SCTE Chapters Connect the Industry
By Jessica Brill
Across the world, mighty groups of SCTE members volunteer to organize hundreds of events each year to connect and train their fellow industry professionals. Organized as SCTE chapters, the leaders work across job title, geography and even employers to parlay SCTE’s mission into hundreds of local opportunities. They are dedicated to educating broadband personnel on the latest technologies and leadership skills necessary to be successful.
“SCTE’s chapters are such an important component of the SCTE ecosystem,” said Robin Fenton, vice president of membership and learning opportunities for SCTE. “For some, chapters are an introduction to the myriad training available through SCTE. For others, the local training they conduct is an extension of the courses we offer, or hands-on preparation for an SCTE certification.
SCTE’s more than 60 chapters worldwide are required to conduct quarterly training events. Industry vendors and subject matter experts provide content, presented in an informational way, to keep members updated on the latest data, tools, and best practices. Trainings are presented in-person, and virtually, and often hybrid, throughout the year. Popular topics in 2022 included fiber, DOCSIS®, troubleshooting, broadband, and Wi-Fi. When possible, SCTE posts recordings of trainings to the catalog of archived chapter webinars available for all members to reference at scte.org.
“Attending local chapter meetings afforded me the opportunity to learn new skills and develop as a technical leader,” said Greg Allshouse, manager of facilities and fleet for Comcast. Greg’s SCTE involvement started with the Pittsburgh, Pa.-area Penn-Ohio Chapter. After moving to Colorado, he joined the Rocky Mountain Chapter and served as chapter treasurer and assistant board member.
Local training events are a great preparation tool for the many SCTE certifications. Attendees earn valuable recertification units required to maintain an SCTE certification. They also complement the course catalog by reinforcing the online learnings and providing an opportunity for hands-on, interactive learning while networking with other industry professionals.
And from the networking and relationship building comes the opportunity to develop leadership skills by volunteering to help operate the local chapter. It takes all kinds to contribute to the success of an SCTE chapter – from organizing the events, to paying the bills, to sending emails – and volunteering for an SCTE chapter is a low-pressure way to learn and develop new skills.
“Chapter events led me to becoming more involved with leadership of a chapter, learning how to properly run a meeting and network with my peers from suppliers and other MSOs,” Allshouse said. “It also allowed me to become a regional director and sit on the SCTE National Board of Directors and SCTE Foundation Board, more so broadening my network of colleagues and friends.” Allshouse currently chairs the SCTE Awards and Compliance Subcommittee and serves on the Membership and Chapter Support Committee.
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“SCTE is the mortar between the MSOs and Vendor communities,” said Don Rowe, a product manager for CommScope who recently transitioned from the operator side of the industry. “The Chapter training events fuel this process, and open discussions to better understand our business and our customers.”
In addition to technical trainings, many chapters host an annual Vendor Day to connect end-users and purchasing decision makers with industry supplier representatives. Generally held in a central location for chapter members, the local vendor shows draw a range of attendees – from installation technicians to senior vice presidents. Vendors are invited to show their new products and services to a captive, interested audience. They gain valuable feedback on their products and attendees often request from their purchasing department tools or products they see at vendor days.
“Active participation in Penn-Ohio Chapter events and International Cable-Tec Expo exposed me to a tremendous network of SCTE member volunteers from both the vendor and operator sides of the business,” said Mike O’Dell, a distinguished engineer for Comcast Cable Communications. “The local Chapter offered technical training sessions which helped me to develop as a technician, and offered me an opportunity to participate in the Cable-Tec Games.”
Game on
A highlight of many vendor days is the hands-on skill competition known as Cable-Tec Games. Featuring seven events – MTDR, OTDR, cable splicing, fiber splicing, meter reading, drop connection, and cable jeopardy – competitors are tested in a variety of skills used by the modern cable industry workforce. Local events are qualifiers for the International Cable-Tec Games held in conjunction with Cable-Tec Expo. The top two competitors from each of SCTE’s 12 U.S. regions, along with competitors from Canada and South and Central Americas, will face off in Denver this October for the chance to claim the international championship.
The most passionate Cable-Tec Games competitors often become chapter volunteers after their playing days are over. O’Dell is one of those past International Cable-Tec Games competitors who parlayed his SCTE involvement into volunteering for his local chapter which lead to chairing the Cable-Tec Games subcommittee and serving on the membership and chapter support committee. He’s also part of the NOS Working Group 7 on proactive network maintenance.
“SCTE has been a very integral part of my career growth and development,” O’Dell said. “It afforded me opportunities to grow as a leader, a speaker and a presenter of technical ideas. This, in addition to the technical training skills, was valuable experience for transitioning into a people leader role within my company.”
