Kickstart Your Fiber Career & Connect Your Community

Clearfield launched the Tribal Broadband Training Initiative to provide industry-standard training to Native American communities. Using our proven Certified Fiber Optic Technician (CFOT®) course, the no-cost program aims to:

• Create pathways for local residents to gain certification
• Open up living-wage career opportunities
• Connect Tribal lands with high-speed fiber broadband

The CFOT certification is an industry-standard designation recognized (and required) by some of the biggest companies in the fiber broadband market. It’s also a prerequisite to more specialized certifications and trainings in fiber splicing, outside plant technology, and more.

The Tribal Broadband Training Initiative is open to individuals with no experience or those working in the industry who are ready to advance. You need to be 18 of age, an enrolled member of a federally recognized Tribe, and interested in a rewarding career in fiber optics.

Meaningful Career Pathways in Fiber Optics

During a 2025 conference panel on Tribal broadband, Clearfield’s COO Johnny Hill received the question: “What has your company done to impact Tribal communities?”

Johnny, an enrolled member of the Ojibwe Nation, believed that we could do more. He announced that Clearfield would be launching a training program for Tribal communities, which would lead to meaningful fiber technician careers.

Watch Johnny explain the program's origin with Tzeitel Buchanan, a member of the Cherokee Nation and Director of Public Sector Programs and Community Partnerships at Lumen Technologies. Tzeitel and Lumen have collaborated with Clearfield to launch this initiative.

Why Is This Training Initiative for Native Americans Critical Now?

The Tribal Broadband Training Initiative addresses several key factors:

• Just 65% of housing units on Tribal lands receive service that meets the FCC’s benchmark for fixed broadband access (compared to 99% in urban areas).
• In recent years, billions of dollars in government and private investment have been allocated to address the lack of reliable, high-speed broadband access on Tribal lands.
• More than 60% of the current workforce is nearing retirement. Only 12% of fiber optic technicians are in their twenties and thirties. Skilled fiber pros are in demand.

Beyond this being a good time to begin or accelerate your career as a fiber technician, it is incumbent that Tribes have full ownership over their networks. This means having a skilled workforce of Tribal members – rather than outsourced contractors – who are equipped to build out and maintain the fiber infrastructure.

Should You Register for the Tribal Broadband Training Program?

If you meet these three criteria, then you should most definitely register for a CFOT® training.

1. You are an enrolled member of a Native American Tribe.

2. You currently work as a fiber optics tech and want to advance in this growing field.

   OR

   You’re into AI, gaming, social media, or tech and want to build the needed infrastructure.

   OR

   You like working with your hands and want reliable work outside of construction or warehousing.

   OR

   You’re not sure what you want to do and think this would help you learn about one career path.

3. You’re interested in pursuing a rewarding career in fiber optics.