November 4, 2022

NATE Participates in U.S. DOL-OSHA Training Grant Meetings in Washington, D.C.

NATE staff members Kari Stein and Kimberly Elliott joined stakeholders from around the country this week at the U.S. DOL-OSHA Susan Harwood Training Grant Orientation meetings in Washington, D.C. During the meetings, Kari and Kimberly collaborated with OSHA officials from the Directorate of Training and Education (DTE) and Region 8. NATE plans to leverage the $160,000 Susan Harwood Grant to develop a comprehensive Electrical Safety Awareness for Telecom Workers Training Program that will be offered nationwide in 2023. For more information on the Susan Harwood Grant, visit here.

White House Hosts Culminating Event for Talent Pipeline Challenge

On Wednesday, November 2, 2022, the White House hosted the culminating event of the Talent Pipeline Challenge, which was launched by the Biden Administration in June. The Challenge encouraged employers, unions, and state and local governments to make workforce development commitments focused on the broadband, construction, and electrification sectors. You can read more about the Talent Pipeline Challenge, including Wednesday’s event, here.

SBA to Host Roundtable on DOL’s Worker Classification Rule

On Wednesday, November 9, the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of Advocacy will host a virtual roundtable to discuss the Department of Labor’s (DOL) proposed rule on Independent Contractor Classification Under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The roundtable will serve to gather specific small entity input on the proposed rule. You can read more about the roundtable here.

Report Suggests China Using U.S. Network Infrastructure Tech

On Tuesday, November 1, 2022, the cybersecurity company Recorded Future released a report examining how public security entities in China acquire and use technology from companies based in the U.S. The report found that Chinese public security entities almost certainly acquire and use technologies from U.S. companies that specialize in network infrastructure and communications, among other areas. You can read more about the report here.

FCC Approves 6 GHz Systems to Progress Toward Testing Phase

On Wednesday, November 2, the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Office of Engineering and Technology conditionally approved 13 proposed automated frequency coordination (AFC) database systems to finalize development for operations in the 6 GHz band and prepare for the testing phase. The FCC also released a Public Notice detailing which labs are approved for testing these systems and how other labs can be approved. You can read more about the approval here.