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TDS technical team teaches students how to splice fiber

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” – Xun Kuang, Chinese philosopher

In February, it was career day in the TDS Cable market of Alamogordo, New Mexico and guess what activity the students were drawn too? If you guessed fiber splicing, you’re right.

TDS’ Thomas (TJ) Munoz, Jr., system technician of Field Services, had an inkling the students at his children’s high school would be interested in learning more about fiber.

“I have two daughters at Alamogordo High School,” Munoz said. “I thought the students would like the opportunity to splice fiber.”

Munoz was right.

The fiber splicing demonstration at the Alamogordo High School Career Day Expo was a “big hit with the students,” said TDS Field Marketing Manager Barbara Mick, who helped arrange for the technical team to be at the career day. “Both boys and girls had a great interest in learning the process of what it takes to splice fiber.”

Career days are excellent opportunities for students to explore future job opportunities. Since the modern world is hinged on internet and telecommunications connectivity, demonstrating and teaching students how to splice fiber is a brilliant way for students to consider a telecommunications career.

Along with Munoz, TDS’ technical team of Johnny Rodriguez, manager of Field Services, and Justin Meesenburg, headend technician of Field Services, worked with the students teaching them the ins and outs of their jobs and how to splice fiber at the event. Meesenburg also has a child at Alamogordo High School.

Munoz said he was pleasantly surprised to see that more young women were interested in learning how to splice the fiber than young men. “It was wonderful to see how interested the students were in fiber. Having this opportunity to interact with are kids and their friends was a real joy for all of us. We enjoyed working with students and I know we’d do it again.”

The need for field technicians is great, said Kathy Cefalu, vice president and Chief Human Resources Officer. “Thank you Barbara and Tom for coming up with an innovative idea and for arranging for this to happen. It’s wonderful that you are encouraging high school students to consider employment in the field tech industry,”

Field Service Technicians assist with on-site installations, troubleshooting, repairs and maintenance of telecommunications products and equipment that TDS sells and leases. They have direct, face-to-face contact with our customers. Along with excellent customer service skills, they should have the ability to diagnose and solve problems.

Ryan McNamara, a broadband systems technician for TDS in Southwest Utah, said he enjoys the hands-on experience the position offers, as well as learning about how cable, telephone and internet works. “When I first started this job in 2015, I found myself after a shift going home and researching things I had encountered that day and tried to learn all I could about it,”said Ryan.

“I love the gratification of solving someone’s problem and making their day better.”

TDS currently has field technician openings in several New Mexico, Utah, Colorado and Texas cable markets, to learn about careers at TDS, go to https://tdstelecom.com/careers.html



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