{"id":23779,"date":"2025-01-31T10:49:07","date_gmt":"2025-01-31T17:49:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/a-broadband-training-program-is-coming-soon-to-montezuma-county\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T04:41:55","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T04:41:55","slug":"a-broadband-training-program-is-coming-soon-to-montezuma-county","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/a-broadband-training-program-is-coming-soon-to-montezuma-county\/","title":{"rendered":"A broadband training program is coming soon to Montezuma County"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Photo
Photo from the website of Colorado\u2019s Broadband Office.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

As Colorado invests in broadband, it\u2019s looking to develop its broadband workforce.<\/p>\n

The state expects roughly 3,000 \u201chigh-quality jobs\u201d in telecommunications to be created once it spends its more than $1 billion \u2013 of state and federal funding \u2013 in the sector, according to Colorado\u2019s Broadband Office website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

One thing it\u2019s doing to try and bolster this workforce is to support training programs, like upcoming opportunities in Pagosa Springs and Mancos.<\/p>\n

Both programs are two weeks long and cost $1,000 per student, down from the roughly $7,000 the class normally costs, said Emily Lashbrooke, executive director of the Pagosa Springs Development Corp.<\/p>\n

Still, tuition assistance is available, Lashbrooke said.<\/p>\n

A statewide initiative hopes to have 99% of the homes connected to broadband by 2027, she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the right talent, our vision for a fully connected Colorado remains attainable,\u201d Brandy Reitter, executive director of the Colorado Broadband, said in an email.<\/p>\n

\u201cInvesting in a skilled workforce is essential to completing broadband projects that will connect communities, empower individuals and improve life for Coloradans,\u201d Reitter said.<\/p>\n

Lashbrooke said Southwest Colorado is \u201cactive in broadband\u201d and that the upcoming trainings are part of a pilot program that, if successful, will be launched statewide.<\/p>\n

The first training is in Pagosa Springs and starts Monday, Feb. 17.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s at 2800 Cornerstone Drive, Suite A-1 and runs Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with its final day being Feb. 28.<\/p>\n

The following week, starting March 3, the same training will be available at Pueblo Community College\u2019s location west of Mancos.<\/p>\n

Those who undergo said training will receive a broadband fiber installer certification.<\/p>\n

Lashbrooke said that course content spans a spectrum, from the origins of broadband to how the industry has changed with time is now glass fiber, to fiber splicing.<\/p>\n

That way, students can \u201clearn everything they need to know to keep them safe on the job.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis training provides students with hands-on experience and certifications that make them highly competitive in the job market,\u201d said Suzie Miller, director of the Colorado Rural Workforce Consortium at the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a chance to step into a career path with strong earning potential, job stability, and opportunities for growth as technology continues to evolve,\u201d Miller said.<\/p>\n

Some positions have a starting salary between $60,000 and $80,000, right out of high school.<\/p>\n

To be sure, the Colorado Broadband Office and the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment are not hiring for broadband fiber installer positions.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur role is focused on raising awareness about career opportunities, supporting training programs, and fostering job placement efforts in the broadband industry,\u201d the state\u2019s office wrote in an email.<\/p>\n

But Lashbrooke said that those who complete the training will be connected with jobs and local providers who are hiring, and the Colorado Workforce Center will help with that.<\/p>\n

Already, people from Fort Collins and Pueblo have signed up for the course, and a maximum of 30 can enroll per class.<\/p>\n

\u201cTraining and certifications like this exciting opportunity will open the doors to a variety of positions within the broadband,\u201d Miller said.<\/p>\n

Those interested can register here<\/a>, and the deadline to apply is the Friday before each class. Reach out to Emily@pagosaspringscdc.org<\/a> with any questions.<\/p>\n