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- FOA
certifications:
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- Basic
Level:
- CFOT
- CFxT
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- Advanced
- AFOT
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- Specialist
- CFOS
FOA
Approved Training
FOA Approved Training Programs
Curriculum requirements For
Training Program Approval
Applications
- FOA CFOT Application (new,
non-FOA School) (pdf)
- CFOT Renewal Application(pdf)
Schools
can print this
form to apply for course approval or apply online.
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- Certification
- In
today's high tech world, certification is considered proof of
professional status and is often required for jobs. The FOA was
chartered to approve schools offering training and provide
certifications as a service to the fiber optic industry. The FOA
programs are developed and maintained by experts in the fiber optic
business, most of whom have over 20 years of expereince as technicians,
installers, manufacturers and teachers of fiber optics.
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- What
is certification? Certification means you have achieved certain
performance criteria set by the certifying organization, usually
knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs), either through training or
experience. Certifications attest to your KSAs, and their value is the
recognition of those KSAs to customers, coworkers and employers.
Certification is not a license, which is a official approval of an
individual to do business in the jurisdiction issuing the license, such
as a state in the USA. Many states in the USA now require licensing for
contractors installing communications cabling. Check your local area to
determine the requirements for licensing.
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-
- The
FOA offers three levels of fiber optic certification:
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- Basic
Level:
- CFOT - Certified Fiber Optic
Technician for general fiber optics
- CFxT - Certified Fiber Optic
Technician for FTTx (fiber to the home, fiber to the premises, fiber to
the curb)
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- Advanced
- AFOT - Advanced Fiber Optic
Technician, available from FOA-approved schools
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- Specialist
- CFOS or Certified Fiber Optic
Specialist. The specialist level, CFOs tests for the applicant's level
of knowledge of fiber optics in a broad-based exam that covers
technology, components, installation and testing.
-
- Understanding
FOA Certifications
 FOA
certifications are designed to show a progression of growth in
knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) in fiber optics. All
certificants must start at the CFOT or CFxT level before applying for
higher level certification. That's why we usually refer to our
certificants as CFOTs. -
- At
the basic level are the CFOT and CFxT certifications that are generally
achieved through a FOA-approved training course that includes both
classroom and hands-on exercises. An alternate path to these
certifications is to have field experience, study the FOA reference
materials and take a proctored examination.
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- Advanced
fiber optic technician certification (AFOT) is another level for
schools teaching extended courses that include more detail and provide
more hands-on exercises, for example testing would include greater
hands-on OTDR experience, termination would require more repetitions of
terminations of several different types (e.g epoxy/polish and
preterminated/splice connectors), more splicing (fusion and mechanical)
as well as some basic fiber optic network design. Besides more
classroom and lab time, students must pass a more stringent exam.
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- Specialist
certifications are for those with extensive field experience or
students in comprehensive training programs. Those achieving specialist
certifications will have developed excellent skills in their specialty:
Fiber Optic Network Design (CFOS/D), Connectors (CFOS/C), Splicing
(CFOS/S) and Testing (CFOS/T) and their knowledge must be extensive to
allow passing the specialist exams. Instructor certification (CFOS/I)
is available to instructors at FOA Approved schools. CFOS/I
certification can be achieved through experience, self-study or
attending a FOA Train-The-Trainer class. Beginning in 2008,
some schools will begin offering specialist classes and a new
certification in fiber optic network design.
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- Detailed Curriculum
Requirements For Training Program Curriculum
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- Who
May Take the Certification Tests?
Depending on the certification, qualified applicants may be students in
FOA approved training
courses or currently active technicians in the fiber optic
industry.
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- What
Are the Benefits of FOA Certification ?
Like any certification program, the benefits to the members who pass
the certification tests are based on the recognition of achieving a
level of competence in the fiber optics field. For the end user looking
for competent fiber optic personnel, it is the knowledge that this
person has demonstrated knowledge and ability in the field and, perhaps
even has documented experience. For the vendor of fiber optic products,
it offers a technically- qualified pool of employees as well as
contractors to recommend to end user customers who need to find
installers for their networks.
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- What
Training Is Required To Take The Exam?
- No
specific training is required to take the exams, as that is left ot
schools and individuals. The basic knowledge required may be gained
from formal training classes in FOA
approved schools, picked up from experience in the field or
from self-study. Here are the FOA's recommendations for
training classes.
- The
exam is based on the FOA-written textbook, The
Fiber Optic Technicians Manual, and the NECA/FOA Installation Standard
for those who wish to study for it themselves. For those wanting a
formal course of study, there are many FOA-approved
schools that include the FOA CFOT in their programs.
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- How
Is Certification Done?
For the FOA certifications, there is a formal application, documenting
the applicants meeting the requirements and a certification exam.
FOA-Approved Schools generally offer the CFOT exam at the end of their
training classes buy may allow taking it afterwards. For individuals,
arrangements can be made for taking the exam with a local proctor. The
proctor may be a supervisor, instructor, teacher or other professional,
but may not be a co-worker or relative. Credit for hands-on training at
non-FOA-Approved schools will be by presentation of a certificate or
written confirmation from the instructor(s) that the training has been
completed. Credit for industry experience can be documented by resume.
Advanced certification will require extensive documented experience, so
members who have passed the CFOT wishing higher level certification
must keep a logbook of their experience.
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- How
Does the Program Relate to Other Associations
We are often asked how we relate to contractor associations,
professional training programs and other organizations involved in
related areas. We feel we complement each other quite nicely, and in
fact some organizations recognize and use our certifications and we
work with many to help develop theirs. Our specialization is one
technology - fiber optics. We're not into anything else and many of
these other groups have very broad interests.
We have developed an association that is vendor-independent,
application-independent and designed to fit the needs of a large
audience, because fiber optics has suffered from a lack of recognized
competent personnel. Our goal is to fix that !
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- Does
A FOA Certification Expire?
- FOA
certifications do not expire, but unless you renew it and your FOA
membership annually, we assume you are not active in fiber optics and
note that status on our database. You also lose eligibility to our online
database of installers. If we get an inquiry from a potential
customer or employer, we will report whether you are certified and
whether you are listed as active or inactive in our database.
If you are listed as inactive but have been actively involved in fiber
optics, you can be reinstated as active by simply renewing your CFOT. A
renewal form is available for downloading on the FOA website,
www.thefoa.org. CFOTs who have been not been active in fiber optics for
three years or more may be required to retake the CFOT exam.
Active military personnel deployed overseas do not have to worry about
renewal during that time. We extend CFOT active status to all deployed
personnel until they have returned stateside.
If you have any questions regarding your CFOT certification, please
contact the FOA office directly.
- Certification
must be renewed annually. Renewal costs $50/1 year, $80/2 years, $100/3
years.
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FOA Certification