Case Study: Verizon and the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Training Program

The world is facing a pressing need for a skilled workforce that can meet the demands of the 21st-century economy. That’s where workforce development comes in. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has created the Telecommunications Training and Workforce Development Best Practice Checklist to help support Eligible Entities as they’re developing their Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) workforce plans. Verizon and the Communications Workers of America (CWA) have collective bargaining agreements in place that, among other things, provide for high-quality training programs. New employees at Verizon are required to complete extensive orientation, safety training, and skill training prior to transitioning into the field. Depending on the role, new hire training can last anywhere from 12 to 38 days. In addition to robust initial and continuous training programs, Verizon encourages its employees to further their expertise and develop their skillsets. The company’s tuition assistance program offers union-represented employees up to $8,000 in tuition assistance and access to a library of over 63,000 courses to encourage continuous learning. Moreover, certain collective bargaining agreements between Verizon and CWA specifically provide for “training and retraining programs to its employees for personal or career development and to employees being displaced to qualify for job vacancies as anticipated by the Company.”