5G Requires a Well-Prepared American Workforce, Here’s How to Meet the Challenge

5G, the next generation of wireless, is transforming communities and changing how we consume information, work, educate our citizens, and more. And the swift deployment of 5G networks is critical to closing the digital divide and securing America’s leadership of the emerging 5G economy. For that to happen, America needs a robust workforce with the skills and training to build and maintain 5G devices and networks.

The U.S. needs skilled workers for 5G

Today, however, the U.S. faces a shortfall of workers in a variety of skilled wireless communications positions. Talent is required throughout the 5G ecosystem – labor needs exist from repair technicians to tower builders to augmented reality experts.

According to the FCC, the U.S. will require 20,000 new skilled workers to install 5G infrastructure, and more than 70% of companies that install telecommunications infrastructure are concerned about skills shortages. And about 50 million mobile device screens are damaged each year, just one factor in the significant market need for mobile device repair.

How do we quickly address this challenge?

One model is short-term, postsecondary career, and technical education (CTE) programs. These programs help eager workers gain necessary credentials for career opportunities in high-demand fields such as information technology, as well as other in-demand career fields like welding, manufacturing, nursing, and industrial maintenance, typically without the need for a two or four-year degree.

The Mobile Device Repair Academy

CTIA, the wireless industry trade association, is committed to expanding access to in-demand careers in wireless technology. With Metropolitan Community College (MCC) and iFixOmaha, it earlier this year announced the launch of the first-ever postsecondary education mobile device repair certification program under the Wireless Industry Service Excellence (WISE) platform. The program includes the opportunity for students to become industry recognized upon completion of their WISE Certification exam.

Innovative programs like those at MCC are accessible and enable learners to quickly obtain the skills they need without student debt and long-term disruption in their employment. In order to build the highly-skilled workforce needed to meet the moment for America’s 5G networks, we need to scale short-term, high-quality CTE programs to make them available and make them accessible to more Americans.

The MCC Mobile Device Repair Academy is a credentialing program that includes a one-week Boot Camp and an eight-week internship. The internship builds 100 hours of hands-on work experience over eight weeks, during which participants receive hands-on training fixing broken devices and gain customer service skills.

The third Boot Camp is scheduled to launch at MCC Digital Express. This Boot Camp will prepare participants to test for both WISE Level 1 and WISE Level 2 certifications. The MCC Digital Express is the College’s state-of-the-art digital library which recently opened on the Fort Omaha Campus this month. .

Reboot Central, the technology support service desk at Digital Express, will be staffed by MCC students who have completed the Boot Camp and earned WISE Level 1 and 2 certifications. During this internship, participants will receive hands-on training fixing broken devices and gaining customer service skills. Repairs will be supervised by WISE-authorized training administrators with iFixOmaha, an independent mobile device repair shop with three Omaha locations and regional expansion goals.

About 50 million mobile device screens are damaged each year, and the noncredit program will provide an at-cost resource to the greater Omaha community.

Why WISE?

The WISE Certification program was established in 2019 by CTIA after years of coordinated efforts by more than 50 organizations across the spectrum of the wireless industry. By establishing standards for employee training and best practices for mobile device repair, the program provides consumers with a predictable, high-quality repair experience. This program has recently expanded to also include Chromebook device repairs, particularly important for serving students’ remote learning connectivity.

By establishing standards for employee preparation and best practices, WISE certification ensures consumers get a predictable, high-quality repair experience. This program has recently expanded to also include Chromebook device repairs, particularly important for serving students’ remote learning connectivity.***

Innovative programs like those at MCC are accessible and enable learners to quickly obtain the skills they need without student debt and long-term disruption in their employment. In order to build the highly-skilled workforce needed to meet the moment for America’s 5G networks, we need to scale short-term, high-quality CTE programs to make them available and make them accessible to more Americans.

This article was written in collaboration with LeAnn Curry, Executive Director of the Association for Career and Technical Education. ACTE is the nation’s largest not-for-profit association committed to the advancement of education that prepares youth and adults for successful careers.

CTIA represents the U.S. wireless communications industry and the companies throughout the mobile ecosystem that enable Americans to lead a 21st century connected life. The association’s members include wireless carriers, device manufacturers, suppliers as well as apps and content companies.