Press Releases

Washington, DC – U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-NY-19) today introduced the Broadband Industry Development Act to address the shortage of broadband workers in rural communities in Upstate New York. He introduced this bipartisan bill alongside U.S. Rep. Don Davis (D-NC-1).

In Upstate New York, efforts are now underway to bring broadband services to rural and underserved communities to address the gap in unreliable internet access. While the demand for these internet services are dramatically increasing, the broadband industry is experiencing a significant worker shortage, resulting in significant delays.  

Rep. Molinaro’s bill addresses the workforce shortage by creating a grant program within the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to train and prepare workers specifically for the broadband field. His program will be available to local labor organizations, non-profits, private businesses, industry associations, and institutions of higher education including community colleges.

Rep Molinaro said, “Federal resources are available to expand broadband, but not its workforce, leading to unnecessary delays. Rural communities are being left behind because there’s not enough manpower to install broadband services. We can’t let that happen. My grant program will bridge this gap to get more trained workers in the field, rolling out broadband services.”

Kelvin Herrala, Business Manager for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 325 Binghamton said, “This bill is vital in opening up the pipeline of trained workers for the installation of broadband that is needed throughout this vast country. Pre-apprenticeship is a much needed source to introduce prospects that want a career of working with their hands and building infrastructure that is much needed in every community across America. It would create job opportunities that may have never been possible for some of these people if it wasn’t for the grants that could be awarded if this bill passes. I started in the industry in 1985 and was sent by IBEW Local 325 for training back in February 1994 (30 years ago) so I could come back and teach Broadband (includes fiber optics) to not only our apprentices but Journeymen level workers as well. The technology is ever changing and advancing so education is always ongoing. Having pre-apprenticeship grants available for those who qualify and apply will certainly help meet the needs of the industry and public have enough trained qualified workers to get a complete working system installed."

Rep. Davis said, "Empowering eastern North Carolina with broadband expansion demands a skilled workforce. The Broadband Industry Development Act calls for investments in apprenticeship programs and fosters job growth. It supports our community colleges in building vital workforce development programs central to delivering the American dream for families across America.”

Louis Finkel, Senior Vice President for Government Relations at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association said, “Congress has made significant investments in rural broadband deployment in recent years. But there are significant unmet demands for a qualified and trained broadband workforce - which could hinder the speed at which these networks can be built, especially in rural areas. This bill takes important steps to address broadband workforce shortages and establish new training opportunities in this dynamic field.”

The Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) said, “Investing in apprenticeships is the best way to improve training and build the broadband workforce. As the National Sponsor of the Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program, which includes over 100 employers across the country, WIA is proud to support this legislation because it takes important steps to create a telecom workforce pipeline and close the digital divide. We applaud Rep. Molinaro’s leadership in introducing legislation that aligns with the Telecommunications Workforce Interagency Group’s recommendations to Congress.”

Ed Campbell, Chairman of the Power & Communication Contractors Association said, "Our industry desperately needs workers at all levels, from contractor to manufacturer and in all parts of the country. There are simply not enough workers to meet current demand for broadband construction, even before billions in additional federal funding begin to reach the market. In every state, every week, thousands of miles of fiber optic lines that could bring connectivity to rural America await crews to run them."

As a member of the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure, Rep. Molinaro has been working to expand broadband in local rural communities and voted for bipartisan legislation that will streamline new infrastructure projects, including broadband projects. This bill is also endorsed by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Wireless Infrastructure Association, and the Power & Communication Contractors Association.