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SCTE Launches First Spanish-Language Certification Testing With Comcast Cable and Cox Communications

Posted on: Thursday, 6 November 2003, 06:00 CST

TUCSON, Ariz., Nov. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Spanish-speaking workers from Comcast Cable and Cox Communications will take the first Spanish-language version of the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) Broadband Premises Specialist (BPS) Certification exam today at Pima Community College in Tucson, AZ.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031106/PHTH015-a

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The Spanish-language certification testing is part of SCTE Operacion Espanol, an award-winning workforce development and diversity program targeted to cable's growing population of Spanish-speaking engineers and technical professionals. SCTE also offers in Spanish one of its key certification study resources - "From Tap to Home: The SCTE Installation Manual" - to help candidates study for the exam in their first language.

SCTE's BPS Certification demonstrates cable installers' and technicians' knowledge of all aspects of service at a customer's home, including installation, troubleshooting, safety and customer service. It is one of four specialist certifications offered by SCTE for cable's technical professionals.

"By offering certification testing in Spanish, we're giving installers and technicians whose first language is Spanish a better opportunity to earn certification that may better position them for promotions and pay increases. Information gathered on bilingualism shows that Spanish-speaking individuals may be conversational in English, but they often study and test better in Spanish," said John Clark, president/CEO of SCTE.

"At Cox, we value the unique skills, values, ideas and perspectives that our employees bring to work with them every day," said Mae Douglas, SVP and chief people officer for Cox Communications, Inc. "The more diverse those experiences, the more varied the skills and ideas. In a rapidly changing business environment, innovation is the critical competitive edge and the SCTE Spanish certification testing allows us to develop our employees so that they may excel in their roles and provide the excellent service our customers have come to expect from us."

For Comcast Cable employees, SCTE certification complements their company's professional development and technical training program, CommTech, available through Comcast University, the company's learning and development function.

"Comcast is committed to respecting and reflecting the communities and cultures we serve, and we believe the SCTE's Spanish-language certification program will be a valuable resource in helping to deliver outstanding service to our customers," said Rebecca Ray, president of Comcast University. "We're pleased to participate in this important initiative, and look forward to continuing to work with the SCTE in developing programs that help our employees develop additional skills and provide an exceptional customer experience."

Translation of SCTE's BPS exam into Spanish was made possible by a grant from the Walter Kaitz Foundation with technical review by Canitec; "From Tap to Home" in Spanish was funded by CommScope and translated by Andina Link.

As part of SCTE Operacion Espanol, the Society also offers Spanish- language books and manuals; a Spanish SCTE Web site; a Spanish listserv for problem-solving; a Spanish Speakers Bureau; technical sessions in Spanish at industry trade shows; and "Interval" and "SCTE Monthly," two of SCTE's member publications, in Spanish. SCTE Operacion Espanol earned the 2003 NAMIC Excellence Award.

For more information, contact Kimberly Maki at 610-524-1725, ext. 221, or visit the SCTE Web site at http://www.scte.org/.

About SCTE

The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers is a non-profit professional organization committed to advancing the careers of cable telecommunications professionals and serving their industry through excellence in professional development, information and standards. SCTE currently has almost 15,000 members from the U.S. and 70 countries worldwide and offers a variety of programs and services for the industry's educational benefit. SCTE has 70 chapters and meeting groups and has technically certified more than 3,000 employees of the cable telecommunications industry. Visit http://www.scte.org/.

About Comcast Cable

Headquartered in Philadelphia, Comcast Cable is a division of Comcast Corporation, a developer, manager and operator of broadband cable networks and provider of programming content. Operating in 17 of the United States' 20 largest metropolitan areas, Comcast is one of the leading communications, media and entertainment companies in the world. Providing basic cable, Digital Cable, high-speed Internet and telephone services, Comcast is the company to look to first for the communications products and services that connect people to what's important in their lives. The company's 55,000 employees, in six divisions, serve more than 21 million customers.

About Cox Communications

Cox Communications , a Fortune 500 company, is a multi-service broadband communications company serving approximately 6.3 million customers nationwide. Cox is the nation's fourth-largest cable television provider, and offers both traditional analog video programming under the Cox Cable brand as well as advanced digital video programming under the Cox Digital Cable brand. Cox provides an array of other communications and entertainment services, including local and long distance telephone under the Cox Digital Telephone brand; high-speed Internet access under the brands Cox High Speed Internet and Cox Express; and commercial voice and data services via its affiliate Cox Business Services. Local cable advertising, promotional opportunities and production services are sold under the Cox Media(SM) brand. Cox is an investor in programming networks including Discovery Channel.