Fiber optic technicians install and maintain fiber optic systems, with a range of employment and education options available. Fiber optics is the science of sending signals through glass or plastic fibers, and technicians work on off-premises or on-premises cabling. Technical knowledge is important, and a high school diploma or associate’s degree is required.
A fiber optic technician, in a broad sense, installs and maintains fiber optic systems and locates and repairs defects in those systems. There are a wide variety of employment and education options in this field. Some general areas of focus include manufacturing sensors, performing optical inspections, or working in a particular field such as lighting, communications, or healthcare.
Fiber optics is the science of sending signals, in the form of light, through glass or plastic fibers. This field started in the 1970’s, and by the 1980’s fiber was replacing copper as the preferred way to transmit information. This is because fiber allows more information to travel greater distances in a shorter amount of time. It has also become a more cost-effective way to send information.
Generally, there are two types of fiber optics: off-premises and on-premises cabling. Offsite means that a fiber optic technician works outside of buildings installing fiber optic systems. This can include fiber optic cables running underground or underwater and can travel very long distances. Facility cabling, on the other hand, is when a fiber optic technician works inside a building. Technicians usually do one or the other and not both.
The job can be dangerous, as it sometimes requires technicians to go into sewers or climb poles to install fiber optic cables. Another responsibility of a fiber optic technician is to measure the signal strength and ensure it is working properly. Technical knowledge is very important in this field.
Someone who wants to work as a fiber optic technician must, at a minimum, have a high school diploma or equivalent certification. It has become increasingly common for those wanting to break into the field to earn a two-year associate’s degree from an accredited community college. Courses can include technical mathematics such as geometry and algebra, as well as fiber optics specific courses, increasing in difficulty as the student progresses towards their degree.
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