Trades & Services
Telecommunications Technician
Telecommunications technicians connect, carry out maintenance on, and repair communications equipment and cabling.
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Entry-level education
Apprenticeship or traineeship
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Job outlook
What does a Telecommunications Technician do?
Telecommunications technicians connect, carry out maintenance on, and repair communications equipment and cabling. Telecommunications technicians are more usually known as telecoms technicians.
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Work activities
As a telecommuncations technician you would:
- lay, connect and test underfloor or underground cabling
- install, test and repair fixed-line and mobile telephony networks, copper wire and fibre-optic cabling
- set up, rearrange, and replace routing and dialing equipment
- install and maintain antennae on communications masts or buildings
- work with specialist types of cabling
- adjust or calibrate equipment settings to improve performance
- keep records of maintenance, repairs, and installations
- demonstrate and explain the use of equipment to customers
- design and test telecommunications equipment.
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Key skills and interests
To become a telecommunications technician, you would need:
- the ability to read and interpret technical plans and circuit diagrams
- good practical and technical skills
- an understanding of electronics
- good colour vision
- manual dexterity
- problem-solving ability
- clear communication skills
- attention to detail.
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Working hours and conditions
Working Hours
As a telecommunications technician, you would usually work a standard number of hours per week. You may also be required to be on-call for out-of-hours emergencies.
Conditions
You would work indoors and outdoors. You may be required to work at heights. You would wear safety equipment or protective clothing when necessary.
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How to become an Telecommunications Technician?
Entry Level Education
To become a telecommunications technician you usually have to complete an apprenticeship or traineeship in Telecommunications, Data and Voice Communications, Telecommunications Radio Communications, Telecommunications Network Engineering or Telecommunications Networks Technology. Generally, employers require a junior secondary school certificate or equivalent.
Once you have completed your training you are required to register with an accredited Australian Communications and Media Authority registrar.
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Job outlook
Employment of telecommunications technicians is expected to grow over the next 3-5 years.
Employment of telecommunications technicians is currently being buoyed by the installation of Australia's National Broadband Network (NBN). However, employment is otherwise generally declining in the telecommunications industry, specifically in wired telecommunications carriers, who employ many of these workers. Consumers are increasingly demanding wireless and mobile services, which often require less installation than landline-based services.
This shift in demand means that once the NBN is completed in 2020, fewer telecommunications equipment installers are likely to be required. In addition, as equipment is becoming sturdier and requiring less repair, employment of telecommunications equipment technicians may decline further.
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