Clearfield Announces New FOA Approved Training Program

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New training program designed to address the widening gap between growth in fiber deployments and needed skilled technicians

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLFD), the specialist in fiber management for communications service providers, has successfully added Fiber Optic Association-approved Certified Fiber Optic Technician training at the company’s Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, Clearfield College campus, and at remote locations around the country. The goal of this new program is to help its customers train the skilled technicians needed to fully capitalize on the rapidly growing demand for residential and business fiber services, as well as support the rollout of 5G and Fixed Wireless Access services.

Clearfield developed this course in response to the growing need for trained fiber professionals. Seasoned technicians are retiring at a rapid rate and keeping up with ever-increasing fiber broadband deployments means replacing them with newly trained, knowledgeable technicians. According to research from Korn Ferry, the shortage gap in the technology, media and telecommunications markets will fall short by more than 1.1M skilled workers globally by 2020, reaching 4.3M by 2030. These shortages are predicted to cost the industry $449.7B in unrealized revenue globally, including $162.2B in the U.S. alone.

Clearfield adds the CFOT® training program as a foundation for a technician’s theoretical and practical knowledge when specifying, installing and repairing optical fiber systems. The 3-day workshop offers equal time spent on classroom knowledge and hands-on skills. Students will gain a practical understanding and the skill set required to further their expertise in the field--whether for the inside plant, outside plant and/or the access network.

“We are recognized for developing practical, craft-friendly solutions that are easy to deploy,” said Johnny Hill, Clearfield Chief Operating Officer. “Our commitment to the industry and customers is to leverage Clearfield’s experience and knowledge to support the increasing gap in trained technicians with affordable standardized certification.”

The next available CFOT class is scheduled for June 25-27 at Clearfield College in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. For information on this and other available dates and locations, please visit SeeClearfield.com, or call (763) 519-9815.

About Clearfield, Inc.

Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD) designs, manufactures and distributes fiber optic management, protection and delivery products for communications networks. Our “fiber to anywhere” platform serves the unique requirements of leading incumbent local exchange carriers (traditional carriers), competitive local exchange carriers (alternative carriers), and MSO/cable TV companies, while also catering to the broadband needs of the utility/municipality, enterprise, data center and military markets. Headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, Clearfield deploys more than a million fiber ports each year. For more information, visit www.SeeClearfield.com.

About the Fiber Optics Association

The FOA is an international non-profit educational organization that is chartered to promote professionalism in fiber optics through education, certification and standards. Founded in 1995 by a dozen prominent fiber optics trainers and industry personnel as a professional society for fiber optics and a source of independent certification, the FOA has grown to include involvement in numerous activities that educate the world about fiber optics and certify the workers who design, build and operate the world’s fiber optic networks.

Richard M. Williams
Witz Communications for Clearfield, Inc.
919-435-9110
rmwilliams@witzcommunications.com

Source: Clearfield, Inc.

Released June 3, 2019