Certification

Certification: Method and Application Pam Nobles, Director Education & Certification, SCTE John Fountain, Jr. Director Network Technology – CB/HN Las Vegas President Red Rock Chapter

Presentation Goals • The Method: Overview SCTE Certification • Answer the question "why certify?" • Getting Started in SCTE Certification – Prepare – Getting Certified – Staying Certified

• Benefits • The Application: Promoting Certification

HFC Network Segments

Hub Hub Hub

Premises

Distribution

Transport

TelecomCenter

Broadband Premises (BPI, BPT, BPE) • • • •

• •

Technology, Systems, Requirements Premises Devices Installation Troubleshooting and Maintenance Standards Safety

These Certifications include 3 Lines of Business: Video – Voice – Data Broadband Premises Installer (BPI) and Technician (BPT) Broadband Premises Expert (BPE)

Broadband Distribution Specialist (BDS)

• • • •

System Architectures Distribution Components Signal Types Troubleshooting and Maintenance • Construction • Safety

Broadband Transport Specialist (BTS)

Hub

Hub

Hub

• Fiber Optic Theory • Optical Transport Systems • Link Performance • Troubleshooting and Maintenance • Alternative Transport Systems

Broadband TelecomCenter Specialist (BTCS) • Facilities • Baseband Signals • Digital Telephony over Cable • RF/Photonic Signals • Tests and Measurements

HFC Network Segments Hub

Hub Hub

Broadband Premises Installer (BPI) Broadband Premises Technician (BPT) Broadband Premises Expert (BPE)

Broadband Distribution Specialist (BDS)

Broadband Transport Specialist (BTS)

BCT/E Certification (will be retired)

Broadband Telecomm Center Specialist (BTCS)

Engineering Professional

BCT/E • BCT/E certifications will retire 12/31/10 • BCT/E designation will continue to be recognized! • If certified, no action required (Renew, as usual) • Options for those in progress: – Complete – Convert BCT (see www.scte.org for details) – Consider taking other SCTE certifications

Certification Platform OLD Platform

Current Platform

 Two-Step Process: Enroll; take  One-Step Process: Take the the exam exam  Two Fees: Enrollment fee;  One Fee: Exam fee testing fee  Multiple Logins: Login to SCTE;  One Login: Login to SCTE login to exam site  48-Hour Wait: Enroll; take exam 48 hours later

 Internet Speed: Take exam immediately

 Tiered Value: Exams requiring  One Value: All certifications have advanced technical knowledge the same value and price have different value and price

Questions?

Why Certify? SCTE Certification Benefits…

• Individuals • Our industry • Operators

Why Certify? What SCTE certification does for an individual • Professional certification demonstrates solid knowledge • Demonstrates drive, self-discipline, professionalism • Career advancement • Consistency - transportable

Why Certify? What SCTE certification does for our industry • SCTE certifications raise the bar on technical knowledge • Certification provides a competitive advantage • Certification inspires the confidence of your customers

Why Certify? What SCTE certification does for Operators • Used in conjunction with career path, improves performance – Lowers service call rates – Reduces repeat calls • Reduces customer churn

Getting Started • Preparing to Certify • Getting Certified • Staying Certified

Preparing to Certify • Study Guides – Exam Topics • Books, Manuals, and Personalized Prep Guides • Jones/NCTI Courses • Corporate Universities • SCTE Bookstore • Study Groups • Individual Mentors

What About Jones/NCTI? • Jones/NCTI – Helps prepare individuals for certification

• SCTE Certification Programs – Industry-recognized – Criteria are established by industry members – Recertification component

Getting Certified • • • • •

Online 50 question multiple-choice exams Immediate feedback Fee per exam Example Exam Page (next slide)

Tiered Pricing Pricing Exam

Member Rate

Non-Member Rate

BPI

$ 45

$ 75

BPT

$ 45

$ 75

BPE

$ 45

$ 75

BPS

$ 45

$ 75

BDS

$ 45

$ 75

BTS

$ 50

$ 80

BTCS

$ 60

$100

BCT

$ 60

$100

BCE

$ 80

$120

DVEP

$125

$165

IPEP

$ 125

$ 165

Recertification

$ 25

$ 50

Staying Certified • Certification Valid for Three Years • To Maintain Certification Status: • Retake exam • Earn Recertification Units (RUs) » SCTE membership » Company-sponsored training » Seminars » Speaking or presenting » Other activities

Staying Certified, continued • Recertification Window – Apply 6 months before or 12 months after expiration date – Failure to apply within time period will result in loss of current certification status

• RUs needed (total within 3 years) – Specialist & BCT: need total 12 RUs – BCE and the Engineering Professional exams: need total 21 RUs

Staying Certified, continued • Complete SCTE Recertification Form – Form on www.scte.org – Use “Recertification Unit” Table as a Guide

• Document Your RUs – Keep track of all your RUs! – Record your events on “Members Only Homepage – Submit Certification Units (RUs)”

Special Certification Status • Emeritus Certification Status – Continuously certified 21 years

