Tribal residents will have access to certified broadband training through fiber optic equipment company Clearfield Inc.’s new Tribal Broadband Training Initiative.
The free three-day course is accredited by the Fiber Optic Association for Certified Fiber Optic Technician (CFOT) training. It combines hands-on elements with classroom learning. The course covers inside plant, outside plant, and access network applications.
The goal is to offer a broadband training session each quarter near Tribal lands. The inaugural session will be held January 13–15 at Clearfield’s headquarters in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. Subsequent sessions will be held from April 7–9 at the Hopi Telecommunications office in Keams Canyon, Arizona, and from July 21–23 at Tri County Tech in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.
The training program was the direct result of a development session during Fiber Connect 2025 in Nashville, during which the discussion turned to the need for broadband training aimed at Tribal communities, according to the press release.
“Training today’s fiber workforce is critical to ensuring broadband expansion creates lasting, local impact,” said Clearfield Chief Operating Officer Johnny Hill in a press release. “Our goal is to go beyond connecting homes — it’s about connecting people to meaningful careers that strengthen their own communities for generations.” Hill is a member of the Ojibwe Nation.
The painpoints of the broadband industry’s workforce is a longstanding issue. The need for workers is being driven by the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) and other new technologies, coupled with demand generated by increasing private, state, and federal investments in broadband.
In September, a survey conducted for the Fiber Broadband Association and NCTI found that more than half of broadband personnel surveyed recognize the importance of structured training programs. However, respondents said that the effectiveness of the training and time to productivity remain challenges.
More than half of respondents said the knowledge and/or skill of their workforce is insufficient for current and future fiber projects and that almost 70% of fiber techs are nearing retirement. The turnover in the technician sector can be a challenge. It also can be an opportunity — an opportunity that Clearfield sees as it launches its Tribal broadband training program.