Kyle Hall, a technical operations manager for Charter Communications, regularly competed in the Bluegrass Chapter’s Cable-Tec Games as his career advanced from field tech to maintenance tech to field ops supervisor and on to his current role. Along the way, he represented his chapter at the International event five times, most recently capturing the silver medal in the OTDR event. This past fall he ran for a seat on the Bluegrass Chapter board, to give back to SCTE.
“The SCTE Bluegrass Chapter has had such a positive influence on both my personal and professional career,” Hall said. “I’ve had the opportunity to further my industry knowledge by attending many of our chapter’s trainings and events throughout my almost 20-year career. Just as important are the many friendships I’ve made with vendors, board members, and the many other SCTE members within our Bluegrass Chapter. The Cable-Tec Games have provided me so many opportunities over the years to meet new people, attend amazing events, and see exciting and innovative technology related to the field of telecommunications that I love!”
Expanding the network
SCTE’s chapter leaders focus a lot of energy on recruiting new members from their pool of peers and teams, and they also start laying the groundwork for a future telecommunications career with high schools, trade schools and colleges.
The Golden Gate Chapter in early 2022 held a series of virtual career days with the Antioch Unified School District. STEM students in grades 7-12 heard about the day in the life of an engineer, how to get into the field, and advice for a similar career path. Students had the chance to ask questions and learn about STEM opportunities beyond school.
Other chapters donate to STEM-related programs or industry organizations advancing the industry, such as a local The WICT Network chapter and FIRST Robotics.
Accolades abound
For all their hard work, chapters are eligible for honors and recognitions presented at the Chapter Awards Luncheon during the annual Chapter Leadership Conference. Chapter activities are tracked, and chapters earn points in four categories: compliance, membership, training and development, and striving for excellence. Awards are presented to the top chapters in each category, the most improved chapter in each category, and the highest scoring chapters overall.
SCTE also recognizes an outstanding chapter volunteer with the Chapter Leader of the Year Award. Kim Lambert of the Piedmont Chapter received the recognition last year.
“Joining the SCTE association has not only provided me with the tools and leadership skillsets to be successful in the telecommunications industry, it has also given me the opportunity to work with others who have a common interest, where we can share our voice and experiences related to improving our skills,” Lambert said. “The best part is, we are giving back to our communities by building and maintaining the best networks in the world”
The 2022 awards will be presented March 30 in Oklahoma City.
Chapter leaders frequently capture the Member of the Year Award, as well. SCTE presented former Region 7 Representative Rudy Dauncey, of Comcast Cable Communications, with the award in Philadelphia at Cable-Tec Expo last September. The list of SCTE Senior Members is peppered with past and current chapter leaders, and many SCTE Hall of Fame inductees have volunteered their time in the SCTE chapter network.
Room for growth
SCTE members are always learning and growing and so are SCTE chapters. Find your nearest chapter at scte.org, where you can also add or change your chapter affiliation. If you have time or talent to contribute as a volunteer, reach out to your local chapter or contact the SCTE chapter relations department at chapters@scte.org..
THREE WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
- Check your chapter affiliation via your scte.org profile.
- Attend a chapter event.
- Email the chapter president to get involved.
TOP TRAINING TOPICS OF 2022
- Fiber
- DOCSIS
- Troubleshooting
- Broadband
- Wi-Fi
Lambert – Longtime volunteer Kim Lambert receives from Robin Fenton, SCTE’s vice president of membership and learning, the 2021 Chapter Leader of the Year for her continued support of the SCTE Piedmont and Crystal Coast Chapters in North Carolina. Kim also serves on the SCTE Awards & Compliance Matrix Subcommittee.
Rocky Mountain – Volunteers from the Rocky Mountain Chapter, Andrew Gough (Charter), Justin Stiles (Charter), Scott Noar (Comcast) and Abbie O’Dell (Charter) receive the 2021 Chapter of the Year Award from Midco’s Jon Pederson, chair of the SCTE Engineering & Technical Operations Committee.
Hall – Kyle Hall competes in an International Cable-Tec Games event during Cable-Tec Expo in Philadelphia. He will go on to place second in the OTDR event.
Ontario 2022 – The Ontario Chapter’s vendor day show floor is bustling as operators and the vendor community make connections to advance the industry.
Jessica Brill
Director, Chapter Support,
SCTE®, a subsidiary of CableLabs®
Jessica Brill is Director, Chapter Relations, for the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE®), a subsidiary of CableLabs®. Jessica works closely with SCTE’s network of chapters that provide local training and learning opportunities for the telecommunications industry.
