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                                                                    Exhibit 10.3

                   [LETTERHEAD OF OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION]

                           OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION
                             EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

This agreement made effective September 1, 2001 by and between Optical Cable
Corporation, having a place of business at 5290 Concourse Drive, Roanoke,
Virginia (hereinafter referred to as "OCC"), and Neil D. Wilkin, Jr.,
(hereinafter referred to as "Wilkin").

WHEREAS, OCC desires to employ Wilkin and Wilkin desires to accept such
employment upon the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein
contained, OCC employs Wilkin and Wilkin accepts employment upon the following
terms and conditions:

1.   EMPLOYMENT AND DUTIES: Wilkin is employed as Senior VP and Chief Financial
     Officer of OCC. Wilkin hereby agrees to abide by the terms and conditions
     of this Agreement. Wilkin shall report directly to the President and CEO.
     The authority, duties and responsibilities of Wilkin shall include those
     duties as may be assigned to Wilkin by the President and CEO from time to
     time. While employed hereunder, Wilkin shall devote reasonable time and
     attention during normal business hours to the affairs of OCC and use his
     best efforts to perform faithfully and efficiently his duties and
     responsibilities.

2.   TERM AND RENEWAL: The term of this Agreement shall begin on September 1,
     2001 and shall terminate on August 31, 2003. At end of the initial term
     (and each renewal term, if any), this Agreement will automatically renew
     for an additional 2-year term unless one of the parties provides the other
     party with written notice indicating the intention not to renew this
     Agreement at least 6 months prior to the end of such term.

3.   COMPENSATION: For all services rendered by Wilkin, OCC shall pay Wilkin
     $120,000 annualsalary, payable in equal monthly installments on the first
     business day of each month during which Wilkin is employed, commencing on
     October 1, 2001.

     Plus, a monthly bonus equal to .0009 of the monthly sales which are
     adjusted for point of sale and payable on the 15/th/ of the following
     month.

     Plus, a lump sum year end bonus equal to the sum of the twelve fiscal year
     monthly bonuses, payable on or around January 15/th/ of the following year.

4.   STOCK OPTIONS: The terms and conditions of stock options granted to Wilkin
     are governed by the documents evidencing such options and are not intended
     to be addressed in this Agreement.

5.   TERMINATION: This Agreement shall terminate automatically upon the earliest
     of any of the following events and no act, failure to act (except as
     otherwise provided in this Agreement), oral statement or representation of
     OCC or any of its directors, officers, agents or employees, whether
     contained in any employee handbook or otherwise, will be deemed a waiver by
     OCC of its rights hereunder unless expressly stated to the contrary:

     a.   expiration of the term (including renewals, if any);
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     b.   OCC's termination of Wilkin without Cause (as defined below), provided
          that OCC has given Wilkin 30-days prior written notice;

     c.   resignation by Wilkin other than for Good Reason (as defined below),
          provided that Wilkin has given OCC 30-days prior written notice;

     d.   death of Wilkin (effective on the last day of the month in which death
          occurs);

     e.   the inability of Wilkin to perform substantially all of his duties
          hereunder by reason of illness, physical, mental or emotional
          disability or other incapacity, which inability shall continue for
          more than four successive months or six months in the aggregate during
          any period of 12 consecutive months; provided that OCC has given
          Wilkin written notice at or before the end of such period Wilkin does
          not return to work on a full-time basis; or

     f.   OCC's termination of Wilkin for Cause, provided that OCC has given
          Wilkin written notice. For purposes of this Agreement, "Cause" shall
          mean:

           i.   Wilkin's material breach of this Agreement, which breach is not
                cured within 30 days of receipt by Wilkin of notice from OCC
                specifying the breach; orii. Wilkin's gross negligence in the
                performance of his material duties hereunder, intentional
                nonperformance or misperformance of such duties, or refusal to
                abide by or comply with the directives of the Board, his
                superior officers, or the OCC's policies and procedures
                (including nondiscrimination and sexual harassment), which
                actions continue for a period of at least 30 days after receipt
                by Wilkin of written notice of the need to cure or cease; or

           ii.  Wilkin's willful dishonesty, fraud, or misconduct with respect
                to the business or affairs of OCC, that in the reasonable
                judgment of the Board of Directors materially and adversely
                affects the operations or reputation of OCC; or

           iii. Wilkin's conviction of a felony or other crime involving moral
                turpitude (whether or not in connection with his employment); or

           iv.  failure of Wilkin to pass any drug or alcohol test administered
                in accordance with OCC's substance abuse policies.

