Business

Viberoptix opens training academy to re-skill workforce

Viberoptix chief executive Naomhan McCrory (right) with latest recruits Shannon Jackson and Cathaoir Quinn. Picture: Kelvin Boyes/Press Eye
Viberoptix chief executive Naomhan McCrory (right) with latest recruits Shannon Jackson and Cathaoir Quinn. Picture: Kelvin Boyes/Press Eye Viberoptix chief executive Naomhan McCrory (right) with latest recruits Shannon Jackson and Cathaoir Quinn. Picture: Kelvin Boyes/Press Eye

FIBRE network specialist Viberoptix has launched a new training facility in Coalisland to help people benefit from opportunities in the growing sector.

Recruits will be provided with resources to learn about full fibre networks and telecommunications infrastructure, and to develop the skills to become fully fledged fibre engineers.

The move comes less than a year since the establishment of the fibre infrastructure firm, and as well as providing expert training, courses will also offer job prospects and roles for each graduate of the Academy.

Demand for the service is high, with more than 150 students from a wide variety of age ranges, backgrounds and experience levels, already in training.

Viberoptix chief executive Naomhan McCrory said: “The need for reliant and effective full fibre broadband has accelerated since the beginning of last year, as more and more people are working and staying in touch with friends and family from home.

“This, coupled with the recent launch of Project Stratum, which will see 76,000 extra premises across rural Northern Ireland connected to a full fibre network, has vastly increased the demand for our services.

“To deliver this ambitious project, among others, we need the support of a particularly skilled workforce. The work we undertake is innovative and complex, so not many people have the specific qualifications and training we need.

“We have been relying on our dedicated team to train others and that is what inspired the establishment of the Viberoptix Training Academy. Because there wasn’t the pool of fibre engineers we need , we will produce them ourselves.”

The Viberoptix team (www.viberoptix.com) is made up of around160 experienced and certified engineers who are leaders in their field, delivering every aspect of fibre network construction, installation and maintenance. But following the launch of the academy, the firm hopes add 110 new roles in the next 12 months.

Naomhan added: “Our team has grown at a rapid rate over the last 12 months and we won't stop now. We have a wide range of engineers, planners, project managers, apprentices and accountants, all of whom have been recruited locally.”