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- FOA certifications:
Getting
started with FOA Certification
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- First Level:
- CFOT
- CPCT
- CFospT
- Advanced
- AFOT
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- Specialist
- CFOS
- CFOS/H
- formerly CFxT
KSAs
for CFOT and all Fiber Optics
FOA Approved Training
FOA
Approved Training Programs
Curriculum
requirements For Training Program Approval
Online References:
FOA
Online Reference Textbook
particularly the
section Understanding
Fiber Optics, the Basics
FOA
Installation Tech Bulletin
Study
Guides for FOA Certifications
- Applications
- FOA First-Level Certification
(CFOT, CFospT, CPCT) Application (new, experienced
technicians only, no students)
(PDF) (DOC)
- Advanced/Specialist
Application (current FOA member with appropriate
experience) (pdf)
- Renewals
- Renewal
Application(pdf)
- Renewal
Online
- New Schools
- Application
information for New
Schools
It's
now CFOT® The
FOA CFOT®
(Certified Fiber Optic Technician) is now a
registered trademark. With over 32,000 fiber optic
techs holding CFOTs and the CFOT being recognized
worldwide as the foremost certification in fiber
optics, the FOA realized the value of the CFOT
required trademark protection. Now it's official!
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- All
FOA individual "members" are "certified fiber optic
technicians" Anyone who wishes to join the FOA must
prove their knowledge of fiber optic technology and show
abilities and skills in applying this technology in
their work.
- 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 experience 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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FOA
Certifications Recognized By US Department of Labor
All
FOA
Certifications have now been recognized by the US
Department of Labor. The DoL reviews certifications
and how they relate to job opportunities and training.
The DoL
Career OneStop website helps individuals explore
career opportunities to make informed employment and
education choices. The Web site features user-friendly
occupation and industry information, salary data,
career videos, education resources, self-assessment
tools, career exploration assistance, and other
resources that support talent development in today's
fast-paced global marketplace.
FOA
Certifications Listed By US Department of Labor - Career
OneStop
The FOA offers three levels of
fiber optic certification:
First Level Certifications:
There are three certifications which can be taken for first
time membership in the FOA. Any one of these may be used
for new FOA members and any one holding one of these
certifications can take the certification exams for the others
if they have appropriate experience or training for that
specialty. Current CFOTs can apply to add the other two
certifications if they have the proper experience or take
appropriate training courses.
- CFOT®
- Certified Fiber Optic Technician for general fiber
optics applications. CFOTs have a general knowledge in
fiber optics that can be applied to almost any application
- outside plant, premises, manufacturing, etc.
- CPCT
- Certified
Premises Cabling Technician includes fiber, copper and
wireless in building and campus networks. Recommended for
those working in enterprise networks (LANs) and building
security and management systems.
- CFospT
- Certified OSP Technician for outside plant fiber optic
installation. Aimed at technicians working in outside
plant cabling for telecom, CATV, security, utilities,
municipal networks, etc.
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- Advanced
Certifications:
- AFOT
- Advanced Fiber Optic Technician certification is
available only from FOA-approved schools teaching extended
courses. AFOT students have more in-depth knowledge on a
broad range of fiber optic topics and more hands-on
labs.
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- Specialist
Certifications:
- 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.
- CFOS/S:
Specialist in splicing optical fibers, including fusion
and mechanical splicing of single fibers and ribbon/mass
splicing.
CFOS/C:
Specialist in fiber optic connectors, covering all types of
adhesive/polish and prepolished/splice terminations for
multimode and singlemode fiber.
CFOS/T:
Specialist in fiber optic testing, including visual
inspection, visual tracing and fault location, insertion loss
testing, OTDR testing, return loss/reflectance, chromatic
dispersion, polarization mode dispersion and spectral
attenuation.
CFOS/D: Fiber optic
network design covering how to design the route of a network,
choose components, plan the installation, set up a test plan,
and all other aspects of overseeing a fiber optic project.
CFOS/I: Instructor
certification required of all instructors at FOA Approved
training organizations. Only available to instructors teaching
FOA certification courses associated with a FOA Approved
school.
- CFOS/H
- formerly
CFxT -
Certified Fiber Optic Technician for FTTx covers fiber to
the home, fiber to the premises, fiber to the curb and
fiber to the business.
 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 First level
before applying for higher level certification. Many FOA
members start with the CFOT. That's why we usually refer
to our certificants as CFOTs. However, CPCT and CFospT are
also First Level certifications.
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- At the first
level are the CFOT, CPCT and CFospT 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 the next level for
CFOTs attending schools teaching extended courses that
include more detail and provide more hands-on exercises.
