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Registration Now Open for the 2026 Education Forum!


What is Education Forum?

The ETA Education Forum event offers individuals the opportunity to network, collaborate, and train. Event participants are given an opportunity to discuss training demands, recent developments in emerging technologies, and industry trends. Those attending the available training sessions will have the opportunity to become certified as part of the class. Certification is important in this competitive job market, and remains a vital part of electronics-related industries.

Co-Located with

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Who attends Education Forum?

Attendees at the ETA Education Forum include: faculty in technology programs who want to gain knowledge about new technologies, and how to expand existing programs; college representatives, program development specialists, and counselors who are interested in creating and maintaining electronics programs and in developing strategies for recruiting students; industry trainers and managers who want to gain insight from educators; workforce development personnel from government, labor, business, and education who are involved in shaping electronics programs; individuals concerned with current industry trends, emerging technologies and educational programs.

Why attend the Education Forum at IWCE?


Need a justification letter to convince your boss? Try this one!




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March 16-19, 2026
Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV




2026 Technical Training

ETA International is proud to provide training through outside vendors in popular technology areas leading to ETA certification. Training courses must be purchased separately and are not part of any IWCE conference package. Registration includes access to IWCE's Exhibit Hall. Please check back often for updates.


Associate Certified Electronics Technician (CETa)

Presenter: Christopher Miller, CETsr, Heartland Community College
Date: Wednesday, 3/18, 8:00am-5:00pm
Date: Thursday, 3/19, 8:00am–4:00pm

Course Description Certification

The Associate certification is designed for technicians who have less than two years of experience or trade school training for electronics technicians. Topics covered include DC Electronics, AC Electronics, Components & Semiconductors, Analog Circuits, Re-cabling & Telecommunications, Digital Circuits & Microprocessors, Troubleshooting, Test Equipment & Repair, Shop & Service Management. The focus of this training is reviewing foundational electronics that aligns with the CETa competencies. With embedded hands-on activities, demonstrations and interactive materials reinforcing the content. This course includes the Associate CET Study Guide.

Key Takeaway:

  • Foundational electronics that aligns with the CETa competencies.

Prerequisite: Bring a TI-30XIIS or equivalent scientific calculator.

ETA's Associate CET study guide


The Associate CET Study Guide
is included in the fee.

 CETa

Course Cost: $749 or $849 onsite | Test only option $65

Certification: ETA's Associate Certified Electronics Technician (CETa)

Certification Cost: included in the price of the workshop

Distributed Antenna Systems Installer (DASI)

Presenters: Ira Wiesenfeld, PE, CETms(RF), & Joe Delio IWA Technical Services, Inc.
Date: Monday, 3/16 & Tuesday, 3/17, 9:00am–5:00pm

Course Description Certification

The DAS Installer (DASI) certification will include all items pertaining to the basics of a Public Safety Distributed Antenna Systems, components, interconnection of the components, RF cabling, fiber optic cabling, Ethernet cabling, alarm cabling, power installation and cabling, antennas, and the testing of the individual components within a DAS.

Key takeaways:

  • Understanding the requirements to start the construction of a public safety DAS.
  • Specific requirements related to the installation.
  • Testing of the transmission lines, antennas, and interconnection with other systems that are part of the DAS.
  • Understanding the documentation that is required as part of the installation.
  • Understanding the NFPA and IFC Codes and the various versions of these codes, and how it relates to the installation of a Public Safety DAS.

Prerequisite: There are no prerequisites, but the ETA General Communications Technicial Level 1 makes it easier to understand some of the basics of radio communication and electronics. Line Antenna Sweep training can assist with the successful understanding of the DASI training.

