- A research project based on interviews with broadband executives in all 50 states looked at the “number of bodies” that will be needed to deploy broadband in the U.S. over the next several years
- It found that the U.S. is short 58,000 tradespeople
- This shortage doesn’t even account for attrition of the existing workforce, which is aging
The broadband industry needs more workers. Desperately. Specifically, it needs tens of thousands more construction workers and broadband technicians to complete a coming wave of government-funded deployment projects or else critical broadband expansions could be delayed.
Some original research conducted by Continuum Capital found that the U.S. is short by about 58,000 tradespeople to build about $80 billion in government-funded fiber projects over the next five to seven years.
The research was done on behalf of the Power & Communication Contractors Association (PCCA) and the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA). Researchers interviewed 350 people across all 50 states who were selected for their knowledge and experience in the broadband market.
The report notes that the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) monies, along with matching funds, will contribute $52 billion toward fiber projects, while other government programs are adding billions toward fiber deployments, as well.
That’s great, but the influx of funding also means the industry will require an influx of workers to build the networks being funded.
According to the research, all this work will require about 186,900 workers. But in order to meet that total workforce demand, the U.S. will need 28,000 additional construction tradespeople, and it will also need about 30,000 additional skilled broadband technicians.
Mark Bridgers, principal with Continuum Capital, told reporters at last week’s Fiber Connect conference, “The study is unprecedented. Nobody has stepped back and looked at the demand and number of bodies that would be needed.” (Actually, the Government Accountability Office estimated in 2022 that around 34,000 additional broadband workers would be needed to help with government-backed projects.)
Bridgers said the study is focused exclusively on special funding projects, which means that the “figures are conservative” because they don’t address routine broadband deployments that are on-going all the time.
“The unprecedented injection of government funds into the broadband market is serving as a disruptive force that will require construction activity that the broadband market is not prepared for and will result in delays,” stated the report.
At a press conference at Fiber Connect last week, Tim Wagner, CEO of PCCA said his group represents about 90% of all broadband workers in the U.S. He noted that not only are thousands of new workers needed for the great broadband build that’s about to begin, but there’s also going to be a lot of attrition as the current workforce reaches retirement age.
The report said the broadband workforce average age is 39, and with retirement and attrition, about one-third of the current workforce will need to be replaced over the next 10 years.
The workforce issue is one Fierce has been paying close attention to. Last year, Fierce Network teamed with the Telecommunications Industry Association came together to launch Broadband Nation, an initiative designed to attract and educate talent for the broadband industry.
Visit Broadband Nation to check out job openings in broadband construction, fiber optics, customer service, tower climbing and more.
