Overview: This is an application specialist certification covering optical LAN (OLAN) networks, cabling design and installation, which includes P2P and PON netwroks used in place of traditional LAN cabling based on traditional structured cabling standards for copper/fiber netwroks. It is intended for anyone interested in the use of fiber optics LANs.

Course prerequisites: CFOT, CPCT or equivalent basic knowledge of fiber optics and communications networks recommended. If attendees are not already familiar with or trained in optical fiber, a fiber review is available as part of the course.

Overview:  This is an application specialist certification covering FTTx networks, cabing design and installation, which includes PON networks (formerly FOA CFxT) it is intended for anyone interested in the application of FTTH networks.

Course prerequisites:  CFOT, CPCT or equivalent basic knowledge of fiber optics and communications networks. If attendees are not already familiar with trained in optical fiber, a fiber review is available as part of the course.

Overview: CFOS/D – Certified Fiber Optic Specialist, Design – is the FOA certification for designers of fiber optic communications systems. This is a specialist application certification is intended for technicians involved in the planning, design and management of installation of fiber networks. The KSAs for CFOS/D cover fiber optic network design from concept to completion. This is a specialist application certification covering fiber optic newtork design intended for network owners, IT personnel, facilities managers, network designers, estimators or technicians involved in the design or installation of fiber networks. This course is especially recommended for network owners and planners who may not be familiar with the process of fiber optic network design as it can make their jobs easier and their projects better.

Course prerequisites: A review of basic fiber optic concepts and components is included in the course for those with no background in fiber optics. A CFOT, CPCT or equivalent basic knowledge of fiber optics and communication networks is helpful in taking this course but not required.

Overview:
This is a specialist certification covering fiber optic testing for the purposes of characterizing long distance fibers used in very high speed WDM networks. It is intended for technicians involved in the design, installation or testing of fiber networks.

Course prerequisites: CFOT, CFOS/T recommended

Overview: CFOS/T – Certified Fiber Optic Specialist, Testing – is the FOA certification for technicians testing fiber optic cable plants and communications systems. This is a specialist application certification is intended for high level technicians involved in the testing of fiber optic components, cable plants during and after installation and troubleshooting of fiber networks. The KSAs for CFOS/T cover fiber optic testing from concept to completion, including visual inspection and cleaning, visual tracing and fault location, optical power measurement, insertion loss testing and OTDR testing. The requirements also include a familiarity with fiber characterization for long distance high speed networks but that is covered in another specialist certification.

Course prerequisites: CFOT

Overview: CFOS/C – Certified Fiber Optic Specialist, Connectors – is the FOA certification for technicians terminating optical fibers with connectors. The focus of this certification has primarily been the direct attachment of connectors to fibers using adhesive/polish methods and the techniques required for making proper multimode and singlemode terminations. These techniques are appropriate for manufacturing technicians involved in factories terminating cables for patchcords and prefab cabling systems as well as those techs who field terminate multimode fiber for premises applications. With the advent of prepolished/splice connectors and fusion splice-on connectors (SOCs) for field terminations, these have been included in the certification.

Course prerequisites: CFOT or CPCT

Outcomes: CFOS/O – Certified Fiber Optic Specialist, Outside Plant – is the FOA certification for technicians installing outside plant (OSP) fiber optic cable plants and communications systems. It expands on the CFOT KSAs to include OSP construction and installation of aerial and underground cable plants. The skills focus includes installing and cable preparation of OSP cables, fusion splicing for concatenation and termination and testing with a focus on OTDRs.

Course prerequisites: CFOT

Overview: FOA specialist training and certifications are available in three categories, Skills-based, Applications-based and Fiber optic network design.

• Skills-based certifications are those involving hands-on process related to the installation of fiber optic networks such as outside plant (OSP) installation, splicing, termination and testing. Skills-based certifications require a CFOT or CPCT as a prerequisite for both classes at a FOA-Approved school or application for direct certification (Work-To-Cert).
• Applications-based certifications are based on specific applications of fiber optics like fiber to the home (FTTH), optical LANs (OLANs), etc. These application-based certifications require a some knowledge of fiber optics as a prerequisite.  All FOA applications courses have a corresponding online self-study course in that topic on the FOA’s free Fiber U online training website leading to a certificate of completion or for use with the Work-To-Cert program.
• Fiber optic network design – This is a specialist application certification covering fiber optic network design intended for network owners, IT personnel, facilities managers, network designers, estimators or technicians involved in the design or installation of fiber networks. This course is especially recommended for network owners and planners who may not be familiar with the process of fiber optic network design as it can make their jobs easier and their projects better. There is no prerequisite for the design course; basic fiber optic information is provided in the curriculum.

Course prerequisites: CFOT