Fiber Optics Technicians

Job opportunities for telecommunications line installers and repairers are expected to decline by 3 percent from 2023 through 2033, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The DOL reports that employment is "expected to decrease as many of the recent 5G infrastructure upgrades and government-funded broadband internet expansion projects are completed, reducing the number of workers needed for new installations. In addition, newer telecommunications structures and technologies, such as fiber optic cables, require less frequent repairs and maintenance schedules."

Technicians who have completed an apprenticeship or an associate’s degree in telecommunications—or more specifically, in fiber optics technology or broadband networks technology—will have the best job prospects.