 DASI

Course Cost: $1,049 or $1,099 onsite | Test only option $105

Certification: ETA's Distributed Antenna Systems Installer (DASI)

Certification Cost: included in the price of the workshop

FCC Ship Radar Endorsement - Element 8 (SRE)

Presenter: Saleh Ahmed, Love Aviation
Date: Thursday, 3/18, 8:00am–4:00pm

Course Description Certification
Important:
As a courtesy, ETA processes and files the license exams with the FCC. If you would like ETA to file for you you must have the following:

  • Examinees will need to have an FCC Registration Number (FRN) prior to attending the course.
  • The examinee will receive an invoice from the FCC in the amount of $35 for their filing fee. Once payment is received, the FCC will issue the license.

The Ship Radar Endorsement authorizes qualified technicians to install, service, and maintain marine radar equipment aboard FCC-licensed vessels. The Element 8 exam covers radar theory, system components, installation and troubleshooting procedures, and FCC safety and regulatory requirements. It consists of 50 multiple-choice questions with a 75% passing score. When combined with Elements 1 and 3 (GROL), it grants the General Radiotelephone Operator License with Ship Radar Endorsement, a credential recognized for professional radar maintenance and maritime electronics work worldwide.

 SRE

Course Cost: $400 or $425 onsite | Test only option $50

License: FCC's Ship Radar Endorsement

License Cost: included in the price of the workshop

General Communications Technician Training - Level 1 (GCT1)

Presenter: Chris Miller, CETsr, Heartland Community College
Date: Monday, 3/16 & Tuesday, 3/17, 9:00am–5:00pm

Course Description Certification

GCT1 covers the basic elements of various communications concepts and technologies. This includes basic electronics, fundamentals of radio, tools, test equipment, power systems, cabling and installations, environmental systems, antennas, transmission lines, operating principles and details on radios and radio systems, serial data and IP networks, basics of fiber optic lines and systems, telephony, satellite communications, physical plant considerations, site procedures and safety practices. It is intended for novice technicians or anyone that needs a basic technical understanding of communications systems. This course is ideal for federal, state, local, and tribal emergency response professionals and coordination/support personnel with communications backgrounds. This course includes the General Communications Technician Study Guide - Level 1.

Key takeaways:

  • Practices and procedures common to radio communication technicians.
  • Learn to work within the Incident Command System (ICS) organizational structure.

Prerequisite: None

General Communications Technician Study Guide - Level 1 study guide


The General Communications Technician Study Guide - Level 1
is included in the fee.

 GCT1

Course Cost: $1,049 or $1,099 onsite | Test only option $105

Certification: ETA's General Communications Technician-Level 1 (GCT1)

Certification Cost: included in the price of the workshop

General Communications Technician Training - Level 2 (GCT2)

Presenter: AJ Wiesenfeld, PE, IWA Technical Services, Inc.
Date: Wednesday, 3/18, 8:00am–5:00pm
Date: Thursday, 3/19, 8:00am–4:00pm

Course Description Certification

Important:

The General Communications Technician – Level 2 (GCT2), an ETA Journeyman certification, has two years of electronics experience by field experience, trade school, or college as part of its program requirement. By registering for this class, you must have this experience or your certification may not be issued until that experience is attained.


Building on the foundational GCT-1 program, GCT-2 expands the attendee’s knowledge base to include advanced elements of communications concepts and technologies.

The program emphasizes practical, hands-on training and is customizable to meet specific industry and employer needs. It is modeled after U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) guidelines, covering all the disciplines outlined in the COMT program as well as the APCO/ANSI technician standards.

By combining DHS-modeled instruction with ETA’s certification standards, the GCT-2 program ensures technicians are prepared for advanced responsibilities in critical communications environments.

Successful ETA pathway completion and certification of GCT -1 and GCT-2 fulfill the requirements of FCC regulation 47CFR90.433 Industry Certified Technician as an ETA Certified Electronics Technician (CET).