     g.   resignation by Wilkin for Good Reason with 3D-days prior written
          notice. For purposes of this Agreement, "Good Reason" shall mean:

           i.   a change in reporting relationships such that Wilkin no longer
                directly reports to the President and CEO of OCC; or

           ii.  a material diminution in the nature or scope of Wilkin's powers,
                duties or responsibilities to a level below that which would
                ordinarily be assigned to an executive officer serving as Senior
                Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, without Wilkin's
                prior written consent; or

           iii. failure by OCC to provide Wilkin with the compensation and
                benefits in accordance with the terms of this Agreement; or

           iv.  relocation of OCC's principal executive offices to a location
                outside a thirty (30) mile radius of Roanoke, VA; or
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          v.    willful dishonesty, fraud, or misconduct with respect to the
                business or affairs of OCC by the Board of Directors or Wilkin's
                superior officers, that in the reasonable judgment of Wilkin
                materially and adversely affect the operations or reputation of
                OCC.

6.   EFFECT OF TERMINATION: Except as expressly set forth below, OCC shall have
     no further obligations to Wilkin under this Agreement after the termination
     of his employment hereunder:

     a.   Termination For Cause. If Wilkin is terminated for Cause by OCC, as
          defined in Section 5(f) above, OCC shall pay to Wilkin his salary and
          pro rata bonuses earned through the date of termination.

     b.   Resignation by Wilkin without Good Reason. If this Agreement is
          terminated by the resignation of Wilkin without Good Reason, OCC shall
          pay to Wilkin his salary and pro rata bonuses earned through the date
          of termination.

     c.   Termination without Cause, upon Death or Disability, or Resignation
          for Good Reason. If this Agreement is terminated for any of the
          reasons stated in Sections 5(b), (d),(e) or (g), OCC shall pay to
          Wilkin his salary and pro rata bonuses earned through the date
          of termination, as well as a severance payment equal to six (6) months
          salary (including bonuses), less applicable withholdings, payable in
          the same manner as during Wildin's employment.

7.   RELOCATION: Upon accepting employment with OCC, Wilkin will be paid a one-
     time relocation bonus of $15,000.00.

8.   PATENT RIGHTS: Wilkin's interest in any and all inventions or improvements
     made or conceived by him, or which he may make or conceive at any time
     after the commencement of and until the termination of his employment with
     OCC, either individually or jointly with others, which relate to the
     business conducted by or planned to be conducted by OCC as reasonably
     determined by OCC, shall be the exclusive property of OCC, its successors,
     assignees or nominees. He will make full and prompt disclosure in writing
     to an officer or official of OCC, or to anyone designated for that purpose
     by OCC, of all inventions or improvements made or conceived by him during
     the term of his employment. At the request and expense of OCC, and without
     further compensation to him, Wilkin will for all inventions or improvements
     which may be patentable, do all lawful acts and execute and acknowledge any
     and all letters and/or patents in the United States of America and foreign
     countries for any of such inventions and improvements, and for vesting in
     OCC the entire right, title and interest thereto. As used in this
     Agreement, "inventions or improvements" means discoveries, concepts, and
     ideas, whether patentable or not, relating to any present or prospective
     activities of OCC, including, but not limited to, devices, processes,
     methods, formulae, techniques, and any improvements to the foregoing.

9.   CONFIDENTIALLY; DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION: Since the work for which Wilkin
     is employed and upon which he shall be engaged, will include trade secrets
     and confidential information of OCC or its customers, Wilkin receive such
     trade secrets and confidential information in confidence and shall not,
     except as required in the conduct of OCC's business, publish or disclose,
     or make use of or authorize anyone else to publish, disclose, or make use
     of any such secrets or information unless and until such secrets or
     information shall have ceased to be secret or confidential as evidenced by
     public knowledge. This prohibition as to publication and disclosures shall
     not restrict him in the exercise of his technical skill, provided that the
     exercise of such skill does not involve the disclosure to others not
     authorized to receive trade secret or confidential information of OCC or
     its customers. As used in this Agreement, "trade secrets and confidential
     information" includes any formula, pattern device or compilation of
     information used in the business of OCC or its customers for which OCC
     derives independent economic value by
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     affording OCC opportunity to obtain advantage over competitors who do not
     know or use such information; the term includes, but is not limited to,
     devices and processes, whether patentable or not, compilations of
     information such as customer lists, business and marketing plans, and
     pricing information where certain of the information involved is generally
     known or available but where the compilation, organization or use of the
     information is not generally known and is of significance to the business
     of OCC or its customers. The provisions of this paragraph (nine) 9 shall
     apply throughout the period of Wilkin's employment with OCC, and
     thereafter.

