The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) convened its distinguished group of leading subject matter experts this week to continue the assessment and certification development process for the Telecommunications Tower Technician I (TTTI) and Telecommunications Tower Technician II (TTTII) programs. The intensive NWSA task force meetings occurred over a three-day period and were hosted by AT&T at the AT&T Center for Learning in Irving, Tex.
The NWSA is a non-profit assessment and certification organization that has been established to provide thorough, independent assessments of knowledge and skills and provide verifiable worker certification in order to enhance safety, reduce workplace risk, improve quality, encourage training, and recognize the skilled professionals who work on towers and other non-standard structures.
The subject matter experts in attendance at this week’s meetings participated in an ambitious NWSA agenda that is integral to adhering to the roadmap that is required to achieve ANSI ISO 17024 accreditation for personnel certification bodies. During the meetings, the participants devoted hours of time to conducting an Item Writing/Review Session, a Job Task Analysis Review, an Authoritative Sources Review and a Practical Exam Development Session. The NWSA’s TTTI and TTTII certification programs are slated to be launched in the marketplace in the 4th Quarter of 2016.
“The wireless industry can have confidence in knowing that the rigorous certification program development process the NWSA is currently following will ultimately pay dividends when it comes to our national worker certification offerings,” stated NWSA Board of Governors Chairman Art Pregler. “This time-intensive, meticulous process is paramount in order to ensure that reliable, valid and legally defensible assessments are produced through the organizations collective efforts,” added Pregler.
NWSA is the result of collaborative efforts between a broad coalition of the industry’s leading subject matter experts, companies and stakeholders representing wireless carriers, tower owners, OEM’s, turnkey management firms, government agencies, public safety entities, small contractors, tower technicians and industry associations. Industry leaders have pledged to provide timely and relevant updates to the industry as key benchmarks are achieved in the establishment of NWSA’s national assessment and certification programs.
In the fall of 2015, NWSA began offering the CCO Rigger and Signalperson Certification programs, the first two assessment and certification offerings available to the wireless industry’s workforce through NWSA. Industry workers, companies and stakeholders are encouraged to visit the NWSA website at nwsa@nws-a.org to learn more about the organization.
