EXHIBIT 10.3


                        [OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION LOGO]


                            OPTICAL CABLE CORPORATION
                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

This  agreement  made  effective  November 1, 1998 by and between  Optical Cable
Corporation,  having a place  of  business  at 5290  Concourse  Drive,  Roanoke,
Virginia  (hereinafter  referred to as OCC), and Robert  Kopstein,  (hereinafter
referred to as Kopstein).

WHEREAS,  OCC desires to employ  Kopstein  and  Kopstein  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  Kopstein  and  Kopstein  accepts  employment  upon the
following terms and conditions:

1.   EMPLOYMENT AND DUTIES:  Kopstein is employed as President & Chief Executive
     Officer of OCC. Kopstein hereby agrees to abide by the terms and conditions
     of this Agreement.

2.   TERM: The term of this Agreement  shall begin on November 1, 1998 and shall
     terminate on the 31st day of October, 1999.

3.   STARTING DATE: This Agreement becomes effective November 1, 1998.

4.   COMPENSATION: For all services rendered by Kopstein, OCC shall pay Kopstein
     a salary,  payable  monthly,  equal to 1.0% of the previous fiscal year net
     sales and in order to stimulate the growth of OCC, OCC shall pay Kopstein a
     sales  commission  equal to 1.0% of the  positive  difference  between  the
     current  fiscal  year net sales and the prior  year net  sales.  Said sales
     commission  shall be paid  monthly and paid within 15 days after the end of
     the month.  Said sales  commission  shall be based on the difference in net
     sales between the period of  employment in the current  fiscal year and the
     corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.

5.   PATENT   RIGHTS:   Kopstein'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 by OCC, either individually or jointly with others, 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,
     Kopstein 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 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.

6.   CONFIDENTIALLY;  DISCLOSURE  OF  INFORMATION:  Since  the  work  for  which
     Kopstein is employed and upon which he shall be engaged, will include trade
     secrets and confidential

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Shipping Address:      Phone No. (540) 265-0690           Mailing Address:
5290 Concourse Drive   FAX      (540) 265-0724            P.O. Box 11967
Roanoke, VA  24019     Sales Dept. 1-800-622-7711         Roanoke, VA 24022-1967
USA                    Internet  http://www.occfiber.com  USA


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     information  of OCC or its  customers,  Kopstein  shall  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
     secret or confidential information of OCC or its customers. As used in this
     Agreement, (trade secrets and confidential information)  means any formula,
     pattern device or compilation of information used in the business of OCC or
     its  customers  which gives OCC or its customers an  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 much 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  6 shall  apply  throughout  the  period  of
     Kopstein's  employment  with  OCC and for  twelve  (12)  successive  months
     immediately  following  termination of that  employment by either party for
     any reason.

7.   NON-COMPETE:  Kopstein  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 his
     employment  by either  party for any  reason (i) he will not own or have an
     ownership  interest  in, or render  services  to, or work for any  business
     which  competes  with OCC or is  engaged  in the same or  similar  business
     conducted by OCC during the period of  Kopstein's  employment  with OCC, or
     such  business  OCC wishes to  conduct  within  three (3) months  following
     termination  of his  employment;  and (ii) he will not call on,  solicit or
     deal with any  customers or  prospective  customers of OCC learned about or
     developed during Kopstein's employment with OCC. This Agreement shall apply
     to Kopstein 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.

8.   RETURN OF OCC PROPERTY:  Immediately upon the termination of his employment
     with OCC, Kopstein will turn over to OCC all notes,  memoranda,  notebooks,
     drawings,  records,  documents,  and all computer  program source listings,
     object  files,  and  executable  images  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.

9.   BENEFITS:  Kopstein  shall be entitled to such vacation and benefits as OCC
     may  from  time to time  establish  for  employees  of  similar  positions,
     responsibilities and seniority.

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

11.  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 6
     and 7 of the  Agreement,  damages at law will be inadequate  and injunctive
     relief is appropriate in addition to whatever  damages may be  


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     recoverable.  Kopstein  agrees  to  pay  the  costs,  including  reasonable
     attorneys fees, incurred by OCC in enforcing the provisions of paragraphs 6
     and  7.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.  Nothing in this  Agreement  is intended to be in
     derogation  of the rights of either  party under or pursuant to any federal
     or state statute.

12.  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 Kopstein or to its principal office in the case of
     OCC.

13.  SEVERABILITY AND LIMITED ENFORCEABILITY:  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.

14.  ASSIGNMENT:  This Agreement and the rights and obligations  hereunder shall
     be deemed  unique and personal to Kopstein  and Kopstein may not  transfer,
     pledge, encumber,  assign,  anticipate, or alienate all or any part of this
     Agreement.

15.  PRIOR  AGREEMENTS;   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 of three  parties  hereto  (with a person
     other than Kopstein  acting on behalf of OCC). 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.

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

/s/ Deborah R. Griffith                           /s/ Robert Kopstein
----------------------------                      ----------------------------
WITNESS                                           Robert Kopstein

                                                   Optical Cable Corporation

                                                   By: /s/ Kenneth W. Harber
                                                      --------------------------
                                                       Kenneth W. Harber
                                                       Vice President of Finance


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