10.  NON-COMPETE: Wilkin covenants and agrees that during the term of his
     employment with OCC (as employee, consultant or otherwise) and for the
     twelve (12) consecutive months immediately following termination of that
     employment by either party for any reason he will not directly or
     indirectly own or have an ownership interest in, render services similar to
     those he is providing hereunder to, or work in the same or similar capacity
     in which he is employed hereunder for any business which competes with OCC
     or is engaged in the same or similar business conducted by OCC during the
     period of Wilkin's employment with OCC; nor will he call on, solicit or
     deal with any customers or prospective customer of OCC learned about or
     developed during Wilkin's employment with OCC for twelve (12) consecutive
     months immediately following termination of that employment by either party
     for any reason. This Agreement shall apply to Wilkin as an individual for
     his own account, as a partner or joint venturer, as an employee, agent
     salesman or consultant for any person or entity, as an officer, director or
     shareholder.

11.  RETURN OF OCC PROPERTY: Immediately upon the termination of his employment
     with OCC, Wilkin will turn over to OCC all keys, passwords, computers,
     notes, memoranda, notebooks,drawings, records, documents, and all computer
     program source listings, object files, and executable images or other
     information or materials obtained from OCC or developed or modified by him
     as part of his work for OCC which are in his possession or under his
     control, whether prepared by him or others, relating to any work done for
     OCC or relating in any way to the business of OCC or its customers, it
     being acknowledged that all such items are the sole property of OCC.

12.  BENEFITS: Wilkin shall be entitled to such vacation and benefits of OCC as
     OCC may from time to time establish for employees of similar positions,
     responsibilities and seniority; provided that Wilkin will receive at least
     3 weeks vacation per year.

13.  BINDING ON OTHER PARTIES: This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to
     the benefit of Wilkin, his heirs, executors and administrators, and shall
     be binding upon and inure to the benefit of OCC and its successors and
     assigns.

14.  ENFORCEMENT AND REMEDIES: This Agreement shall be enforced and construed in
     accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

     Each party acknowledges that in the event of a breach or threatened breach
     of the confidentiality or non-compete provisions set out in paragraphs 9
     and 10 of the Agreement, damages at law will be inadequate and injunctive
     relief is appropriate in addition to whatever damages may be recoverable.
     Wilkin agrees to pay the costs, including attorneys fees incurred by OCC in
     enforcing the provisions of paragraphs 9 and 10.

     Each and all of the several rights and remedies contained in or arising by
     reason of this Agreement shall be construed as cumulative and no one of
     them shall be exclusive of any other or of any right or priority allowed by
     law or equity.

15.  NOTICES: Any notice required or desired to be given under this Agreement
     shall be deemed given if in writing sent by U.S. Mail to his last known
     residence in the case of Wilkin or to its principal office in the case of
     OCC.
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16.  SEVERABILITY: It is understood and agreed that, should any portion of any
     clause or paragraph of this Agreement be deemed too broad to permit
     enforcement to its full extent, then such restriction shall be enforced to
     the maximum extent permitted by law, and the parties hereby consent and
     agree that such scope may be modified accordingly in a proceeding brought
     to enforce such restriction. Further, it is agreed that, should any
     provision in the Agreement be entirely unenforceable, the remaining
     provisions of this Agreement shall not be affected.

17.  ASSIGNMENT: Wilkin may not transfer, pledge, encumber, assign, anticipate,
     or alienate all or any part of this Agreement.

18.  PRIOR AGREEMENT; MODIFICATION: No modifications or waiver of this
     Agreement, or of any provision thereof, shall be valid or binding, unless
     in writing and executed by both parties hereto. No waiver by either party
     of any breach of any term or provision of this Agreement shall be construed
     as a waiver of any succeeding breach of the same or any other term or
     provision.

WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first
written above.


/s/ Neil D. Wilkin, Jr
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Neil D. Wilkin, Jr.



Optical Cable Corporation

By:  /s/ Robert Kopstein
     ---------------------------
     Robert Kopstein
     President and Chief Executive Officer