 GCT2

Course Cost: $1,049 or $1,099 onsite | Test only option $105

Certification: ETA's General Communications Technician-Level 2 (GCT2)

Certification Cost: included in the price of the workshop

General Radiotelephone Operator License - Elements 1 & 3 (GROL)

Presenter: Saleh Ahmed, Love Aviation
Date: Monday, 3/16 & Tuesday, 3/17, 9:00am–5:00pm
Date: Wednesday, 3/18, 8:00am–5:00pm

Course Description Certification
Important:
As a courtesy, ETA processes and files the license exams with the FCC. If you would like ETA to file for you you must have the following:

  • Examinees will need to have an FCC Registration Number (FRN) prior to attending the course.
  • The examinee will receive an invoice from the FCC in the amount of $35 for their filing fee. Once payment is received, the FCC will issue the license.

The FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License (GROL) Course is an intensive, in-person prep for technicians seeking the FCC General Radiotelephone license, required for many roles operating or maintaining radio systems in aviation, maritime, land-mobile, utilities, and broadcast. Build mastery of RF/electronics theory, FCC rules, operating practices, and maintenance. Targets first-time success on Element 1 (Basic Radio Law & Operating Practice) and Element 3 (General Radiotelephone).

Key takeaways:

Day 1: Introduction & Basic Radio Law (Element 1)

  • Overview of the GROL license requirements
  • FCC licensing structure and application process
  • Radio law, operating practices, and FCC regulations
  • Legal and ethical operating practices, international radio laws, and emergency procedures

Day 2: Radio Wave Propagation & Equipment Operation (Element 3)

  • Fundamentals of electromagnetic wave propagation
  • Frequency spectrum and signal transmission characteristics
  • Transmitter and receiver basics: design, function, and components
  • Antenna systems, RF propagation, and safety procedures

Day 3: Advanced Concepts & Exam Preparation

  • Analog and digital communication techniques
  • Detailed review of digital modulation and data transmission
  • Operational procedures for maintenance, equipment calibration, and documentation

Prerequisite: None

 GROL

Course Cost: $1,749 or $1,799 onsite | Test only option $50

License: General Radiotelephone Operator License (GROL)

Certification Cost: included in the price of the workshop

Line and Antenna Sweep (LAS)

Presenter: Jay Thompson, CETsr, Thompson Communications, Inc.
Date: Wednesday, 3/18, 8:00am–5:00pm
Date: Thursday, 3/19, 8:00am–4:00pm

Course Description Certification

This course trains techs in the use of antenna and coax vector network analyzers and frequency domain reflectometers. Students will learn and demonstrate the ability to perform return loss, insertion loss and distance to fault tests and how to analyze results.

Key takeaways:

  • Learn how to verify antennas, coax cables and other components used in antenna systems meet specs before an install.
  • Learn how to test a system and isolate defective components.

Prerequisite: None

 LAS

Course Cost: $1,049 or $1,099 onsite | Test only option $105

Certification: ETA's Line and Antenna Sweep (LAS)

Certification Cost: included in the price of the workshop

Microwave Radio Technician (MRT)

Presenter: Bill Bailey, PhD
Date: Wednesday, 3/18, 8:00am–5:00pm
Date: Thursday, 3/19, 8:00am–4:00pm

Course Description Certification

The training is broad-based, with the attendee examining microwave principles/equipment, radio configurations (terrestrial & satellite), modulation schemes (CW, AM, FM& PW), digital coding (ASK,FSK, PSK), multiplexing schemes (FDMA, TDMA, CDMA), digital modulation (QPSK, QAM), microwave components (amps, filters, mixers), Rx analysis (BER, ISI, RSL, C/N ratio), digital interfaces (T-lines, DS3, STS-1), network structure/hardware (OSI, TCP/IP, SONET), wave propagation, & electromagnetic theory.

Key takeaways:

  • Prepared to take the MRT certification exam.
  • A broad-based knowledge of microwave communications.
  • Practical understand of how microwave radio works.

Prerequisite: Basic familiarity with electronic principles is advisable but not required.

