The FOA, working with operating
companies, municipalities, installers and our approved schools
has developed requirements for FTTx training and certification,
with the goal of providing enough qualified FTTx installation
technicians to make these plans possible. Read
more.
FOA Helps CFOTs Find FTTP
Jobs @ Verizon
The FOA has been working with
Verizon to help recruit qualified fiber installers, including
new graduates of FOA-Approved training programs. As you probably
FTTP has become one of the hottest areas in fiber optics. Verizon
asked The FOA to help them in their recruitment efforts, through
our FOA-Approved schools and contacting our current CFOTs. In
the first two months of 2006, Verizon hired 100 techs and expects
to hire 800 in 2006!
Details on the Verizon requirements
are given below
and you can apply online.
Even if you are not looking
for a job, look at the - there are some great videos of FTTH installs around
the country!
FTTP/H Continues To Generate
Excitement-And Business!
With major carriers, municipalities,
and independent groups all starting FTTP/H projects, the news
continues to encourage The FOA that a real boom era (not like
the fake one last time) is coming. New components and architectures
are being developed, new services being defined.
But one item may be the most
important - including FTTP/H in building law for a community.
The city of Loma Linda, California, has successfully deployed
FTTP as a municipal service, but, and perhaps most important
for the fiber optic future, has included FTTP/H as a requirement
in buil.ding codes for new developments. .
Learn More About Loma Linda
and FTTH/P At the sponsored by Broadband Properties Magazine.
Loma Linda, CA has specified
FTTP in their building code!
Learn more about The Loma Linda
Standard from James Hettrick, Director of Information Systems,
Models and Types of Deployments in Today's FTTP Communities,
Applications Beyond the Triple Play That Will Require FTTP, Legal
Challenges: Overcoming The Barriers to Fiber-To-The-Home, Significance
of Right of Way Management and Financing Options for Fiber-To-The-Home.
The Loma Linda Workshop is being
held April 6-7, 2006 in Loma Linda, CA.
Mention your FOA affiliation
and you get special deal!
New: FOA Logo Merchandise
FOA has arranged with EmbroidMe
to provide FOA logo merchandies. Identify yourself as a FOA-certified
tech or instructor. The lab coats are super impressive for either
cabling techs and instructors. .
IGI Offers "Dark Fiber"
Locator Service
IGI Consulting, working with
Amesbury Consulting, a fiber mapping and consulting service,
is offering a new service to locate "dark fiber" in
any city in the US. The service is aimed at carriers, real estate
developers, medical facilities, banks, educational institutions
and others looking for interconnections in a metro area. For
more information, .
Verizon
Looking For Fiber Installers
Here is the information from
Verizon. Contact them at the website below for applications.
Have a desire to work in a
growing industry with the leader in Fiber to the Premises technology?
Have a background in the Video/Cable
Installation industry (cable splicers/installers)?
Want a Full Time opportunity
to grow in a company that values diversity and a desire to succeed?
If so, Verizon is having
an invitation only information session on February 11th to provide
information and qualify candidates for the over 100 positions
currently available in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Basic Qualifications:
Must have Video/Cable splicing/installation
industry experience, basic computer literacy, and/or an equivalent
education in Fiber Optics and Video/Cable.
Must successfully complete Verizon's pre-employment testing. Physical
Requirements: Must meet Verizon medical standards for the job.
Ability to perceive differences in wire and cable colors. Must
meet weight restriction to comply with OSHA/Company safety standards.
Where a Commercial Driver's License is required, the applicant
must pass an alcohol and drug test.
Must have ability to remove ladder from installation truck; carry,
raise, climb and descend ladder, and place ladder on truck.
A valid state driver's license is required and must have ability
to drive vehicle with manual gearshift.
Background check will be conducted on all employees.
This is a Full-Time, regular
position with outstanding benefits! The pay range for these positions
is $569.50/week to $1,103.50/week. Wage credit may be considered
based upon work experience, education, and training. Paid Training
is included.
Apply online at
Verizon is an equal opportunity
employer and supports workforce diversity M/F/D/V
Job Openings
Senior Process Engineer, Fiberguide
Industries, Inc.
Reports To: Director of Research and Engineering
Assist in the development, improvement and implementation of
manufacturing procedures and facilities.
Develop written S.O.P.s used in the manufacturing and testing
of specialty optical fibers, including metalized fibers.
Design and implement improvements to all production processes
and assume responsibility for the technical guidance on all production
operations.
Formulate training procedures and maintain written records for
operator status and progress, Train personnel in S.O.P.s, use
of related production equipment and in fiber manufacturing techniques.
Provide liaison and support, as necessary, to production in the
research and development of new fibers and fiber products.
Prepare for full scale production capabilities, based on new/revised
production specs.
Operate fiber drawing towers, assist in testing, as necessary.
Salary Status: Exempt
Salary: Open
Contact:
Mr. Joseph Pagano
CFO
Fiberguide Industries, Inc.
1 Bay Street
Stirling, NJ 07980
Telescent has a unique solution
to patchcord messes - cassette patchcords. They use a unique
solution to storing cables with minimal stress. More info at
About 15% bigger, with new or
updated material on most chapter subjects, including more "hands-on
information, but the price remains the same, $54.95. ISBN No. 1401896995
FOTM Lab Manual is available from Delmar (ISBN:1418028754,
Price: $19.95) with tons of hands on exercises.