These schools' courses include greater depth, for example
testing includes 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: FTTx (CFOS/H), 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 only to
instructors at FOA Approved schools. CFOS/I certification
can be achieved through experience, self-study or
attending a FOA Train-The-Trainer class.
If
you have a entry level FOA certification, which advanced FOA
certifications are right for you? An academic orientation is
probably best served by the AFOT, a program designed around
a flexible curriculum focused on more depth in all topics of
fiber optics. A contractor, interested in designing and
managing construction projects, would probably be best
served by the Design and FTTH specialties. Installers, more
interested in developing skills appropriate to the building
of networks are probably more interested in the Connectors,
Splicing, Testing and FTTH specialties. Note that the CPCT
may require additional preparation in fiber optics for the
AFOT.
- Detailed
Requirements
For Training Program Curriculum
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- Who May Take the FOA
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. More
on getting started with FOA Certification.
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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 FOA
Reference Guide To Fiber Optics,or
the FOA
Online Reference Guide
particularly the section Fiber
Optics, the Basics, and the
FOA
Installation Tech Bulletin for
those who wish to use online materials to study for it
themselves, inlcuding using the study
guides available in the FOA Online Reference Guide.
For those wanting a formal course of study, there are many
FOA-approved schools that
include the FOA CFOT in their programs.
- Note:
The previous references for CFOT certification, the FOA
textbook, The
Fiber Optic Technicians Manual, and the
FOA-written NECA/FOA
Installation Standard are no longer valid references
for the CFOT exam after 2010.
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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 online or on paper 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. In fact some
organizations recognize and use our certifications and we
work with many to help develop theirs.
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- Does A FOA Certification
Expire?
- FOA certifications do not
expire per se, 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. 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 certification within a reasonable
period. A renewal form is available for downloading on the
FOA website, www.thefoa.org. Members who have been not
been active in fiber optics for three years or more may be
required to retake the exam.
Active military personnel deployed overseas do not have to
worry about renewal during that time. We extend active
status to all deployed personnel until they have returned
stateside.
If you have any questions regarding your FOA
certification, please contact the FOA office directly.
- Certification must be renewed
annually. Renewal costs are explained on the renewal
application or online.
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Getting
Certified By The FOA
If you
want to become FOA-Certified in fiber optics, there are
several paths available. First you should understand how FOA
Certifications work.
Everyone who is FOA-Certified must begin with a CFOT
and can then work toward higher level certifications. To get
your CFOT, you must show extensive knowledge of fiber optics
and skills in the practices common to the field. How you do
this depends on whether you are currently working in the
field or are just getting started.
Getting Started With Training
If you are just getting started in fiber optics and have no
practical experience, you should get training and become
certified through one of the FOA-Approved
Schools. They offer courses that provide classroom
training which will provide the knowledge you need for the
CFOT exam and the instruction will include labs to develop the
basic skills in fiber optic cable preparation, termination,
splicing and testing required by the CFOT.
Before taking the class, we recommend you study the CFOT-level
material on the FOA
Online Fiber Optic Reference Guide.
There is a special CFOT
Study Guide available for preparation for newcomers to
fiber optics that is recommended before you begin your course,
which will help you get more out of the course itself.
Each school will administer the FOA CFOT exam at the end of
the course.
- If
You Are Experienced and Currently Working in Fiber
Optics
- If
you are currently working in fiber optics and have been
active for the last two years or more, you may apply
directly to the FOA for certification. You must document
your experience and pass the FOA CFOT, CPCT or CFospT
exam. The FOA exams are based on the two FOA references,
our printed textbooks or our Online
Fiber Optic Reference Guide. Study
guides are available for both references and are
highly recommended before taking the exams as the exam is
comprehensive. You may also take a course from one of the
FOA-Approved schools which will also provide skills
training. The exam can be taken on paper or online, but
you must have a proctor.
- FOA
First-Level Certification (CFOT, CFospT, CPCT) Application
(new, experienced technicians only, no students)
(PDF) (DOC)
- Once
you have a CFOT/CPCT/CFospT, you may apply for higher
level certifications, including the Specialist levels.
- When
you are ready, download
the application form
and send it to the FOA.
Higher Level Certifications
Once you are FOA certified, you can work toward higher level
certifications. FOA offers CFOS
Specialist Certifications in Connectors, Splices,
Testing, Design, Premises Cabling and Fiber To The Home. To
qualify for higher level certifications, you can have field
experience documented in a FOA Logbook or take a
specialist course from one of the FOA-Approved
Schools.
You should
keep a record of your experience in a FOA Logbook which you
can download here.
When you are ready, you can apply for the basic CFOS exam
and/or any of the specialties.
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FOA Certification