Applying Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Monies to Workforce Development

With trained telecommunications workers in short supply and in high demand across the country, investing in workforce development is critical over the next five years. Fortunately, the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program provides funding, regulation, and guidance to create and sustain the personnel necessary to build and maintain the nation’s critical infrastructure. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act allows the $42.45 billion in BEAD money to be used in workforce and job training. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has provided a Workforce Planning Guide to support the BEAD program with information on what components a BEAD workforce plan should have, how to develop such a plan, strategies and examples for meeting workforce requirements, and additional resources to support BEAD workforce planning and implementation processes. Eligible BEAD funding entities will be held to federal labor and employment laws that apply to all employees in the United States. Entities will determine the combination of skilled workforce requirements and guidance that will shape the experience of on-site workers who will build and service high-speed network infrastructure, with requirements potentially varying by state. NTIA plans to release additional tools in the months to come, including case studies to how to use the workforce landscape and best practices checklist included as part of the additional resources within the Workforce Planning Guide.