• SCTE Retired Certification Status – Retired SCTE Member

How do we promote? • Whether supporting SCTE or company certifications, continue to prepare candidates: – Partner with local operators and contractors – Provide mentoring and study groups – Maintain the “link” to SCTE certification – Provide technical training prep sessions – Encourage chapter members to certify

Learn From other Chapters! Incentive / Scholarship Programs • Southern California Chapter: http://telecomlawfirm.com/scte/challenge.php • Central California Chapter: http://home.comcast.net/~centralcalscte/certifi cations/certifications_page.htm • Study Groups – Red Rocks Chapter

Why won’t field service certify? They… - …don’t believe it will help them in their job - …don’t want to show that they don’t have the skills - …don’t either have or want to spend the money - …don’t have the motivation

What can you do about it?

• They don’t believe it will help them in their job - repetitively let them know how it looks good on their resume - Work to add the designations as “preferred” or “desired”

• They don’t want to show that they don’t have the skills - This is what the presentation is trying to address…next slide

• They don’t either have or want to spend the money - Need to find a way to buffer the hit…next slide

• They don’t have the motivation - Next…

What we did… Created a “study group” • • • •

Provided FREE books Provided a reading schedule and group setting to meet Provided donuts and coffee Motivated vendor participation/presentation through sponsorships • Held class outside work hours as much as possible • Made sure that when techs asked math questions or other “side questions” we would dive deep or offer a separate meeting – we had a couple of math sessions to teach logarithms • Offered a free membership to anyone who passed a test

BPS Specifics • • • • •

Materials: From Tap to Home 8 weeks 1 ½ hours from 6:30am to 8:00am Read 2 chapters per week Slowed down if the class was not keeping up; sped up when they showed “no questions” • Ten of 11 passed the first time (3 months later on the second try the one guy passed)

Red Rock Chapter BPS Certification Training 2008 Objective: Provide information and support to SCTE members to pass the BPS Certification. • • • •

Books provided for the first 12 participants who sign up Training sessions will be 6 weeks, 1 ½ hrs each: 6:30am to 8:00am Each session will cover at least 2 chapters and sometimes 4 chapters Each student will be expected to read the chapters before each class and review the materials in class each week. • The 6th week will be a TEST SESSION. All students who take the test MUST be SCTE members ($68 per year) and must pay a TEST FEE. • We are seeking volunteers to teach each chapter of “From Tap to Home” The Jones/NCTI Installation Manual

Example Schedule Date

Chapter/Topic

Instructor

Location

Week 1 – Mar 12

1. Introduction

Fountain

Indiana Jones

Fountain

Indiana Jones

Fountain

Casablanca

Fountain

Indiana Jones

Fountain

Indiana Jones

Toll

Indiana Jones

Week 2 – Mar 19

Week 3 – Mar 26

Week 4 – April 9

Week 5 – April 16 Week 6 – April 23

2. Customer Relations 3. Safety 4. Tools and Materials 5. Cable and Connectors 6. Aerial Drop Installations 7. Underground Drop Installations 8. Exterior and Interior Wiring 9. Bonding and Grounding 10. Terminal Devices 11. Connecting Customer Equipment 12. Building Prewires 13. Multiple Dwelling Units 14.Digital Signals and the Return Path 15. Telephony 16. Cable Modems 17. Troubleshooting and Repair Certification Testing

BDS Specifics - Materials: We created a slide deck + Foundations for Delivering Quality Broadband Services - 14 weeks - 1 ½ hours from 6:30am to 8:00am - Read 2 to 3 chapters per week - We slowed down if the class was not keeping up, we sped up when they showed “no questions” - 6 of 6 passed the first time

Sample Slides for Chapter 1

Line of sight transmission TV station

No reception Signal blockage

38

Low Band

2

3

4

54.0 MHz

5

6 88.0 MHz

Radio Astronomy

The Geostationary Satellite System 24 Transponders

Downlink 22,000 miles

Uplink

Transportation Conventional Coaxial

Service Area Reliability Issues Noise/Distortion

Many Actives High Maintenance

Limited Bandwidth

AML Microwave 12.7 – 13.2 GHz Service Area Hazardous Heat Sensitive

Line-of-Sight Problems FCC Permitting Fiber Optic Link Service Area

No Actives Needed Scalable/Upgradeable

Unlimited Bandwidth Versatile

Fiber Network The Fiber backbone transports the signals from the MTC via an optical light to service areas called “Node Areas”, where the light is converted back into electrical signal.

RF In

Light Out

LASER Driver

Transmitter

Light Core

Focusing Lens

Fiber Cable

Light In

RF Out

PIN Receiver (NODE)

Learn From other Chapters! Incentive / Scholarship Programs • Rocky Mountain Chapter http://chapters.scte.org/rockymtn/RMCScholarsh ip.htm

• Gateway Chapter • http://www.gatewayscte.org/certification.html

Chapter Leader’s Role Communication - Share the News! • Certification News: – Go to www.scte.org > Certification > Certification News

• Questions???