With the sudden emergence of COVID-19 and the ensuing efforts to contain the spread, many security dealers and their employees may be facing downtime due to a slowdown in business, self-quarantining employees or mandatory shelter-in-place orders throughout the country. One way to use this time productively is to complete training online to learn about fiber optics and premise cabling and better prepare yourself for the industry’s future.

SDM has partnered with Dave Engebretson, our Security Networkings columnist, to provide no-cost online technical training from the Fiber Optic Association during this national emergency. Two courses, “Basic Fiber Optics” and “Premise Cabling,” are available now for education and training. After completing the course, users will be able to print out a free completion certificate, normally issued for a fee.

“Manufacturers are putting fiber optic connectivity into their devices. But what good is that if you don’t know how to put a connector on a fiber to plug it in?” Engebretson explained. “There are over 100 million unused fiber links today. And the fiber from 1992 is just as good as the fiber today. The dealer who know how to use them has a tremendous advantage over those who don’t.”

Taking these training programs will better equip you to thrive in your future business, whether you are a sales person, technician or a business executive with an installation company, Engebretson said. To access the free courses, contact Dave Engebretson at slaytonsolutions@sbcglobal.net with your name, company, email address and course selected and he will email you with the URL and password for taking the training course and the exam.