Before fiber, Enrique's work kept him sedentary for long stretches of the day. He was operating a loader at a cement plant, moving rock through the early stages of production, but much of it came down to sitting alone for hours at a time.
“I was sitting down for 12 hours a day. You’re isolated. You don’t really talk to anybody," he told Broadband Nation while working on site in Florida. That routine eventually pushed him toward something different — work that would keep him active and around people rather than cooped up. “I wanted a job where I'd move around more.”
In fiber optics, that’s exactly what he found. Across different sites and neighborhoods, movement is the constant.
“I love this job because it keeps you on your feet," he said. "You know, you move around 24/7. You’re not just sitting in one spot.”
He says that change has been just as much about people as it has been about pace. Instead of working in isolation, he now has a bond with his crew and gets to interact with the community members he's helping connect.
As fiber continues to expand, Enrique recommends it as an opportunity for competitive entry-level pay in a place like Northern Florida — and few barriers to entry.
“The only skill required is just wanting to learn," he said. "As long as you’re willing to learn, I mean, anyone can pick it up.”
Listen to his story:
Interested in exploring job opportunities within the industry? Check out our jobs board, training portal and Learning Center.