The Fiber Optic Association (FOA) is an international professional society of fiber optics. The FOA was founded in 1995 by a group of trainers from industry, government and education who wanted to create industry standards for training and certifying fiber optic technicians. The FOA is a not-for-profit501(c)6 organization based in California, USA, that has over 200 affiliated training organizations in over 40 countries. FOA approves fiber optic training organizations and certifies their instructors who train designers, installers and operators of all types of fiber optic networks. FOA programs are used by many organizations, companies and trade unions to train and certify their workers.
At the 1994 Fiber U Conference[1] in Boston, the instructors decided that it was time to create a professional society for fiber optics. The instructors represented a number of fiber optic manufacturers including 3M, Siecor/Corning, Panduit and Fotec,[2] two universities which had started fiber optic courses (Wentworth and Lincoln Trail College), two US military services and several independent trainers and consultants.[3]
The FOA was incorporated in July 1995[4] as a non-profit education organization (501(C)6). The founders and some other recruits began meeting to create a certification program. Since the focus of the FOA was technicians not engineers or scientists and there were no good textbooks at the proper level, the first project was to develop a textbook that incorporated the FOA’s desired technical curriculum. That textbook, The Fiber Optic Technicians Manual, was published in 1997. The FOA advisory group developed the KSAs for the basic certification and tests which covered the knowledge part of the KSAs.[5] By late 1997, the first FOA certifications were granted.
Since FOA was founded to be a professional society to set standards for training, not to do training itself, it next set standards to approve schools and certify instructors. Schools already teaching fiber optics around the world were invited to join. Since then over 300 schools have participated in the FOA program and certified 57,000 techs in more than 40 countries.
In 2009, FOA expanded its technical web site which now encompasses almost 1000 pages and added free online training at its Fiber U website. At the same time, FOA began to self-publish its reference textbooks in order to provide faster updates and lower costs than were possible with a commercial publisher.
In 2012, FOA recognized the dedication and inspiration of its dedicated core of instructors, many of whom had been founders of the FOA and helped its development by awarding them the designation of "Master Instructor." These 27 Master Instructors had more than 500 years of experience in fiber optics and several had been teaching for more than 30 years.
CertificationsEdit
FOA offers certifications for basic fiber optics and premises cabling, installation skills, and specific applications. All certifications are based on KSAs - the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities - important to the topics. FOA certifications and KSAs are developed by a worldwide panel of experienced trainers and technicians. All FOA certifications follow ANSI/ISO/IEC STANDARD 17024 — General requirements for bodies operating certification of persons. FOA certifications are recognized by the US Department of Labor.
BasicEdit
CFOT - Certified Fiber Optic Technician covers basic fiber optics for all applications
CPCT - Certified Premises Cabling Technician covers fiber, copper and wireless for premises installation
SkillsEdit
CFOS/S - Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Splicing
CFOS/C - Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Connectors
CFOS/T - Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Testing
CFOS/O - Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Outside Plant Installation
CFOS/D - Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Network Design
ApplicationEdit
CFOS/A - Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Fiber To The Antenna (Cell Towers)
CFOS/DAS - Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Distributed Antenna Systems (Wireless)
CFOS/DC - Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Data Centers
CFOS/H - Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Fiber To The Home
CFOS/L - Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Optical LANs
TrainingEdit
The Fiber Optic Association offers certification of skills and knowledge in various fiber optic related areas and specialties. FOA does not offer training courses directly. Training courses for FOA certification is only offered by FOA-Approved schools, educational institutions, private training programs, and community development training centers. All schools teaching FOA certifications have been approved through the FOA's School Approval Program. Each instructor teaching FOA certifications has been certified through the FOA's Train-The-Trainer Program.[6]
MembershipEdit
Members of the FOA have demonstrated their knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) in training courses and have successfully passed the FOA certification exam. Experienced industry professionals have applied to FOA directly through the FOA’s “Work To Cert” Program for certification based upon their knowledge and skills developed working the field. FOA Corporate Members are organizations and companies involved in the fiber optic industry such as manufacturers, contractors, installers, consultants, etc.
ResourcesEdit
The FOA publishes textbooks on fiber optics, premises cabling, outside plant and outside plant construction, and network design. FOA maintains a large online library of technical information and has created over 100 online videos, and free online self-study programs.
ReferencesEdit
^Hayes, Jim. "Fiber U Learning about Fiber Optics". fiberu.org.
^"Fluke Networks Announces Acquisition of Fotec, Inc". www.cablinginstall.com.
^Hayes, James (January 2014). FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optics. Createspace. p. viii. ISBN978-1439253878.
^Hayes, James (January 2014). FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optics. Createspace. p. vii. ISBN978-1439253878.
