Learner Spotlight

Where do you currently work, what is your role, and how long have you been in the industry?

I am currently employed by Comcast Cable in the Big South Region, Central Division as a Headend Technician 2 Certified. For the past decade, I have served the Savannah, Georgia market. I have had a diverse career journey within Comcast, starting as a residential technician, later transitioning to business class services, and then Headend Technician. For the past four years, my primary responsibility as Headend Technician has been managing and maintaining critical infrastructure. In this capacity, I oversee the operation and optimization of key systems that form the backbone of our telecommunications network. This includes ensuring the proper functioning of headend equipment, such as satellite dishes, antennas, switches, routers, and related signal processing devices, to guarantee uninterrupted video and internet service delivery to our customers. I am also tasked with ensuring the reliability of our facilities by monitoring and troubleshooting HVAC systems, DC Plants, and Backup Generators.

Prior to my time in Comcast, I served for ten years in the United States Army as a Battalion Fire Direction Center Section Chief. I was responsible for all field communications in the Battalion. This included both analog and digital radio communications, satellite links, and wired and radio-based ethernet communications for all field network devices. I was also responsible for the maintenance and reliability of various radio systems, antenna systems, generators and vehicles ranging in size from 1 ¼ ton to 15 tons. I directly supervised six soldiers in the Battalion Fire Direction Center and oversaw the training and readiness of the six Platoon level Fire Direction Centers in the Battalion. My service in the Army instilled in me a strong sense of discipline, teamwork, and adaptability, as well as giving me a foundation in all the varied systems that I would later need to master in the Headend setting.

How did you first become involved in SCTE training?

When I first began working at Comcast, the emphasis for external training was on coursework provided by NCTI. I jumped in headlong and earned their highest honor of Senior Master Technician. Shortly after that, Comcast began transitioning to an SCTE training partnership. As such, I took my first SCTE course in 2017. Just after completing that first SCTE course, I was selected to participate in Comcast's CommTech Jeopardy competition. Throughout our months of study and preparation, SCTE courses formed the backbone of my study material and proved to be an invaluable resource. In the end our team placed third in the National Competition.

How has the SCTE training helped you in your job and career?

SCTE has played a crucial role in shaping my professional development and proficiency as a technician within the Comcast family. The course work that I completed while studying for the CommTech Jeopardy competition enhanced the knowledge I already had in many areas, added new knowledge in others, and directly contributed to my success in the competition. Shortly after the competition, I moved to the headend team. Soon after, the Headend Progression Program was updated to require SCTE training for promotions. I began doing training in earnest and completed about a dozen courses in my first year in the headend. The headend is a very diverse place to work. We work with nearly every type of equipment in the cable industry and routinely interact with technicians from every department. The comprehensive insights and knowledge provided by SCTE have significantly enhanced my understanding of advanced technical concepts and best practices in the telecommunications industry, while giving me the foundation to work effectively with teams from many different disciplines. At present, I have completed all active Learning Journeys through SCTE and am anxiously awaiting the upcoming release of the Headend and Engineering Learning Journeys. SCTE's curriculum has not only expanded my technical expertise but has also equipped me with the tools and resources necessary to stay current with emerging technologies and industry standards. I can’t wait to continue the journey. Thanks, SCTE!

Where do you currently work, what is your role, and how long have you been in the industry?

Currently I am employed by One Communications in Bermuda, One Communications is a division of ATNi out of Beverly Massachusetts. My current role is Director, Outside Plant, Service and Installs, Maintenance, Construction and the Warehouse all currently report to me. I have 4 direct reports and 29 indirect reports. I first became involved in the industry in August of 1989 with Rogers Cable in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. I left in March of 1991 to try other unsuccessful venues and then returned for good to the Cable industry in May of 1995, working for Cableworks which was purchased by Cogeco Cable, so all told I have just over 30 years in the industry. Within the industry I have worked my way up through the ranks, starting in service, then maintenance, QC inspector, supervisor, manager, back to QC inspections, then planning and project manager before becoming Director.

How did you first become involved in SCTE training?

In 2004, SCTE opened up an Ontario, Canada, Chapter and that is when I first became involved with the SCTE. The Ontario Chapter held the Cable Tech games and I did quite well at it. In 2012 I presented at one of the SCTE local chapter seminars, in 2014 I set the local chapter record for Cable Jeopardy, in 2018 I went to Atlanta for the international cable tech games. After a restructuring at Cogeco in 2016 I found myself temporarily out of work. Steve Harris reached out to me through LinkedIn and asked if I would be interested in doing some SCTE training in California. I took the BPI course and then I started teaching it for a month in California, I also became an SCTE proctor which I still maintain today. I also did some work for Pam Nobles, reviewing and updating some of the courses and also Jeopardy from the games. In 2019 the SCTE asked if I would be interested in a 2 week training session in Bermuda teaching the BPI course and that was when I decided that working in Bermuda might be a viable opportunity and I ended up being hired here in January of 2022.

How has the SCTE training helped you in your job and career?

The SCTE has helped me tremendously in my job and in my career. The training that it offers is exceptionally well, and so is the opportunity to go to the SCTE website and look up all the articles in the library. SCTE training has also helped me to gain confidence and shoot big. Public speaking was always something I shied away from, the SCTE has provided me with the confidence to stand in front of a room of total strangers and discuss cable with my peers and know what I am talking about. On a side note, SCTE also started me on my path to learning Power Point, by no means am I an expert, but when I presented at the seminar in 2012, I taught myself Power Point in order to put together my presentation. Finally, through the SCTE, my network of colleagues has grown very large. I have the confidence to reach out to colleagues and ask questions without the fear of being ridiculed. I have even had the pleasure of reaching out to Ron Hranac and getting a response, this is all through the confidence I have gotten from the SCTE.

Where do you currently work, what is your role, and how long have you been in the industry?

Comcast Cable Greater Detroit Market, Headend Engineering Manager, 18 years in the industry.

How did you first become involved in SCTE training?

I became a member in 2012, participated in a few Cable Games competitions and attended multiple training sessions locally. In 2015, I wanted to become more involved and give back development to the cable community, so I showed interest in our local board election to successfully obtain a seat. Through 2016 board member service to current, I have strived to mentor those around me for technical exposure and leadership guidance.

How has the SCTE training helped you in your job and career?

As began to obtain certifications in 2012, those paths of learning proved to enhance my understanding of cable technology where my individual value was noticed in my daily performance. The additional tools I have acquired are definitely contributing factors to my growth as I progressed within the Comcast organization. My experiences have given me the confidence to display solutions for communication challenges and the opportunity to be familiar with emerging technologies prior to deployment.