ICT Today

January/February/March 2020 I 5 From the President, Jeff Beavers, RCDD, OSP CONTINUITY I recall my first presidential address at the BICSI Winter Conference of 2018 where I spoke about my introduc- tion into the ICT profession when I enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and entered technical training to become a Cable Splicer Technician, joining the close-knit community of Cable Dawgs. Technical training or tech school puts students through numerous blocks. Blocks would cover topics, such as Basic Electronics, Pole Climbing, Optical Fiber Splicing, Termination and Testing, and Missile Cable (a cable splicer technician could be assigned to duty at a missile base and have to maintain cabling within the launch control facilities). A student was required to pass hands-on tasks and written exams to advance to the next block. Some of the exams were unofficial with no pass/fail criteria. If a student could be tricked into responding that there was such a thing as a cable stretcher, he or she would be the subject of contin- ued ridicule. Back in the day, our fusion splicing machine was the size of a brief case and, when closed, looked like one too. It was not automated. It did not have factory presets of the various manufacturers' fiber specifica- tions, automated cleaning, automated X-Y alignment, automated splicing or estimated dB loss. We had to manually turn the thumb wheels on the splicer to align the X and Y axes and push the fiber strands together during the arcing. It was easy to push each fiber too fast or for too long and end up with a molten ball of glass at the splice point. And the machine certainly did not have a monitor to display the splicing actions. By the way, those unofficial exams were also contingent on whether students could look into the microscope without getting a black ink ring around their eyes. Today, there is automation. Automated fusion splicers remove even the cladding and core, clean and cleave automatically, give pass/fail results with loss values, and come with a built-in oven or two for the splice protectors. And for a few thousand dollars, a splicer that can fit in the palm of a hand can splice faster and with more precision than the old brief case sized machine. Technology continues to benefit us in countless ways, but it can have negative impacts too. AI and auto- mation reduce the learning curve. However, technol- ogy can be a compensator and not an indicator of actual knowledge. I liken it to getting to your destina- tion without knowing anything about navigation. It was through my technical training that I learned about continuity, quite possibly the single most impor- tant criteria for a circuit. For BICSI, businesses, the ICT industry and the ICT profession, continuity is quite possi- bly the single most important criteria for staying rele- vant, growing and blossoming. Our industry continues to be constantly and rapidly changing. Continuity from generation to generation of ICT professionals requires mentoring and knowledge transfer. Protecting and enhancing our core programs and credentials requires continuity of focus. Relevance and growth in the global ICT community requires continuity of commitment. Another valuable lesson learned in the USAF was Esprit de corps—pride, fellowship, and common loy- alty shared by the members of a particular group. We're all in this together. I look forward to continue serving with you as we work to advance our organi- zation, our industry and our profession. In the spirit of continuity, I also pass the BICSI presidency to Todd Taylor who will serve BICSI, the ICT industry and every member through his own unique skills and experiences. It has been my honor to serve you as president. You were very gracious in allowing me this most memorable opportunity. Be safe, someone is counting on you.

• Cover