^Hayes, James. "KSAs for Fiber Optic Technicians".
fiber, optic, association, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, contains, content, that, written, like, advertisement, please, help, improve, . This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article contains content that is written like an advertisement Please help improve it by removing promotional content and inappropriate external links and by adding encyclopedic content written from a neutral point of view February 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article relies excessively on references to primary sources Please improve this article by adding secondary or tertiary sources Find sources The Fiber Optic Association news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message The Fiber Optic Association FOA is an international professional society of fiber optics The FOA was founded in 1995 by a group of trainers from industry government and education who wanted to create industry standards for training and certifying fiber optic technicians The FOA is a not for profit 501 c 6 organization based in California USA that has over 200 affiliated training organizations in over 40 countries FOA approves fiber optic training organizations and certifies their instructors who train designers installers and operators of all types of fiber optic networks FOA programs are used by many organizations companies and trade unions to train and certify their workers The Fiber Optic Association FOA Logo Contents 1 History 2 Certifications 2 1 Basic 2 2 Skills 2 3 Application 3 Training 4 Membership 5 Resources 6 References 7 External linksHistory EditAt the 1994 Fiber U Conference 1 in Boston the instructors decided that it was time to create a professional society for fiber optics The instructors represented a number of fiber optic manufacturers including 3M Siecor Corning Panduit and Fotec 2 two universities which had started fiber optic courses Wentworth and Lincoln Trail College two US military services and several independent trainers and consultants 3 The FOA was incorporated in July 1995 4 as a non profit education organization 501 C 6 The founders and some other recruits began meeting to create a certification program Since the focus of the FOA was technicians not engineers or scientists and there were no good textbooks at the proper level the first project was to develop a textbook that incorporated the FOA s desired technical curriculum That textbook The Fiber Optic Technicians Manual was published in 1997 The FOA advisory group developed the KSAs for the basic certification and tests which covered the knowledge part of the KSAs 5 By late 1997 the first FOA certifications were granted Since FOA was founded to be a professional society to set standards for training not to do training itself it next set standards to approve schools and certify instructors Schools already teaching fiber optics around the world were invited to join Since then over 300 schools have participated in the FOA program and certified 57 000 techs in more than 40 countries In 2009 FOA expanded its technical web site which now encompasses almost 1000 pages and added free online training at its Fiber U website At the same time FOA began to self publish its reference textbooks in order to provide faster updates and lower costs than were possible with a commercial publisher In 2012 FOA recognized the dedication and inspiration of its dedicated core of instructors many of whom had been founders of the FOA and helped its development by awarding them the designation of Master Instructor These 27 Master Instructors had more than 500 years of experience in fiber optics and several had been teaching for more than 30 years Certifications EditFOA offers certifications for basic fiber optics and premises cabling installation skills and specific applications All certifications are based on KSAs the Knowledge Skills and Abilities important to the topics FOA certifications and KSAs are developed by a worldwide panel of experienced trainers and technicians All FOA certifications follow ANSI ISO IEC STANDARD 17024 General requirements for bodies operating certification of persons FOA certifications are recognized by the US Department of Labor Basic Edit CFOT Certified Fiber Optic Technician covers basic fiber optics for all applications CPCT Certified Premises Cabling Technician covers fiber copper and wireless for premises installationSkills Edit CFOS S Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Splicing CFOS C Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Connectors CFOS T Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Testing CFOS O Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Outside Plant Installation CFOS D Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Network DesignApplication Edit CFOS A Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Fiber To The Antenna Cell Towers CFOS DAS Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Distributed Antenna Systems Wireless CFOS DC Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Data Centers CFOS H Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Fiber To The Home CFOS L Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Optical LANsTraining EditThe Fiber Optic Association offers certification of skills and knowledge in various fiber optic related areas and specialties FOA does not offer training courses directly Training courses for FOA certification is only offered by FOA Approved schools educational institutions private training programs and community development training centers All schools teaching FOA certifications have been approved through the FOA s School Approval Program Each instructor teaching FOA certifications has been certified through the FOA s Train The Trainer Program 6 Membership EditMembers of the FOA have demonstrated their knowledge skills and abilities KSAs in training courses and have successfully passed the FOA certification exam Experienced industry professionals have applied to FOA directly through the FOA s Work To Cert Program for certification based upon their knowledge and skills developed working the field FOA Corporate Members are organizations and companies involved in the fiber optic industry such as manufacturers contractors installers consultants etc Resources EditThe FOA publishes textbooks on fiber optics premises cabling outside plant and outside plant construction and network design FOA maintains a large online library of technical information and has created over 100 online videos and free online self study programs References Edit Hayes Jim Fiber U Learning about Fiber Optics fiberu org Fluke Networks Announces Acquisition of Fotec Inc www cablinginstall com Hayes James January 2014 FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optics Createspace p viii ISBN 978 1439253878 Hayes James January 2014 FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optics Createspace p vii ISBN 978 1439253878 Hayes James KSAs for Fiber Optic Technicians Fiber optic training External links EditThe Fiber Optic Association FOA Online Guide Fiber U Online Training Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Fiber Optic Association amp oldid 1176085484, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
