New Study from Fiber Broadband Association and Power & Communication Contractors Association predicts workforce shortages in broadband network construction

Today at Fiber Connect 2024, the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) and the Power & Communication Contractors Association (PCCA) announced the results of their “Broadband Market Workforce Needs” study. Continuum Capital, an independent consulting firm, completed the nationwide study and found that the unprecedented injection of federal and state funding into the broadband market is a disruptive force requiring an extraordinary volume of engineering and construction activity that the market is not prepared to support and will result in broadband deployment delays.

The study predicts the amount of federal and state broadband funding will exceed the engineering, permitting, locating, and construction workforce capacity to absorb it, therefore causing bottlenecks. The research suggests that construction activity supported by federal and state funding will be pushed two to three years into the future, exposing some of this money to its expiration date and complicating construction overall.

To avoid delays, the study suggests that 28,000 more broadband construction workers and 30,000 more broadband technician workers are needed to execute the current amount of planned federal and state broadband funding. Moreover, the research predicts that an additional 119,200 construction and technician workers will be needed over the next 10 years to compensate for retirement and attrition. The study also notes that additional workforce growth will be needed for ongoing and routine broadband construction, attachment, and maintenance activities. These needs are on top of the drafting, design, and engineering resource needs that were not specifically studied but represent a bottleneck before infrastructure can be released for construction. The use of design-build and/or turnkey delivery systems will likely accelerate to compensate for these bottlenecks and delays.

Workforce development programs like FBA’s Optical Telecom Installer Certification (OpTIC Path™) program are helping to train fiber broadband technicians and fill the workforce gap. FBA is currently engaged with 40 of its targeted 56 states and territories to roll out the OpTIC Path program, with 44 service providers and 70 community colleges and training institutions.

“It is certainly an exciting time for the broadband industry as approvals for federal and state funding are announced weekly. However, without the proper workforce levels, bottlenecks will choke and slow broadband deployment processes in unanticipated ways,” said Deborah Kish, Vice President of Research and Workforce Development at the Fiber Broadband Association. “Our OpTIC Path program is advancing across North America, producing certified fiber technicians ready to enter the workforce, but the industry needs more support. It’s time for the broadband ecosystem to collaborate and develop a serious strategy to address this issue holistically or else be forced to delay broadband connectivity to those communities that need it most.”

“This research confirms what our members have been telling us for years,” PCCA President & CEO Tim Wagner said. “In 2016, the PCCA Board identified the shortage of workers in broadband construction as the largest obstacle our members faced, and a subsequent membership survey showed that contractors were short 10 to 17 crews per company. The tremendous influx of public money since 2016 has only exacerbated the problem. This study from Continuum Capital shines a light on the true size of the problem, and we firmly believe there is not just one solution. PCCA has implemented myriad strategies over the past decade, including partnering with technical/community colleges on utility technician programs, registered apprenticeships through TIRAP, a returning veteran program through the Learning Alliance, working with state broadband offices, and outreach through a series of social media videos. Much work remains, and our members are committed to finding solutions.”

The “Broadband Market Workforce Needs” study offers a state-by-state breakdown of broadband funding (including RSA, RDOF, and BEAD), workforce numbers, and wage rates. Texas by far shows the most need for construction and technician workers. Louisiana, Washington, Georgia, and California follow closely in the number of broadband workers needed.

FBA, PCCA, and Continuum Capital will review the results of the study during a webinar coming soon. To register, visit the FBA webinar calendar here. To access FBA’s full library of research, visit https://fiberbroadband.org/resource-category/research/ or subscribe to FBA’s Fiber Forward Weekly newsletter here to stay updated on research news, how to volunteer to teach the OpTIC Path course, and more.

About the Fiber Broadband Association

The Fiber Broadband Association is the largest and only trade association that represents the complete fiber ecosystem of service providers, manufacturers, industry experts, and deployment specialists dedicated to the advancement of fiber broadband deployment and the pursuit of a world where communications are limitless, advancing quality of life and digital equity anywhere and everywhere. The Fiber Broadband Association helps providers, communities, and policymakers make informed decisions about how, where, and why to build better fiber broadband networks. Since 2001, these companies, organizations, and members have worked with communities and consumers in mind to build the critical infrastructure that provides the economic and societal benefits that only fiber can deliver. The Fiber Broadband Association is part of the Fibre Council Global Alliance, which is a platform of six global FTTH Councils in North America, LATAM, Europe, MEA, APAC, and South Africa. Learn more at fiberbroadband.org.

About the Power & Communication Contractors Association

The Power & Communication Contractors Association (PCCA) is the national trade association for companies constructing electric power facilities, including transmission and distribution lines and substations, and broadband systems. Since its founding in 1945, membership has grown to include hundreds of companies located throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. These companies are the leading construction, manufacturing, supply, and service firms within the power and broadband construction industry. They frequently serve as prime sources of information, news, and background on the design and construction of power and broadband infrastructure. For more information about PCCA, contact Tim Wagner, President & CEO, at (800) 542-7222 or twagner@pccaweb.org, or visit www.pccaweb.org.

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