New milestones and expanded training capacity position program to meet surging workforce demands

Today at Fiber Connect 2026, the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) announced key milestones for its OpTIC Path™ fiber optic technician training program. The broadband industry faces growing demand for skilled workers to support nationwide network deployment across North America. By addressing the technician shortage with scalable, standardized, industry-aligned curriculum, OpTIC Path is helping ensure broadband investment translates into faster deployment and long-term economic impact.

With an estimated need for 180,000 additional fiber technicians over the next decade, OpTIC Path provides scalable, 144-hour, apprenticeship-aligned training designed to prepare job-ready workers quickly and effectively.

OpTIC Path is now active in over 20 states, with eight additional states currently onboarding, and supported by more than 38 training partners, including community colleges, technical schools, workforce centers, and veterans’ organizations. Since inception, the program has graduated more than 1,550 students.

The program equips students with hands-on skills in fiber installation, splicing, testing, troubleshooting, and maintenance. To further accelerate workforce readiness, FBA has expanded its micro-credential offerings to help employers upskill existing technicians, and train new employees without pulling them from the field for extended classroom instruction.

Additionally, a new OpTIC Path Data Center Technician Add-On Module will be released in Q3 2026, expanding fiber workforce training to high-growth data center environments. Learners will gain both theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience aligned with real-world demands, of hyperscalers, neoclouds, enterprise, and colocation facilities, supporting career pathways for today’s expanding digital infrastructure. “The rapid growth of data centers is creating strong demand for skilled fiber technicians,” said Todd Jackson, Director of Workforce Development of the Fiber Broadband Association. “This new OpTIC Path add-on module directly connects foundational fiber training to high-quality, in-demand data center careers.”

Beyond training outcomes, OpTIC Path is helping strengthen local economies by accelerating onboarding training, reducing time from 6-9 months down to 1-2 months, therefore supporting faster broadband deployment and improved access to education, healthcare, and digital services. The program is also featured at Fiber Connect 2026 through the OpTIC Path Rodeo, a live knowledge and skills competition showcasing fiber expertise, which will expand this year to 12 participants.

"OpTIC Path continues to prove that scalable, hands-on workforce development is possible at the speed the broadband industry demands,” said Deborah Kish, Vice President of Research and Workforce Development of the Fiber Broadband Association. “By expanding access to state-funded training opportunities, we are helping to scale the fiber workforce more quickly and effectively.”

Looking ahead, FBA will further scale OpTIC Path and strengthen workforce development partnerships to support broadband deployment goals across the country.

Learn more about the OpTIC Path program here or subscribe to FBA’s Fiber Forward Weekly newsletter here and stay updated.

About the Fiber Broadband Association

The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) is the voice of fiber, helping providers, policy makers, and communities make informed decisions about how, where, and why to build better fiber broadband networks. FBA is the largest and only trade association that represents the complete fiber ecosystem of service providers, manufacturers, industry experts, and deployment specialists. Since 2001, FBA and its members have worked to advance fiber broadband deployment to accelerate innovation and increase quality of life by enabling every community to leverage 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, MENA, APAC, and South Africa. Learn more at fiberbroadband.org.

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