 MRT

Course Cost: $1,049 and $1,099 onsite | Test only option $105

Certification: ETA's Microwave Radio Technician (MRT)

Certification Cost: included in the price of the workshop

OTDR Testing Deep Dive (OTS)

Presenter: TBD, Light Brigade
Date: Monday, 3/16 & Tuesday, 3/17, 9:00am–5:00pm

Course Description Certification

Light Brigade OTDR Testing Deep Dive Workshop is a two-day instructor-led course that focuses on field testing and troubleshooting fiber optic spans/links and explains the various types of equipment and tools needed for acceptance testing, documenting performance, and finding problems in a fiber physical plant. The emphasis is on understanding proper OTDR settings, overall testing, and evaluating results.

Key takeaways:

  • Ready for OTS certification through ETA International. The Light Brigade offers independent certification through ETA International (ETA). ETA-certified technicians are professionally recognized as having the knowledge and skills to meet international de facto electronics industry standards. ETA certification is valid for four years.
  • The OTDR Testing Specialist (OTS) certification is focused on giving fiber professionals a more thorough understanding of OTDR operation, its equipment/tools, set-up preparation, operation, maintenance and repair for optical fiber span/link testing/tracing and troubleshooting in premises facilities and/or outside plant, FTTx, and PON applications.

Prerequisite: Fiber Optics 1-2-3 or equivalent field experience with fiber optic testing. Fiber Foundations is recommended, but not required. While not required, a basic understanding of fiber optics and/or field experience is suggested.

 OTS

Course Cost: $1,395 and $1,445 onsite | Test only option $155

Certification: ETA's OTDR Testing Specialist (OTS)

Certification Cost: included in the price of the workshop

Practical Antenna Basics (PAB)

Presenter: Bill Bailey, PhD
Date: Monday, 3/16 & Tuesday, 3/17, 9:00am–5:00pm

Course Description Certification

Participants will learn about RF propagation and the critical role antennas play in modern wireless communication, to include: antenna theory, RF safety, ratio measures (dB, dBm, dBi, dBd), electromagnetic energy, RF wave behaviors (reflection, refraction, diffraction), dipole 1/2-wave model, antenna performance parameters, transmission & feed lines, antenna design considerations, special use antennas (Hertz, Marconni, yagi-uda, log-period, loop, arrays, slot & patch), and microwave antennas.

Key takeaways:

  • Participants will be prepared to take PAB certification exam.
  • There will be no mystery to how an antenna functions.
  • An expanded understanding of radio systems and equipment.

Prerequisite: Basic understanding and working knowledge of radio technology is helpful but not required.

 PAB

Course Cost: $1,049 or $1,099 onsite | Test only option $105

Certification: ETA's Practical Antenna Basics (PAB)

Certification Cost: included in the price of the workshop

Radio Frequency Interference Mitigation (RFIM)

Presenters: Tom Brinkoetter, LAS, Radio Site Test & Jay Thompson, CETsr, Thompson Communications, Inc.
Date: Monday, 3/16 & Tuesday, 3/17, 9:00am–5:00pm

Course Description Certification

This course will provide a background in the frequency spectrum and RF technology, and review causes and sources of interference. Spectrum analyzers will be covered in detail along with software functions and tools to support interference hunting. Many interference hunting cases will be presented.

Students will have hands-on time with a variety of modern commercial spectrum analyzers. A “Tiny SA” spectrum analyzer will be given to the students for use during the labs. The content will include: Basic RF Signal Theory; Frequency Spectrum; Decibels; Unlicensed vs. Licensed; Modulation; Radio Propagation; What is interference; Sources of Interference; Interference Examples; Antennas; Spectrum Analyzers; Key specifications; Real Time vs. Swept; Spectrum Analyzer Measurements; Interference Hunting Tools; Field Measurements.

Key takeaways:

  • Learn about the latest Interference Hunting technology.
  • Prepare for 100 Question exam for ETA Certification.
  • A “Tiny SA” spectrum analyzer will be given to the students for the class.

