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
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•
•
•
•
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.
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•
•
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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???