NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association unveiled a commemoration declaring today as Tower Technician Appreciation Day. For the eighth consecutive year, NATE has determined that a day should be set aside to pay tribute to the important work that communications infrastructure technicians conduct on a daily basis to enable a mobile society.
“NATE encourages member companies and industry stakeholders to use Wednesday, May 8 as a day of commemoration to host recognition events within their respective organizations to pay tribute to the technicians they employ,” said NATE CEO and President, Todd Schlekeway.
Under the signature of Victor Drouin, NATE Chairman, the proclamation covers a variety of reasons why tower technicians should be honored. (To see the full proclamation, click here.)
Drouin refers to tower techs as “the backbone of the wireless and broadcast ecosystem and the work performed by tower technicians is of critical importance to homeland security, public safety, the nation’s economy and competitiveness, expansion of broadband and our nation’s vital communications capabilities.”
The proclamation goes on to say tower technicians have been “uniquely responsible” for developing and maintaining every generation of wireless networks, pointing out it is often in challenging environments and conditions.
Companies who employ the tower techs are also lauded as being committed to “closing the digital divide” and playing “a pivotal role on the front lines implementing the build-out goals of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s (IIJA) ambitious Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, deploying the fiber and infrastructure required to bring high-speed broadband and improved connectivity to low-income, rural, underserved, and unserved communities in the United States.”
Tower technicians, the proclamation states, will be essential to deliver next generation networks and technologies vital for the continued growth of Smart Cities, the Internet of Things, Telehealth Applications and Automated Vehicles.
Drouin’s letter wraps up with declaring that tower technicians and their employers are committed to promoting and enhancing workforce safety, education, training, and competency-based apprenticeships through the Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program (TIRAP), as well as maintaining a safe work environment by following codes, standards, and legal regulations.
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