Prerequisite: None

 RFIM

Course Cost: $1,149 or $1,199 onsite | Test only option $105

Certification: ETA's Radio Frequency Interference Mitigation (RFIM)

Certification Cost: included in the price of the workshop

Fiber Splicing Specialist (FSS)

Presenter: TBD, Light Brigade
Date: Wednesday, 3/18, 8:00am-5:00pm
Date: Thursday, 3/19, 8:00am–4:00pm

Course Description Certification

Light Brigade Splicing Deep Dive Workshop is an immersive instructor-led workshop that focuses on the setup, operation, maintenance, and reporting aspects of fusion splicing. In this predominantly hands-on course, students will learn the proper usage of various types of fusion splicing equipment and best practices for preparing and splicing single fiber, ribbon fiber, and fusion splice connectors. Students will develop expertise through immersive hands-on practice exercises that go beyond typical exposure and manufacturer-hosted training. Other areas covered during the course include cable preparation, proper routing of splice trays, and documenting results.

This course will have a maximum ratio of eight (8) students per instructor. Although the class is fully equipped, students are encouraged to bring their own fusion splicing equipment to class.

Key takeaways:

  • Ready for FSS certification through ETA International. The Light Brigade offers independent certification through ETA International (ETA). ETA-certified technicians are professionally recognized as having the knowledge and skills to meet international de facto electronics industry standards. ETA certification is valid for four years.
  • The Fiber Splicing Specialist certification is designed to give fiber professionals a deeper understanding of splicing techniques, including splicing single fiber, ribbon fiber, and fusion splice connectors. Topics include fiber optics safety, optical fiber construction and theory, optical fiber characteristics, and optical fiber splicing. This is a great certification for those who want to expand their knowledge and practical skills in splicing. While not required, a basic understanding of fiber optics and/or field experience is suggested.

Prerequisite: Fiber Optics 1-2-3 or equivalent field experience. Fiber Foundations is recommended, but not required.

 FSS

Course Cost: $1,395 and $1,445 onsite | Test only option $155

Certification: ETA's Fiber Splicing Specialist (FSS)

Certification Cost: included in the price of the workshop

Wireless Networking Technician (WNT)

Presenter: Eric Ingram, CETsr, University of Massachusetts Global
Date: Monday, 3/16 & Tuesday, 3/17, 9:00am–5:00pm

Course Description Certification

The WNT course is designed to prepare the student to take the ETA-I WNT examination. The fundamental knowledge of RF technology used in wireless communications and how intelligent information is communicated for specific applications along with system design components and their requirements is presented. The course continues with an exploration of wireless solutions and standards used today in Personal, Local, Metropolitan, and Wide Area Networks. An in-depth look into WiFi technology (802.11), the predominant technology used for Local Area Networks (LANs) is presented.

Key takeaways:

  • Learn about antenna theory, transmission lines, RF propagation, and modulation schemes.
  • Examine both fixed wireless and mobile wireless applications.
  • Comprehensive study of Wide Area Network technology including microwave and satellite solutions.

Prerequisite: None, background in electronics is helpful.

 WNT

Course Cost: $1,049 or $1,099 onsite | Test only option $80

Certification: ETA's Wireless Networking Technician (WNT)

Certification Cost: included in the price of the workshop

About ETA

Founded in 1978 by electronics technicians, ETA® International is a not-for-profit 501(c)(6) association whose mission is to represent and support the technical professional. ETA offers over 80 accredited, vendor-neutral certification programs in a variety of technology fields such as fiber optics, communications, electronics, biomedical, smart home, and renewable energy.

ETA aligns with the ISO 17024 standard, vocational and education curriculums, and businesses’ resource initiatives through certification programs, conferences, and publications. Download ETA's Certification Booklet to see how ETA can help your career, business, or school.

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