Trent Edwards, who once climbed telephone poles, now leads TAK Broadband, a full‑service fiber-network contractor. He argues the construction sector must rebrand itself to attract the next generation of workers and investors, not just celebrate the rugged appeal of fieldwork.
Edwards highlights safety concerns in road work and around large equipment, emphasizing the need for rigorous training and disciplined operations to minimize injuries. He notes that the industry must improve working conditions if it hopes to recruit younger talent and sustain growth.
TAK Broadband is expanding its strategy to serve multi‑dwelling units (MDUs), promising fiber designs that fit tight spaces with minimal disruption to residents while delivering reliable service. “We’ve got to make it sexy again,” Edwards said, underscoring MDUs as a key path to scalable fiber deployment.
The career arc from field worker to chief executive is a testament to vertical mobility in telecom construction. Edwards’s rise at TAK Broadband is cited as an example of how experience in the trenches can translate into leadership roles and opportunities for entrepreneurship and innovation.
Beyond talent recruitment, Edwards sees room for entrepreneurialism in network construction, arguing the field can become a dynamic, tech‑forward arena for new business models, design approaches, and faster, smarter fiber rollouts.
