This is another daunting question we receive daily from our readers. They keep asking, ‘Is telecommunications equipment a good career path?’ Is this also one of the questions troubling your mind? Then you should get ready to find the answer you seek in this post.
A career decision is a very important one in life. It has the power to shape your future. Choosing the wrong career path can cause a lot of issues for you in the future. However, choosing a career path can be a daunting task, especially when you don’t have the proper guidance to help you decide.
But the telecommunications equipment industry is growing, providing lots of job opportunities and career growth options. And from the look of things, it doesn’t seem to be going away soon. But you don’t have to take our words for it. Let’s take a deeper look into the industry and see what prospects lie there for you.
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Is Telecommunications Equipment A Good Career Path?
The simple answer to the question is YES! Because of the high global demand in the industry, it offers a wide range of job openings every year. This doesn’t seem like it’s going to reduce soon either. The telecom industry has been around for centuries and will continue to grow as long as humans rely on telecommunication.
Technology is improving by the day, and more innovations are coming on board to make the industry even more fantastic. If you prefer to have a career path in an industry where you are at the center of happenings, then picking up one in the telecommunications equipment will be good for you.
Although salary varies in the industry too, based on education and experience levels, the average annual salary for telecommunication equipment installers and repairers was about $53,680 as of 2014. That is to show how lucrative jobs in the industry can also be.
What Exactly Do You Need To Know About Telecommunications Equipment?
In case you don’t even understand the industry at all, that is the first thing you should do before asking, ‘is telecommunications equipment a good career path.’ So, let’s take a quick look at what it is exactly.
Telecommunications equipment or infrastructure is basically used to refer to any hardware used in the telecommunications process. This includes a wide range of communication technologies such as wires, switches, cables, telecom towers, voice over internet protocols, and smartphones.
You cannot separate the telecommunications sector from telecommunications equipment. It is the very core part of it. Without the equipment, telecommunication services would be impossible. That means that as the telecommunication sector grows, so will the telecommunications equipment industry. Because of the high demand in the industry, there is also a high demand for technicians that understands both software and hardware of the technology.
That means if job opportunities are one of the reasons you are asking, ‘is telecommunications equipment a good career path,’ you can bet the answer is yes.
What Type of Work Do Telecommunications Equipment Professionals Do?
If you would like to be a telecommunications equipment professional and ask, ‘is telecommunications equipment a good career path,’ you should know the kind of work you would likely be doing in the industry. Telecommunications equipment professionals have different works they do.
For instance, installers and repairers, who are also referred to as technicians, specialize in installing and maintaining equipment that transmits communication signals. They also join phone lines and connect to the internet. But engineers, on the other hand, deal with more sophisticated tasks and repairs. And that is why they are often paid more.
However, regardless of your job role in the industry, you can be sure you are as important as any other position in the telecommunications equipment industry.
What Education Requirements Do You Need For the Telecommunications Equipment Industry?
While discussing the topic, ‘is telecommunications equipment a good career path,’ we should tell you some things you need to get started in the industry. Important among them is your educational qualifications. To occupy a major role in such a lucrative industry as the telecommunications equipment industry, you will need a bachelor’s or master’s degree.
If you study courses related to telecommunications, you will also have a higher chance of landing major roles like engineers or technicians. Furthermore, to become a telecom technician, you will need post-secondary school training in telecommunications, computer networking, and electronics.
Are There Enough Jobs Available In the Telecommunications Equipment Industry?
The answer is yes. There is a wide range of job openings available in the industry. In fact, more than 10,000 positions always open in telecommunications equipment every year. According to Deloitte, more than 370,000 new jobs will become available in the telecommunications equipment industry in the next few years.
To drive this a little bit home, let’s see some of the job positions available in telecommunications equipment:
- Telecommunication manager
- Telecommunication technician
- Data analyst
- Computer programmer
- Telecommunication operator
- Telecommunication specialist
- VoIP engineer
- Cable installer
- Customer service representative
These are just a few of the job positions you will likely meet in the telecommunications equipment industry. In the later part of this post, we will talk more about some more positions and how much they make per year. You can now see that you don’t need to be asking, ‘is telecommunications equipment a good career path’; just get right into it if you have an interest in the industry. You likely won’t regret it.
How Much Does A Telecommunications Equipment Professional Make?
This is another important question. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary of all telecommunication professionals is around $74,130, and the highest earner among them are the ones occupying the engineering roles.
However, you should know that the amount you can make per year in the industry depends on some factors. Among them are the company you are working with, your educational qualification, experience, skills, etc. However, it doesn’t matter what position you apply for; you can be sure of having a rewarding career in the telecommunications equipment industry.
Is Telecommunications Equipment a Good Career Path; Skills You Need to Get Started In the Industry
Skills matter a lot in this industry. You can easily transport yourself to the top if you have the right skills. You need to have an in-depth understanding of the various components that make up the sector. If the industry sounds interesting to you and you would like to pursue a career there, here are some skills you would need to have in your stash.
- Computer skills: any role in the industry would require that you have basic computer skills.
- Programming skills: This is a skill that is always in high demand in the industry. Having it can give you an edge in the sector and help you achieve the best in your telecommunications equipment industry career.
- Soft skills: Apart from having the necessary technical skills, you also need to equip yourself with some soft skills. Important ones are leadership skills, communication skills, team working skills, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking skills. All these would be of great benefit to you as you journey in the sector.
- IT support skills: This involves maintaining, troubleshooting, supporting, and implementing different communications networks, such as WAN, LAN, WLAN, MAN, etc.
- Commercial awareness: companies love to hire someone that is aware of their environment. You should know the trends in the industry. Know the latest developments happening in the sector and many more.
What Are Some Top Paying Jobs In Telecommunications Equipment?
The best-paying jobs in the sector are:
- Antenna engineer – earns about $132,000 per year
- Site reliability engineer – earns up to $123,250 every year
- VoIP engineer – earns an average of $122,923 per year
- Telecom engineer – earns around $96,179 annually
- System manager – earns around $88,169 per year
- Telecom specialist – earns up to $86,690 per year
- Telecom manager – earns about $79,796 per annum
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