Hello, Agent Gavin.

Welcome to Cool Careers.

This is Jessi, an IT network installer.

She installs fiber optics for residential and commercial customers.

This type of career is important for billions of people to connect to the World Wide Web.

You might know it as the internet.

Her job helps us watch funny cat or dog videos on our computers, tablets or cellphones.

Without her or future IT network installers, we would be deprived of these videos.

Your mission should you choose to accept it is to find Jessi and learn what it takes to do her job.

Her last known location was at Optic Communications in Columbus, Kansas.

Find the headquarters, and you will find her.

Good luck, Agent Gavin.

This message will self-destruct in five seconds.

Well, then we have a mission to accomplish.

No time to waste.

Let's go.

I'd like all of you to meet Jessi, an IT network installer for Optic Communications.

Optic serves customers across southeast Kansas, but its home base is in Columbus.

Jessi, can you explain to us what you do in your job?

Sure.

I'm a technician who installs fiber-optic internet in businesses and homes.

My job is to find the best way to run wires from the box outside to wherever our customer plans to put their router inside the building or house.

Once I've determined where the fiber-optic cable should be placed, I do what it takes to connect the building to the outside network.

That can involve running cables through the walls and installing a jack to house the cables close to where the router will be stored.

Can you show m what these cables look like?

And before you do, isn't it weird to stop and really think about how the internet works?

I think it's kind of magical.

I totally agree.

If you look inside a fiber-optic cable, you'll see hundreds of pieces of tiny glass, each about 1/10 the size of a human hair.

Fiber internet transmits computerized data in the form of ones and zeros, using pulses of light across the cables.

Before the invention of fiber-optic cables, we used copper cables.

But copper cables were much more likely to be damaged by wate and other environmental factors, and it was much easier for the data to be intercepted or stolen.

Fiber-optic cables are much more durable and secure.

I think it is so coo that tiny pulses of light drive so much of the world we live in today.

I find myself constantly wanting to know more about how it works.

You seem very passionate about what you do.

How did you get started in this line of work?

It's kind of funny you should ask, because the use of light to transfer data started in the medical field, and I got my start in the medical field.

When I was in high school, I thought I wanted a career in medicine.

I trained to become a medical assistant and worked in that job for several years, but I eventually decided to try something else.

I worked in a bank for a while and learne I was good at helping customers.

Eventually, I was recruited by one of those customer to work at Optic Communications, helping people with their internet accounts.

While working at Optic, I was curious about how fiber optics work.

I started learning how to do tech work from my co-workers and online.

The more I learned, the more I wanted to learn.

I realized I'd found a career I could really dive into and feel excited about.

Gavin: It is incredible to think that these cabl filled with tiny hairs of glass can transmit everything from a funny cat video to confidential banking information.

Can you show me more about what you do?

Yes.

In fact, I have a mission for you, if you choose to accept.

I want you to go with me to install fiber-optic internet service into a home.

Sound like fun?

Absolutely.

All right.

Do you want to use my truck or some of that Cool Careers magic?

Duh!

Definitely the travel magic.

All right, take my hand.

Close your eyes.

Let's go.

Whoa!

That had to be close to the speed of light.

I told you fiber optics was cool.

Let's get started.

Let's do it.

Jessi showed me the NID, which is a box on the home that houses the fiber.

It is spliced over here with a little pigtail that they plug it into this connector, and then we run another fiber jumper, put it into this connector.

And so both of those have their ends facing each other, and they have to be matched up perfectly or it won't make a good connection.

She also showed me how to put housing on the fiber jumper, install it in the jack, and set up the router.

And you're going to put your fiber through that hole right there, OK?

This is called a boot.

I'll have you slide it over the top of this.

Straight down.

Slide it all the way down, youre going to go past it.

OK, because we're going to pull that back up and twist it here in a minute.

Now, what we're going to do — and so you're going to stick it on over it and push it down, and then we'll push it down further.

You see where it cuts off the corners on that side, on the sides of it?

You're going to do the same thing.

Yep.

And just push it on.

You're going to pull this little boot up, slide it on the bottom, and you can see that you've got to turn it.

