SCTE Alignment to Support an Evolving Workforce
By Maria Popo
To support our rapidly evolving industry, SCTE has begun progressing toward the alignment of workforce development with industry standards. Building an ecosystem that supports the technical talent pipeline and facilitates greater information sharing will enable us to deliver purposeful engagement and meaningful advantages to our members.
Over more than 50 years, SCTE has built a strong foundation supporting the broadband industry and providing workforce development as it evolves. Now, SCTE is focused on preparing for the future with several initiatives underway to align with evolving technologies, enhance chapter and membership engagement, build a unified knowledge base, and expand expertise.
New for SCTE members
To advance its support of the professional development of its members, SCTE is launching Membership Tracks and Communities of Interest.
SCTE’s new Membership Tracks are designed to align learning, content, and events with members’ career interests, creating clear pathways for professional growth. Whether developing hands-on technical expertise, staying ahead of technological advancements, or exploring leadership and career transitions, these tracks connect members with specialized resources, certifications and opportunities to support their roles and aspirations.
SCTE’s new Communities of Interest are collaborative spaces for members to share insights, solve challenges, and build connections through technician guilds, innovation societies, mentoring circles and more. SCTE is launching these initiatives this year to help members build their technical skills through connections and focal content while supporting employers in developing teams prepared to meet today’s industry demands.
Education aligned with industry standards
SCTE is also redefining its educational offerings to ensure alignment with the technologies shaping connectivity. Grounded in SCTE standards and CableLabs specifications, our updated programs provide measurable value.
Streamlined learning paths will provide foundational training delivered by partners, advanced courses led by SCTE, and hands-on bootcamps that address HFC, fiber, wireless and emerging technologies. Work is also underway to align certifications with career pathways to validate actionable skills that meet industry needs. Additionally, SCTE will be leveraging insights from learning development representatives, who will play a key role in supporting members and partners by ensuring efficient engagement and driving awareness of SCTE’s educational offerings.
At the heart of our transformation will be a unified knowledge base—where insights from standards, chapters, TechExpo and other resources converge to drive actionable strategies and practical solutions. By connecting and sharing data across initiatives, SCTE will equip members with a comprehensive industry view and the tools to tackle challenges effectively.
SCTE Chapters and membership
SCTE is refining its approach to ensure that chapters are both locally relevant and globally connected.
Chapters are essential to SCTE’s grassroots initiatives, addressing local needs while fostering collaboration and regional expertise. To amplify their impact, we are accelerating development of our new digital platform to streamline operations and enhance engagement. Starting with events, the platform will evolve to include tools for knowledge sharing, interactive conversations, and recognition opportunities. Built for adaptability, the platform will provide leadership with actionable insights for strengthening the talent pipeline across the industry.
SCTE membership provides a global view, aligning with initiatives like TechExpo and Leadership Institutes to equip members with resources that meet evolving skills and knowledge demands. This approach ensures members have access to professional growth opportunities and connections that span the entire spectrum of broadband technologies.
By clearly defining the roles of chapters and membership, SCTE is enhancing its ability to deliver localized value through chapters and address broader industry needs through membership.
SCTE is advancing workforce development and supporting the deployment of connectivity technologies that meet our industry’s evolving needs. By refining chapters and membership, aligning education with standards, and fostering new opportunities for engagement, we’re strengthening our ability to deliver value to members and the broader community.
Maria Popo
President and CEO, SCTE®
a subsidiary of CableLabs®
Maria’s journey from trade school to academia and boardrooms has been shaped by tenacity, adaptability, and lifelong learning. From customer service representative to senior executive of Global Fortune 50 Foxconn, CEO/president of Ubee Interactive Americas, leadership roles at 3Com (HP)/Ambit Microsystems/3M, and now as a technology education innovator, Maria has shown a profound ability to drive transformative growth. Popo has received recognition such as: 20 Female Founders to Watch, Cablefax Most Powerful Women in Cable, Multichannel News Women in Technology, and 8th Fastest Growing Woman-Led Company. Popo graduated from Stanford University in 2023 with a Master of Science in Education – Learning Design and Technology.
