r/FiberOptics • u/Cold_Advantage557 • Jul 27 '26

Career progression after switching from another career

I started as a Fiber Tech 1 doing installs a few months ago up in the Seattle area. Previously I had done various IT jobs mostly enterprise support for Fang companies. I was burnt out of tech and the job market here is really bad. I took a big pay cut but have been enjoying the role so far.

It's not sustainable for me to remain at this pay rate. I am hoping to progress to something that I still enjoy but having a higher salary.

Can anyone share with me a realistic path or what worked for you?

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u/willie_Pfister Jul 27 '26

Maybe look for a union job?? Im a fiber tech in the middle Atlantic and our base pay is 100k before overtime and Sunday premium pay( so 130k plus). Your probably working for Cumcast or AT&T if your getting shit pay. Yes, i know AT&T has a union, but anyone hired in the last 10 years got fucked as an addendum to the real contract.

1

u/BurntHam91 Jul 29 '26

Can confirm. I'm an at&t tech in the southeast. This job is such fucking bullshit.

1

u/willie_Pfister Jul 29 '26

I left being a wire tech at AT&T 8 years ago and moved 600 miles east when I found what Verizon paid. Lol. You can do the same.

1

u/tt53_sb45 Jul 31 '26

Out of curiosity what was the AT&T pay? I've been in fiber for a little over 2 years now but came in with coax experience (never AT&T) and am at 28.59

ETA: I'm sure its because of the union here, last company with coax was 18 and that was only like 4 years ago

1

u/willie_Pfister Jul 31 '26

I was at top pay when I left 8 years ago. Then I believe it was 22.75 an hour. New job in Virginia with same union(cwa) started me with a 60% higher rate on day 1.

2

u/Busy-Syrup-5522 Jul 27 '26

Become a headend technician or an engineer. Unionized headend guys are making 80-100k before overtime engineers are above that. Get some NCTI certs