Amazon Web Services and Momentum Bring Fiber Optic Fusion Splicing Certificate to Calgary

During the Alberta Investment Forum at the Calgary Stampede, Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced it has teamed up with Momentum—a community organization committed to providing relevant skills-based training programs to help build an inclusive local economy—to bring a free fiber optic fusion splicing training course to Calgary.

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Fiber optic cables are the backbone of the modern world, carrying internet, TV, and telephone data. In a world more reliant on the constant and powerful flow of data, fiber optic installation and repair is a vital and sought-after skill. These skills are increasingly needed to build out the world’s data and communication networks including 5G and data centers. These specialized skills are among those expected to experience the fastest pace of job growth in the Calgary region.

Identifying this need to train workers for and the future, and as part of Amazon’s commitment to train 29 million people for free on cloud computing and technical skills by 2025, AWS launched the Fusion Splicing Certificate Courses in collaboration with local organizations and education institutions in the U.S., and now in Canada.

The two-day course will create a pipeline of qualified talent for local and national fiber optic installation and repair companies. Through lectures and hands-on workshops led by Sumitomo Electric Lightwave—a recognized leader in optical fiber technologies and solutions—students will learn real-world deployment techniques using a variety of hand tools and state-of-the-art automated fusion splicing technology. In addition to skills development, the course prioritizes job placement opportunities by connecting graduates with employers upon graduation so they can explore job opportunities.

The course, offered at no cost to students, will be held at Momentum  Registration is now open and those interested can sign-up here. The program requires no prior experience or education, though it is most valuable for adults who have an adjacent skill set and want to explore a transition into fiber optic installation and repair.

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This the second major skills training initiative AWS is bringing to Calgary after announcing a $4.3 billion investment over the next 15 years with the AWS Canada West Region (Calgary) to open late 2023/early 2024. AWS re/Start—also part of Amazon’s commitment to train 29 million people for free—is helping the workforce prepare for entry-level roles in cloud computing with a free 12-week digital skills program. The program is currently being run by Momentum, with support from Chic Geek, to help bring more women into the tech workforce. For its part, Mount Royal University is running AWS re/Start for displaced professionals from the oil and gas sector in the Calgary area, as part of Calgary’s Edge UP 2.0 program.

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