NEWTON––Catawba Valley Community College held a recent ribbon-cutting for a new fiber-optic training center.

It’s the Corning Fiber-Optic Training Center, a first-of-its-kind broadband training facility in the CVCC Corporate Development Center at 973 Locust St. in Newton. In this new center and classroom space, trainers from Corning will provide hands-on education in the skills needed to design, engineer, install and manage high-speed fiber broadband networks. The new space represents a significant opportunity to develop the future broadband work force. It also aligns with CVCC’s mission to transform local communities and those across the state by providing exceptional learning experiences, premier work force development and engaging personal enrichment, according to CVCC President Dr. Garrett Hinshaw.

“Through targeted education and affordable work force training, CVCC is making it possible for individuals from all backgrounds to obtain the skills necessary for high-demand jobs,” said Hinshaw. “This new collaboration between CVCC and Corning proves that when education and business work hand-in-hand, we can create pathways to prosperity for our entire region.”

The telecommunications industry stands at a moment of tremendous opportunity driven by the urgent need to connect the unconnected, yet a gap remains in the availability of a skilled work force to deploy and maintain these networks. Corning and CVCC are taking active steps to grow the skilled work force to meet this demand. This joint initiative between CVCC and Corning demonstrates the power of collaboration between educational institutions and businesses to develop a skilled work force by supporting growth of the talent pipeline regionwide. This significant event also underscores both Corning’s dedication to addressing the urgent need for highly trained technicians in emerging broadband networks and CVCC’s dedication to affordable training, which can lead to competitive employment and family-sustaining wages, according to Michael Bell, the senior vice president and general manager of Corning Optical Communications.

“Helping to shape the future of the telecom industry through the development of a skilled work force is a key priority for Corning,” said Bell. “Our collaboration with CVCC on this new training center spotlights our commitment to this mission. We’re eager to leverage this unique opportunity to provide hands-on education.”

For more information about broadband network classes offered in the Corning Fiber Optic Training Center or any other classes offered at the CVCC Corporate Development Center, call Gary Muller at (828) 327-7000, ext. 4672.