Its got grooves like a screw.

That good?

You're good.

Youre going to turn your fiber and plug it in.

OK?

And then you're going to take our router here.

I want you to take the one-click cleaner and clean the end of this fiber.

Youre all right.

There you go.

And then, yep, plug it in.

OK. Yep.

That's all you have to do.

And you'll see it's trying to boot up right now.

Wow, thanks for teaching me about what you do.

I learned a lot.

Did you say you learned how to do all this from your co-workers?

Most of it.

I also took some courses online from the Fiber Optic Association, and Optic Communications sent me to splicing school.

What is splicing school?

It's part of a five-day boot camp from Butler Community College that teaches you most of what you need to know to get started, includin how to combine cables into one, which is a process called splicing.

There are two main ways to splice.

One is called mechanical splicing, which uses a device to hold two cables together, and the other is fusion splicing, which uses heat to merge two strands into one cable.

The guys at work tease me because they say it's easier to do splicing work with little fingers.

Actually, that brings u something I was wondering.

Are there many women who install IT networks?

I tend to think mostly of men doing this type of work.

It's true.

Most are men, but I think there are plenty advantages of women being in this industry, too.

It's easier for me to do things like fish a cable up a wall with my arm or to climb into attics than it is for my male co-workers.

There are lots of opportunities for anyone who wants to get into this field.

But women and girl especially should look into it.

Want to hop in my truck and head back to the central office?

Wait!

Howd your truck get here?

Must be more of that Cool Careers magic.

Let's go.

Jessi, it's been fun learning about what you do and how data moves across these tiny cables.

I'm glad you find it just as amazing as I do that we have dat zipping around us all the time, allowing so many devices to connect to the internet.

Yes, it's fascinating to thin that there are cables like this strung everywhere under the ground, including beneath the ocean!

For sure.

There's a huge initiative right now in Kansas to install broadband fiber internet to rural areas of our state.

This means there will be no shortages of jobs in this field for a long time.

You should check it out and tell your friends.

What could kids do to learn more about careers in internet installation?

You should see if you can job shadow with a fiber-optic internet provider in your area.

I also suggest that you look at those free training classes offered with the Fiber Optic Association.

You can get many different certifications through them, and all through self-study.

At school, I'd suggest learning some construction basics.

It would help to have a general understanding of how buildings are built, how plumbing, electricity, heating and cooling are installed inside walls and so forth.

We work aroun these other things all the time when we run wires into homes and businesses.

Thank you, Jessi.

I'd sa this was a mission success.

And thanks to everyone I met today at Optic Communications.

I feel like I learned so much.

But now I have even more questions about how this stuff works.

I guess I'm just going to have to check out those free online courses.

Learn more about this and other high-demand careers at HirePaths.com.

Until next time, this is Gavin signing off in Columbus for Cool Careers.

Have a great day.

Hello.

I'm Kara.

Today we're visiting the headquarters of Foley Equipment in Wichita, Kansas.

They have over 1,000 employees at 15 locations.

Foley sells, rents, services and provides parts for heavy construction equipment like bulldozers, trucks and backhoes —the types of equipment that people use to build roads and bridges.

Today we are going to be learning about the job of a heavy equipment technician at one of Foley's service centers.

Let's go!

I'd like to introduce you all to Matt, a heavy equipment technician at Foley Equipment.

Matt, can you tell us what a heavy equipment technician does?

My job is to repair and maintain customer equipment they bring into the shop.

We also have our own rental fleet that we work on, and our own sales fleet that we work on.

So I work on everything from backhoes to bulldozers and excavators to dump trucks.

When a piece of equipment isn't working properly, the customer brings it to us and it's our job to listen to the customer, run tests to figure out what the problem is and then repair it.

This is a backhoe.

Can you tell me more about what it does?

Yeah.

It's used on construction sites to dig trenches and move dirt.

Oh, OK.

So what did the customer say was wrong with it?

Well, they said this one wouldn't start.

Can you show me what you do to fix it?

Absolutely!

Let's do it.

Matt: I charge the batteries.

We're going to lift the loader arm so we get better access to the alternator.

