Broadband, mobile and wireless technology has changed the face of both business and home life – with major telecommunications companies such as BT, Virgin Media, Orange and O2 integrating services to provide a range of communications products (TV, radio, telephone, broadband) through one access portal.
Driven by these enormous advances in communications technology, the telecoms industry offers a huge wealth of IT job opportunities, in terms of the skills required and the roles within it.
Opportunities
There are approximately 8,500 businesses in the UK manufacturing telecoms products and providing telecoms services.
With the pace of growth in the telecoms sector, companies are continually looking to develop and improve their services to stay ahead of competitors. And to do that, they require skilled programmers to develop new systems.
Trained IT maintenance experts are equally as essential, particularly to ensure a good ‘always-on’ service for customers.
Work environment
As a technology-focused industry, if you become involved in cutting edge telecoms developments there is ample opportunity to learn advanced skills and put them to the test in a dynamic working environment.
Ranging from mobile phone to internet providers, telecommunication companies often rely on IT systems for their marketing, information management, service maintenance and more.
Many frequently require technicians with a strong knowledge of systems like voice over internet protocols, interactive voice recognition or call centre technology for such activities as conference calling and instant messaging.
Skills
Frequently, qualifications and/or a degree will be required by employers and new programming skills such as PHP are increasingly sought after – in particular, to help realise commercial opportunities through new and improved products and services.
The telecoms industry includes the work of engineers and IT-trained professionals on a technical side. The constantly evolving equipment requires skilled IT technicians to install, test and maintain the products and their systems. And, as telecommunications is all about connecting people quickly, efficiently and reliably, advancements in technology need to be met with unparalleled service levels and up time.
Having an awareness of current trends in the telecoms industry is important as it's a fast paced and ever-changing area. Being so similar to the IT sector, an aptitude for problem solving and thinking logically is vital, as are strong communication and team working skills
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