TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — Cherokee Nation Career Services department recently graduated 12 new fiber technicians from the tribe’s fiber technician training program, which has trained more than 100 since the program’s creation.
Career Services started the fiber technician training program in 2020, among the training initiatives under the Hoskin-Warner administration’s Career Readiness Act. Citizens who complete the program report earning an average salary of $47,000 after only 12 weeks of job training.
“It’s important that we continue to invest into educational opportunities across a variety of skills and trades,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. “Investment into fiber optic will remain critical and even more so in the future with the physical expansion of the Cherokee Nation. I’m proud to see these young Cherokees choosing to invest into themselves and their communities.”
Fiber technicians install high-speed telecommunications infrastructure including fiber optic cables, which use threads of glass to transfer data at high speeds. Students enrolled in the program gain micro credentials along with necessary job training.
“The most powerful thing the Cherokee Nation can do for Cherokee citizens is to provide them a platform for achieving their own goals. We can do that through our Education Department by providing scholarships and other services for those who choose the higher education path, but as we know, not all Cherokees want to take that path. That’s why we invest in career training,” said Deputy Chief Bryan Warner. “Many of the fastest-growing industries are in skilled trade that can be both lucrative and sustainable over the long-term.”
The Fiber Technician Training Program is an intensive, hands-on hybrid course designed to prepare participants for high-demand careers in the broadband industry. The program combines aerial construction and lineman training with technical instruction in fiber optic installation, maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair. Through a mix of in-person classroom learning and hands-on field exercises, students gain a thorough understanding of both theoretical concepts and practical applications.
Throughout the program, participants are trained in pole climbing, jigging, fiber splicing, strand hanging, and advanced fiber diagnostics. Upon successful completion, students receive a certificate of completion, along with their OSHA 30 credentials. They also earn multiple stackable micro-credentials through OSU Institute of Technology, including designations in Fiber Optics Technician, FTTx Installer and Technician, Outside Plant (OSP) Technician, Troubleshooting and Diagnostics, Aerial Construction Technician, and Advanced Fiber Optics Technician.
This workforce-driven program not only equips students with industry-recognized credentials but also supports regional broadband expansion and connectivity by producing job-ready fiber technicians.
Sammie Girty, of Tahlequah, graduated with the most recent class of technicians. Girty has received a job offer in Iowa after completing the program.
“I had some friends who went through the program over the last few years, they told me all about it and convinced me to enroll,” said Girty. “I really enjoyed working with everyone and the teachers are really knowledgeable in the field. I have a job offer from Iowa right now. Two of my friends on that site are bringing me up to work on splicing and aerial lines. It feels great to be a part of this group and get valuable job training in a few weeks.”
For more details about these programs, contact Career Services at 918-453-5555 or email