And we're going to lock the loader arms up.

Now that we raised the loader arms, we're going to test the batteries.

I'm going to let you hit the test button — and you'll see it tests good.

Now, what we're going to do is hook up ET and see what it says.

What we want to watch for is when we start it up, We want to see that change.

Now, look at it.

Alternator's charging.

That's it.

Easy peasy, right?

That was really cool.

I bet it takes a lot of time to learn how to work one of these safely and without crashing or something.

It does take some time.

It takes a lot of tim to learn the safety protocols.

But after that, it's like playing with a big toy in a sandbox.

Now that I know more about what you do, I'm curious: How did you get interested in being a heavy equipment technician?

Well, when I was a kid, I like to take things apart and put them back togethe just to see how they work.

My dad owned a car lot, so I used to help him work on cars, and then eventually worked my way up the yellow iron, which is the big construction equipmentyou see behind us, which I thought was way cooler.

In high school, I was able to take college classes for free through Wichita Area Technical College, known now as WSU Tech.

My junior year, I took automotive classes, and then my senior year, I took classes in their diesel program.

Because I got started with my training during high school, it only took me six months to finish my associate's degree and be qualifie to work on these big machines.

What do you like most about this job?

Well, no two days are alike.

I get to spend time working on equipment and then go and test it.

I really like that.

So if I'm thinking about becoming a heavy equipment technician, what should I do while I'm still in school to prepare for that?

Well, working hard in your math classes is really important.

We deal with a lot of math here — measurements, fractions, decimals.

It's a big part of what we do.

Also, it's good to take a lot of career and technical education classes like shop and welding.

A lot of what we do deals with computers and automation.

It helps to have a good background in technology and basic engineering.

OK, I like math and building things, so I think I'm on the right track.

Anything else I should think about?

Well, Foley has a program called Think Big.

It helps young peopl get their start in the industry.

Also helps pay for some of their school while they're doing it.

Matter of fact, Cameron, come here.

This is Cameron.

He's currently enrolled in our program at the Oklahoma State Institute of Technology.

He gets paid while he's working here, and he spends half his time in school and half his time here.

That's amazing.

What do you like about the program, Cameron?

It's really great.

I basically get paid to go to school.

Foley also provided me with all the tools I'll need.

Ill also earned my associate's degree while I'm down there and have a job to come back to.

It really helped me hit the ground running.

How can people find out more about the Think Big program?

Well, there's a lot of information on our website, and we recruit all year long.

It's a really awesome opportunity.

I'd like to thank Matt, Cameron and everybody here at Foley Equipment for teaching me what it's like to be a heavy equipment technician.

It really is a cool job getting to fix all these big machines.

Be sure to visit HirePaths.com to explore other high-demand careers.

Until next time, this is Kara signing off in Wichita for Cool Careers.

Have a great day!

Hi, I'm Lance, and today we're at the Meridian Way Wind Farm near Concordia, Kansas.

A wind farm is a plac with a bunch of wind turbines, which are basically modern windmills.

They generate electricity as the wind spins their blades.

Kansas has a lot of wind, so you've probably seen turbines just like these when you've driven around the state.

There are nearly 70 turbine at the Meridian Way Wind Farm.

Meridian Way is one of three wind farms in Kansas owned by EDP Renewables, a global leader in the renewable energy industry.

EDPR is the fourth largest renewable energy producer in the world.

They have 58 wind farms and nine solar parks, which collect energy from the sun, in North America alone.

And they have farms in 26 other countries.

Today, we're going to learn about the job of a wind turbine technician who maintains and fixes these humongous structures.

We're also going to get to climb inside one of these bad boys.

Let's go!

We're here at the wind farm talking with Ethan, who's worked here at Meridian Way for over 11 years.

Thanks for hanging out with us today, Ethan.

So could you start by telling us some advantages of wind energy?

Sure.

There are lots of advantages to wind energy, which is why it's such a fast-growing field.

In the state of Kansas, 20 years ago, there weren't hardly any wind turbines.

Now there are over 3,500 wind turbines.

