA joined in with our colleagues at WIA, WISPA, CCA, Fiber Broadband Association, INCOMAS, NATE, TIA, USTelecom and PCCA to share some of our thoughts and suggestions on this front earlier this week asking President Biden, as he and his team consider investments in broadband infrastructure to also please consider the opportunity to develop high-wage telecommunications jobs to speed the rollout, while also supporting pathways towards greater diversity, safety and quality for many Americans. We were able to note that the United States currently faces a shortfall of skilled workers needed to deploy broadband across the country, to win the race to 5G and to ensure robust fiber, mobile and fixed wireless networks.
Overall, the U.S. telecommunications industry employs 672,000 workers. At the current rate of deployment, there will be 850,000 MORE new direct broadband and 5G jobs through 2025. That is more than double the number in a short window! What opportunities await if we can find a coordinated approach to develop these workers.
Apprenticeship is a long recognized, time-tested, industry driven career pathway through which employers can develop and prepare their future workforce and the workers can obtain paid work experience, classroom instruction and is a nationally recognized credential. So our ask is that any broadband infrastructure legislation also provide support to employers to expand registered apprenticeships and the surrounding costs like certification and technical instruction. The ability to use apprenticeships to help NTCA member companies recruit and retrain workers is a possible solution.
More to follow in the days ahead, but I am excited that we are able to take a multi-dimensional approach to how the job really gets done in rural communities to extend connectivity at a time when it matters more than ever.