Senate Commerce Eyes Solutions to Improve 5G Workforce Training

Trump cited the need for more workforce development during a Tuesday speech at the World Economic Forum conference in Davos, Switzerland. “We want every citizen, regardless of age or background, to have the cutting-edge skills to compete and succeed in tomorrow’s workplace,” Trump said. “This includes critical industries like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and 5G.” He touted the administration’s 5G rollout work. “I think we’re far advanced, much further than people understand,” in deploying the technology, he added.

Senate Commerce Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., was among committee members voicing concern about 5G labor shortages. He cited projections U.S. companies need about 20,000 more workers to “accelerate the deployment of 5G in order to win the race and secure the first-move advantage.” About 27,000 U.S. workers have the training to deploy 5G equipment. “Additional labor will also be needed to lay fiber, to support wireless connections, install radios and deploy other essential equipment,” Wicker said.

“Having [a sufficient 5G] workforce is of particular importance, not because we need to just construct networks but because we also need to understand the design, management and especially the security of these networks,” said Senate Commerce ranking member Maria Cantwell, D-Wash. She questions whether the majority-GOP FCC and some communications sector actors are overdramatizing the “supposed race” to be the dominant nation in 5G development. The “idea that there will be a single nation that wins the 5G race is false,” Cantwell said: Lawmakers need “to take time to make sure that we are getting these issues right” rather than speed forward on legislation in a bid to ensure U.S. leadership.

Senate Communications Subcommittee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., cited his work on his Streamlining the Rapid Evolution and Modernization of Leading-edge Infrastructure Necessary to Enhance (Streamline) Small Cell Deployment Act (S-1699) among legislation aimed at reducing regulatory barriers to 5G deployment. S-1699 eyes a “reasonable process and timeframe guidelines” for state and local small-cell consideration (see 1906030068). The measure faces opposition from some state and local governments (see 1810040055).

“We need to expand our workforce,” and the FCC sees the need to increase the number of trained labor as a “new challenge and opportunity,” Carr said. He touted his backing of 5G workforce efforts and noted efforts like the Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee’s Broadband Infrastructure Deployment Jobs Skills and Training Opportunities Working Group. Tower climbing jobs “are good-paying jobs” that “do not require an expensive four-year degree,” Carr said. “And they are 5G jobs that can help lift thousands of American families up into the middle class."

Carr, National Association of Tower Erectors Chairman Jimmy Miller and Fiber Broadband Association CEO Lisa Youngers backed S-2363. The bill and House version HR-3255 would direct the FCC to create the Telecommunications Workforce Development Advisory Council (see 1908010058). Carr said S-2363 “would go a long way to addressing the need for more 5G workers through a coordinated, stakeholder-based effort.” Youngers said Senate Commerce should ensure the bill “includes a directive that individuals with expertise in fiber workforce issues be appointed as members” to the advisory council.

Lobbyists believe the Senate Commerce hearing drew renewed attention to S-2363, more than a month after the committee scuttled an expected December markup of the measure (see 1912100001). Senate Commerce never explained why it decided not to move S-2363. Two lobbyists noted the Communications Workers of America raised concerns about the proposed advisory council’s setup and that Senate Commerce “ran out of time” to bring it up for a December vote amid negotiations.

Other workforce legislation also drew discussion. Carr cited the Jumpstart Our Businesses by Supporting Students Act (HR-3497/S-839), which would expand Pell Grant eligibility to include certain short-term certification programs. Miller cited the Communications Jobs Training Act(HR-1848) as NATE’s “top legislative priority” this Congress. The bill would provide through the FCC $20 million in grants to post-high school education programs to develop or expand communications tower construction, service and maintenance training (see 1804260072).

Public Knowledge Senior Vice President Harold Feld warned to be wary of calls to legislate in a bid to help the U.S. win the race to 5G, as expected (see 2001210069). “Workforce shortages are a serious concern but Congress must make sure that workers are not exploited,” he said: “Programs designed to meet the shortage of tower workers need to look not merely to training and safety, but also to guaranteeing to tower workers a productive future after the current boom.”

NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield urged Congress to “implement and promote policies that will advance both the future of 5G wireless technology and the fiber networks needed to connect thousands of ‘small cells’ and otherwise respond to consumer and business demands.” Potential “sensible reforms” should include “harmonizing agency applications, increasing staffing in local offices for permitting, and providing a categorical exclusion for the installation of communications infrastructure on previously disturbed federal lands would improve broadband deployment speeds without harming the environment,” she said.