That's enough wind turbines to generate power for 1.6 million homes and over 40% of all the electricity needs in the state of Kansas.

Wow!

I had no idea.

That's so cool.

So how does wind energy compare to other kinds of energy?

There are a lot of reasons why we're using more and more wind power.

It costs less to produce.

We can easily generate it in the United States.

It's sustainable — we'll never run out of wind.

Wind turbines can be put on existing farms and ranches, so they don't use a lot of land.

Plus, farmers and ranchers make extra money by renting their land to energy companies.

And wind energy has a very low impact on the environment.

You don't have to use any water or burn anything, so they don't create any pollution.

There are a lot of reasons wind energy makes sense, especially in Kansas, right?

I mean, it's always windy here.

Absolutely.

It only takes 6 to 8 miles an hour to start producing wind energy.

And in the state of Kansas, that's nearly all the time, especially 200 to 300 feet in the air.

So what does a wind turbine tec do, exactly?

The wind turbine technicians take care of the repair and maintenance of wind turbines.

It's my job to help oversee that work and make sure we're following our safety and environmental standards.

We do that to make sure we're not harming the environment or anything around the wind farm.

I also help oversee the electrical grid substation where our power is connected to the nationwide supply of power.

We make so much wind energy, we can share it with other states surrounding Kansas.

To do a lot of different types of work in this field, we work on the electrical and mechanical parts.

We also work with the turbine software and computers.

And we have to understand a lot about electrical power and how it moves.

Wow, that's a lot.

So could you take me up inside one of these and show me how they work?

Yes.

But first, are you scared of heights?

Because if you are, that's going to be a problem.

I think I'll be fine.

Let's go.

Ethan took me to Cloud County Community College in Concordia, where we met Kit Thompson.

Kit's the head of the renewable energy department, and he teaches people who want to be wind turbine techs.

Ethan got his training at Cloud County right after he graduated from high school.

Kit and Ethan showed me how to climb safely up inside the tower of a wind turbine.

It was a lot more complicated than I thought it was going to be.

And, man, that tower was really tall.

[EPIC TRAILER MUSIC] So Im trying to figure out what all these things do up here.

Ethan showed me some of the computers and electronics that operate the turbine.

There are four computers inside each turbine, and they constantly monitor sensors on the outside.

Those sensors measure things like wind speed, wind direction and the air temperature.

The sensors and computers tell the turbine how to adjust its blades to catch the most wind and produce maximum energy.

Ethan explained to me that when the wind turns the turbines' blades, it turns a shaft inside the turbines.

The shaft is connected to gears that cause a smaller shaft to drive the electrical generator.

That electrical generator creates the power that will eventually get into people's homes and businesses.

I'm super glad I got a chance to enjoy the view.

It's crazy how far you can see from way up there.

That was so cool!

You guys definitely have me thinking about being a wind turbine tech someday.

Glad you liked it.

Renewable energy is a really fast-growing field, and we need young people like you to get excited about it.

Most people start in this industry as a technician, and then they move up into other energy jobs as they get more experience.

Ethan: That's very true.

Once you get your foot in the door in the wind industry, there's lots of opportunities to move up.

Would you like to go see some more of what we do?

For sure.

Thanks for taking me up there, Kit.

It was an amazing experience, and I'll never forget it.

You're welcome.

Enjoy the rest of your tour and don't forget to come see me when you're ready to enroll.

All right, lets go!

You want to see the rest of the wind farm?

Heck, yeah.

Ethan gave me a tour of the wind farm and showed me more about what he does every day in his job.

Then he took me to the substation, where the energy produced here is collected before it leaves the wind farm.

All right, youve sold me.

This is a super cool job.

What can I start doing now in high school to prepare?

I would suggest taking as many STEM classes as you can: science, technology, engineering and math.

Take some CTE courses like shop, electronics or welding to get used to working with tools and your hands.

And knowing some things about computer hardware and software will also help.

I can do that.

And then after high school I'll have to find some kind of college program specifically for working on wind turbines?

Absolutely.

There are several wind energy certificate and associate degree programs available.

One of the best places in the state of Kansas is Cloud County Community College to get this type of education.

