Bossier Parish Community College has received a $15,000 contribution from AT&T that will significantly boost the College’s Certified Fiber Optic program and, specifically, increase scholarship assistance to students completing courses and certification requirements.

The Fiber Optic Program at Bossier Parish Community College is dedicated to fostering innovation and preparing skilled professionals for the ever-evolving tech industry. By offering hands-on training and practical experience, the program equips students with the expertise required to thrive in the rapidly advancing field of fiber optics.

“We’ve been working diligently with our partners at AT&T to build a strong workforce for fiber expansion,” Chancellor Dr. Rick Bateman, Jr., said. “We realized early on in the process that we were going to have a critical role to play in providing job training opportunities. It has been very exciting to work with AT&T to build this curriculum, and their continuing support will help us cultivated the skilled workforce our community needs to meet the connectivity needs of today’s marketplace.”

David Aubrey, President of AT&T Louisiana and member of the Louisiana Board of Regents, praised BPCC’s efforts for being an innovative leader in workforce training for the state.

“BPCC has always been on the cutting edge for new programs and expanding opportunities…this fiber optics program is just another milestone opportunity for [BPCC] to really impact the workforce in Louisiana. We need a trained workforce and what better partner could we at AT&T invest these resources in than at Bossier Parish Community College.”

BPCC’s Fiber Optic Program is a short-term credential that includes six valuable industry certifications from the Fiber Optic Association including the CFOT (Certified Fiber Optic Technician), CFOS/S (Certified Fiber Optic Specialist, Splicing), CFOS/T (Certified Fiber Optic Specialist, Testing), CFOS/O (Certified Fiber Optic Specialist, Outside Plant Installation), and the CFOS/H (Certified Fiber Optic Specialist, Fiber to the Home/Premises/Curb/Node). The Fiber Optics Technology program teaches about applications, installations, and communication systems related to fiber optics. Students also learn about splicing, terminating, connecting, and testing of fiber optic cable as well as outside plant installation and fiber to the home.

Bossier Parish Community College will be hosting an Open House for its Fiber Optic Program on Tuesday, August 8, from 5pm to 6:30pm in Building F, Room 203 on the Bossier City campus, located at 6220 East Texas Street. This event is open to current and prospective students as well as the general public. A limited amount of scholarships are available for students enrolling for the fall semester.

For more information, visit www.bpcc.edu/fibercollege or e-mail broadband@bpcc.edu.