On the Heels of Certifying 100,000 Fiber Optic Technicians the FOA Releases a New Book
FOA Reference Guide to Fiber Optics 2nd Edition
The Fiber Optic Association released a new edition of FOA Reference Guide to Fiber Optics on June 30th on Amazon. This new version of one of the FOA’s best-selling books is the sixth version, but the body is calling it the second edition as it has undergone a major update. The original FOA Reference Guide to Fiber Optics is 15 years old and has been revised five times, and this second edition will be replacing it.
The association publishes its own books as Jim Hayes, President of the FOA, states, “Textbook publishers can’t keep up with the technology. They just simply won’t update books fast enough.” He also mentions that when they had a publisher the price of the textbook kept getting bumped up to the point where it was unaffordable.
100,000 fiber optic technicians certified by the end of 2024
Since its inception, the FOA has grown to work with public education systems, phone companies, service providers, government organizations, and more.
The FOA operates as a certifying body, they don’t run trade shows or do training themselves, though they do support hundreds of training organizations around the world. 100,000 certified people holding 150,000 certifications for a professional society that doesn’t do any of these things is a major milestone, especially in the cabling industry.
Among the certifications the Fiber Optic Association offers are the CFOT (Certified Fiber Optic Technician), CPCT (Certified Premises Cabling Technician), and specialist certifications which are divided into the categories of skills, application, and fiber optic network design. The CFOT is the basic certification that is required for anyone involved in the installation of fiber. The CPCT certification is related to premises cabling and includes copper wiring and wireless. There are many different specialist certifications, from splicing and connectors to FTTH and DAS. Most technicians will have the basic CFOT as well as a specialist certification.
To truly appreciate this major milestone, the roots of the FOA and fiber optics must be uncovered. Travel back in time to the ‘90s when fiber optics were taking off as a technology. During this time there were almost no reference materials or things to support people building fiber networks aside from a few academic textbooks. So, the FOA began writing and developing their own references and eventually setting up an online learning service in 1997.
Since then, the Fiber Optic Association has come a long way considering these two major updates, and will hopefully continue its journey in helping technicians get certified and obtain affordable resources and education.