You can be qualified in as little as a year or two to work as a wind technician after graduating high school.

All right, that sounds awesome.

I could be working here in no time.

Thanks so much to Kit and Ethan for showing me around and letting me see what they do up close.

I'm definitely putting wind turbine technician on my future jobs list.

Maybe I'll see you up on top of a turbine soon.

Can't wait to see you up there.

If you like what you saw in this video, be sure to visit HirePaths.com for more videos and to explore other high-demand careers.

Until next time, this is Lance signing off for Cool Careers near Concordia, Kansas.

Have a great day!

Hello, I'm Kieran.

Today we're visiting the world headquarters of Garmin, in Olathe, Kansas.

Garmin came out with its first GPS navigation products in 1989, and now they've grown into a global consumer products leader serving the automotive, aviation marine, outdoor and fitness markets with associates in 34 different countries.

Today, we're going to learn about what it's like to be an electrical process engineer at Garmin.

Lets go!

I'd like to introduce all of you to Marajan, an electrical process engineer at Garmin.

Marajan, what exactly do you do at your job?

I test products to make sure they work properly, are long-lasting, and that they're going to make our customers happy.

I look for problems in the design, software and manufacturing of products.

Then I figure out how to improve it so it meets Garmin's high standards.

We are very picky about the things we make.

I specifically work in the aviation sector of Garmin's business, and I spend a lot of my time testing displays, touch controllers and backup batteries that go into aircrafts.

I do a lot of different things when it comes to electrical and software engineering.

Garmin's products all have something to do with GPS, global positioning systems.

Can you explain what GPS i and how it helps people?

A global positioning system uses a group of satellites orbiting the Earth to help people navigate.

A GPS product is a device on Earth — we can call it a receiver.

The receiver communicates with satellites to display where the product is, how fast it's moving, which direction it's going, and how high it is in the air.

Receivers show where the product is and help plan the best way to the next destination.

You've probably used GPS on your phone to help your parents navigate to a place theyve never been to before.

Yeah, we use GPS on our phones all the time.

So that same technology is in stuff like boats, planes and fitness trackers?

Essentially, yes.

They all use a similar type of satellite technology.

Cool.

Now that I know more about what Garmin does, can you show me what you do on a day-to-day basis?

Yeah.

Let's do it!

I had no clue there are people whose whole job is to test electronic products to make them better.

I also had no idea how many things in the world use GPS technology.

Did you always know you wanted to b an electrical process engineer?

Well, sort of.

I was born in Sudan, which is in Africa.

And when I was eight, my family and I migrate over to the Kansas City area.

When I was in high school, I took robotics courses, shop classes and some basic coding.

I also was part of FIRST Robotics club, which kind of teaches you some hands-on experience.

I went into the Marine Corps, where I was an avionics tech for five years, which gave me a good start on my career in electrical engineering.

I came back home to study at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

After graduating college, I got an internship and honed my craft a little bit.

And soon after that, Garmin hired me for this job.

I've been here for two and a half years now.

So what do you like best about your job?

Well, I really like the hands-on aspect of testing equipment.

Here at Garmin, we're always trying to make things better and a little more efficient.

We're also trying to make things a little less expensive for people to buy.

Every day is a little different, and you never really know what you're going to get.

If I wanted to become an electrical process engineer, what should I be doing now to get ready?

Well, it all comes back down to STEM.

Science, technology, engineering and math courses.

You'll want to take some robotics courses, maybe some shop classes and some basic coding.

Theyre going to help you get an understanding of how things work.

You also want to take some math classes like trig, algebra and calculus can be very important in the job I do.

Is there anything else I can do to get ready for a job like yours?

Garmin offers college students, high school students, and even recent grads opportunities to get some real-world, hands-on experience.

And you can go check out our website to learn more.

I'd like to thank Marajan and everybody here at Garmin for showing me what it's like to be an electrical process engineer working with GPS devices.

It kind of makes me wan to go home and break some stuff and rebuild it even better.

Be sure to visit HirePaths.com to explore other high-demand careers.

Until next time, this is Kieran, signing off in Olathe for Cool Careers.

Have a great day!