FOA Direct Certification
For Experienced Fiber Optic Technicians
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More On FOA Certifications
FOA Approved Training Programs Online Study Guides and References  Free online self-study programs on many fiber optics and cabling topics are available free at Fiber U, FOA's online web-based training website.
FOA Reference Books
Printed copies of Lennie Lightwave's Guide at Amazon.com
It's now CFOT® The FOA CFOT® (Certified Fiber Optic Technician) is now a registered trademark. |
FOA Direct Certification Program For Experienced Fiber Optic
Technicians FOA welcomes
experienced technicians to apply directly to the FOA to
become certified. With the increasing requirement for fiber optic techs to be certified and the widespread acceptance of FOA certifications, many
experienced field technicians find themselves being required
to have a CFOT® certification for employment, bidding on
and/or working on a project. These are generally not people
who would need to take a traditional CFOT course.
You must meet FOA’s requirements for experience and knowledge to to apply for FOA Direct Certification. Applicants should understand the FOA certifications and ensure they meet the requirements for the certification they apply for. Most applicants begin with the CFOT certification
which is the basic fiber tech certification or CPCT certification
for premises cabling. Applicants for specialist skills certifications
such as CFOS/D, CFOS/S, CFOS/T, CFOS/C
or CFOS/O must have a CFOT certification first. Additional requirements
for specialist skills certifications will be reviewed when your
application is reviewed. For most certifications you
must have at
least 2 years recent experience working as a
technician in a field that involves fiber optic communications. Qualifying work is
typically in the following technical areas:
telecommunications, Internet, CATV, IT/LANs/Data
Centers or
any of the many fields that use fiber for
communications like
the oil and gas industry, industrial controls,
intelligent
highways, security, military or government services,
etc. Specialist certifications may have specific work requirements. If
your application is accepted, the cost of the FOA Direct Certification
Program is $20US for the Fiber U self-study program to prepare for the
certification exam and $150US for the FOA certification exam, paid by credit
card when taking the exams. All applicants for FOA certification must use the FOA Direct Certification Application (MS XLSX worksheet file) Fill out the application completely including the Work Experience and Training sections and return to FOA.. When your FOA Direct Certification Application is received at FOA, an FOA advisor will be assigned and they will contact you regarding the certification process.Please note: FOA is experiencing a high volume of applications for FOA Direct Certification and applications take time to review applicant credentials and check references. You will receive a confirmation of your application and, if accepted into the program, directions on how to proceed. Steps For Direct FOA Certification If your application meets FOA’s requirements for experience and knowledge, you will be accepted in the FOA Direct Certification program and an FOA advisor assigned to help you complete the process. The steps leading to direct certification are: 1. Submit your application requesting the FOA certification exam you wish to take using the specified form. You may be required to take a prerequisite certification first. 2. Verify your experience – must have at least 2 years recent experience working as a fiber optic technician. A resume with supervisor contact information may be required. 3. Verify your knowledge – you must pass a Fiber U certificate of completion exam before you can take the FOA certification exam you are requesting 4. Additional identification may be required. These include international ID card, drivers license or passport. This will be reviewed when your application is received. 5. For some specialist skills certifications, submission of the FOA Log of Industry Experience may be required. This will be reviewed when your application is received 6. Take the certification exam 7. If you complete the exam successfully, you will receive an online credential. Also, this application process is available in English only – you must have adequate English language skills to participate in this direct certification program. Applicants should understand the FOA certifications and ensure they meet the requirements for the certification they apply for. Most applicants are required to begin with the CFOT certification which is the basic fiber tech certification. All applicants for FOA certification must use the FOA Direct Certification Application (MS XLSX worksheet file, for experienced technicians only) Notes on taking the exam: The exam is taken online with an automated testing system. It may not be available on some company networks or VPNs. Taking the Fiber U Certificate of Completion Exam requires making payment for the exam online through PayPal using a credit card or PayPal. The payment system is not available everywhere in the world, so it may not be available in your country. If so, the exam is not available to you. Check here to see if PayPal is available in your country. |