An Instructor's Guide
to the FOTM is also available from Delmar. (ISBN: 1401897002,
Price: $33.95 )
For information on the Lab Manual or Instructors Guide, contact
Delmar directly at 1-800-347-7707 for further information.
A new PowerPoint presentation
in Spanish for instructors and anyone else interested has been
posted on the FOA website for free downloading. It is an explanation
of fiber optics in Spanish, created by Francisco Castro Cabrera
of Mexico City, who is starting up our new FOA chapter in Mexico.
It is complementary to our PowerPoint introduction to fiber optics
in English. Here is more information
on the presentation in Spanish.
FOA CFOT Renewals Get Free
Copy of NECA/FOA Installation Standard
Every CFOT renewal will now
receive a free copy of NECA 301-2004,
Installing And Testing Fiber Optic Cables, produced by
The FOA in cooperation with NECA (The National Electrical Contractors
Association). This is an important reference document for defining
the installation and testing of fiber optic cable plants in a
"neat and workmanlike manner."
The FOA feels this is such an
important document that we are giving a free copy (normally priced
at $15) to every active CFOT when they renew their active status.
The FOA has also sent free copies
to all FOA-Approved schools. The new FOA CFOT exam to be used
after August, 2005, will include questions from the standard.
Schools should be including information from the standard in
their classes already.
New PowerPoint Presentation
Introduces Fiber Optics - in English or Spanish!
The FOA has created a short
PowerPoint presentation that introduces you to fiber optics and
talks about job opportunities in the field. It was intended for
instructors to introdcue studnets to the field, but it's a good
introduction for anyone. It's about 3 meg file so it takes a
while to download and you need PowerPoint to view it. See http://www.thefoa.org/ppt/
FOA Website Expands To Support
Fiber Optic Educators
Instructors' Home Page And
New Online Train-The-Trainer Program
The FOA has always focused on creating better educational opportunities
in fiber optics - it's our charter: we're a non-profit educational
organization. We've done two things recently to expand that commitment
- both here on the FOA website.
We have over 120 schools and hundreds
of instructors teaching at those organizations, and we'll notify
them about these new web pages, but we invite any instructor interested
in fiber optics to dig in and use these pages too.
First, we've created a home page
for instructors where we'll cover topics just for them, like our
TTT program and resources just for instructors. It's at http://www.thefoa.org/instructors/index.html
Our online TTT program is the
beginning of qualifying for the FOA CFOS/I Instructor Certification.
Soon we'll have the program set up for instructors to register
to begin qualifying for the certification.
FOA Certification Top Choice
The FOA CFOT and CFOS programs continue to gain momentum in fiber
optics. Over 15,000 CFOTs have been certified by over 120 schools
as the FOA completed its 10th year. Since our founding in July,
1995, we have dedicated ourselves to promoting fiber optics and
professionalism in fiber optics personnel, focusing on education
and certification. We are continuing to add new schools and more
CFOTs as users of fiber optics learn that a CFOT is the indication
of a professional, well-trained fiber optic technician. Now with
FTTH (fiber to the home) finally taking off, demand for CFOTs
is rising and schools are responding by expanding programs rapidly.
The FOA now has approved programs
at 125+ organizations, welcoming new additions like the Joint
Apprenticeship and Training Committee of the International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers, Corning Cable Systems for their installation
training programs and NASA's Goldstone Tracking Station. The
complete list of FOA-Approved schools is at http://www.thefoa.org/foa_aprv.htm.
Your Name, CFOT - It pays to
advertise!
The FOA encourages CFOTs to use
the logo on their business cards, letterhead, truck or van, etc.
and provides logo
files on this site for that purpose. But we are also asked
about how to use the CFOT or CFOS certifications. Easy, you can
refer to yourself as "Your Name, CFOT" or "Your
Name, CFOS/T" for example.
Feel free to use the logo and
designations to promote your achievements and professionalism!
Remember To Renew Your Certification
!
Remember to renew your FOA certification.
All current CFOTs have a ID Card with their certification data
and we keep a database of current CFOTs to answer inquiries regarding
your qualifications if needed. If you forgot to renew, use the
online application
form or the to renew NOW!
The FOA is managed under contract by:
VDV Works LLC
1119 S Mission Road, # 355
Fallbrook, CA 92028
Telephone: 760-451-3655
Fax: 781-207-2421
email: info@vdvworks.com
FOA Board of Advisors
Elias Awad, Clerk, Director of Education
Tony Beam
Dave Chaney
F. Douglas Elliot, Past President
William H. Graham
Jim Hayes, President, Treasurer
John Highhouse, Past President
Danny S. Lyall
Eric Y. Loytty
Bob Mason
Eric Pearson
Paul Rosenberg, Past President
Dan Silver
Richard James Smith
Dominick Tamone
Tom Collins
Van Ewert
Elias Awad
Want to write for the FOA
Newsletter? Send us articles,
news, anything you think might be interesting to the rest of the
membership!
Tech
Puzzler: The SMA was a non-keyed
connector, so the fiber ends of the ferrules could not touch
or the rotation could cause scratching. The connectors were polished
on a flat plate and to a tightly-specified length that would
get the ferrules close but not touching. the air gap meant that
reflectance was high and precluded SMAs ever getting low loss.
The reflectance loss alone was about 0.3 dB See Tech
Topics Connector Identifier for more info.
New PowerPoint
Presentation In Spanish
