LAFAYETTE, LA – The AT&T Foundation has granted $40,000 to the Louisiana Community & Technical College System (LCTCS) to help support income-eligible students to obtain their Fiber-Optic Technician certification.
As high-speed internet becomes even more critical to everyday life, having a skilled fiber-optic workforce in Louisiana will be essential to helping communities expand the reach of our broadband networks to help close the digital divide.
“Collaboration of this kind is critical to community success in Louisiana,” said Senate President Patrick Page Cortez. “With the recent announcement of the first round of GUMBO grants, we know that the demand for skilled technicians will continue to grow, and AT&T’s engagement in these programs is essential to ensuring the curriculum aligns with real-world needs.”
“Fiber-optics have been critical to communications for business, government, and education for decades, and with the expansion of fiber-optics services to residential customers, the career opportunities are tremendous,” said Dr. Monty Sullivan, President Louisiana Community & Technical College System. “We appreciate AT&T’s support as they connect our communities with this vital infrastructure and collaborate on our programs that offer paths to promising careers.”
“Today, more than 420,000 customer locations in Louisiana have access to AT&T Fiber, and that number continues to grow,” said Sonia Perez, president, AT&T Southeast States. “The highly skilled AT&T employees who call Louisiana home are deploying services that are critical to businesses and residents across the state, and we are proud to support the programs offered by LCTCS to help train more Louisianians to connect their communities.”
LCTCS certification programs are already underway at South Louisiana Community College and Bossier Parish Community College, with more planned in other communities.
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We’re committed to advancing education, creating opportunities, strengthening communities and improving lives. As part of our companywide $2 billion commitment from 2021 to 2023 to address the digital divide, we launched AT&T Connected Learning to invest in connectivity and technology, digital literacy and education solutions to help today’s learners succeed inside and outside of the classroom. Since 2008, we’ve committed more than $600 million to programs that help millions of students across all 50 states and around the world, particularly those in underserved communities.
About the Louisiana Community and Technical College System
The Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) provides strategic management and support for Louisiana's 12 community and technical colleges. LCTCS colleges award associates degrees, technical diplomas, and industry-based certificates in programs aligned with business and industry and local economies, which lead students to good in-demand, high-wage jobs.
