TAMPA, Florida. (BUSINESS WIRE) – Learning Alliance Corporation (LAC), an organization that creates strong workforce development for the trades, hosted Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Brendan Carr on July 14, 2021. Carr toured the LAC campus in Tampa, scaled the 150-foot LAC training connected with students and provided information on telecommunications workforce development opportunities to local executives and board members.
“We wanted to make our local community aware of the opportunities this industry offers our students,” said Fred Arnold, LAC’s director of operations. “5G is a gateway to new jobs and our students are at the forefront of this technology.”
Carr met the demand for skilled workers to build the necessary infrastructure. During his climb to the tower, Carr underwent an occupational risk analysis, safety information and certification check. Derrick Francis, director of training at LAC remarked, “It was refreshing to see how much Commissioner Carr cared about what we are doing here at our school, for our students and for the industry in general.”
Cesar Ruiz, CEO of Learning Alliance, explained LAC’s “crawling, walking, running methodology”. Before students can go out on the field, “they need certifications, hands-on training, and the opportunity to simulate the tasks they will have to perform while they are 200 feet in the air.”
ALC provided visits to the training station to all attendees. The group saw areas dedicated to initiatives such as roof deployment, weather resistance, structured outdoor plant wiring and fiber splicing.
Commissioner Carr spoke to students about increasing the capacity of 5G systems that will lead to new innovations: “Not many people know that we have a gap of 20,000 jobs and we can fill people almost immediately and we have to make sure there is structure support, that there are loan programs, learning. We’re just talking, there are a lot of decisions that are happening right now in the state and back in Washington on infrastructure bills. We need to make sure we include paths here so that people can get into these kinds of programs right here. Therefore, I am very proud of the work that the teachers do here and of the LAC organization ”.
LAC highlighted emerging training technology, demonstrating augmented reality use cases and the LAC training video game. Arnold explains, “By combining our virtual reality game components and Taqtile’s Manifesto software, we have produced a unique way to train and develop our students.”
“Many of the uses and applications of 5G are unknown to us, but virtual and augmented reality will be a big part of their growth,” the commissioner added.
The day ended with discussions about LAC’s partnership with T-Mobile and the NextTech Diversity Program, an initiative to help lead underrepresented candidates in the industry.
For an overview of Commissioner Carr’s visit to LAC, please visit here.
For an overview of the LAC augmented reality / virtual reality demo, visit here.
NextTech Diversity Program
Black professionals account for only 10% of the telecommunications industry’s network infrastructure. With an initial funding of $ 750,000 from T-Mobile and another $ 150,000 committed from other telecommunications partners, over the next five years, the NextTech Diversity Program aims to provide vocational training and placement to thousands of candidates. several to take on the roles of 5G network technicians. The Learning Alliance Corporation Telecommunications Business School will oversee the recruitment, training, certification and job placement of candidates as they create long-term careers in roles such as tower climber, 5G small cells and field technology. .
About Learning Alliance Corporation
Learning Alliance Corporation partners with companies, colleges and universities to offer U.S. veterans and civilians stronger training initiatives that equate to strong professional growth. By partnering with entrepreneurs across the country, Learning Alliance Corporation has created workshops, labs, and simulation programs that fit theoretical concepts into real-world application learning. This adaptive approach creates learning solutions based on the specific goals of the community, industry, staff skill level, and corporate culture. Learning Alliance Corporation offers quality instructors, highly trained and specialized in the areas they teach. Learn more at https://www.mylearningalliance.com.
About FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr
Commissioner Brendan Carr is the top Republican on the Federal Communications Commission and previously served as the agency’s general counsel. Commissioner Carr brings more than a dozen years of experience from the public and private sectors in communications and technology policies in his charge. Prior to joining the agency as a staff member in 2012, he worked as a lawyer at Wiley Rein LLP in the firm’s appeals, litigation and telecommunications practices. He litigated cases related to the First Amendment and the Communications Act. Previously, Commissioner Carr worked for Judge Dennis Shedd in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the fourth circuit. And after attending Georgetown University to study, Commissioner Carr earned his JD magna cum laude from Columbus College of Law, Catholic University of America, where he was editor of Catholic Law Law. Review. Much of Commissioner Carr’s work focuses on the expansion of American skilled labor: tower climbers and the construction equipment needed to build next-generation networks. His work initiative promotes community colleges and learning as a conduit for well-paid 5G jobs. Learn more at https://www.fcc.gov/about/leadership/brendan-carr.