Jobs and Careers Summer 2023 - 297

TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Women in telecoms
Gender disparity is still a problem in the telecoms
industry. " Women make up an average of 35% of the
workforce across five leading telco organisations in the
UK, " says Roei Haberman, Head of TMT (Telco, Media
and Technology) at NTT DATA UK. " This points to a need
for change. Fortunately, the telecoms industry is
stepping up to the challenge, introducing impactful
initiatives to recruit and nurture female talent. "
One example is BT's TechWomen programme, which
has helped over 2,500 female technologists. " It builds
courage and promotes collaboration so that women can
support each other in reaching their career goals, " says
Rachel Higham, former Managing Director of IT at BT.
Meanwhile, Vodafone aims to become the best
employer for women by 2025. Its award-winning
ReConnect programme was set up to support women
returning to work after a career break, such as time out
to care for children, and recruit them into management
positions. Those on the programme benefit from flexible
working arrangements, support from a mentor, and
access to internal learning resources. Hundreds of
women have been recruited as part of the scheme.
Another important initiative is the WICT (Women In
Cable and Telecommunications) Network UK, which
collaborates with industry experts to host events and
offer networking opportunities for its members.
£25,000. With experience, in roles such
as principal planner and team leader,
salaries can reach £30,000 to £45,000.
Chief planning officers, heads of
departments and directors can earn
salaries of more than £55,000.
Companies rely on infrastructure
services to keep staff in touch with each
other and to communicate with customers
presentation and interpersonal skills
are all prized, and computer literacy,
self-motivation and customer service
expertise will help you succeed.
Employers often give training on how
to improve sales techniques, although
a charming personality certainly helps.
How much can I earn? Starting salaries
are around £15,000, but the sky's the
limit if you are dedicated - top sales
managers can sometimes make more
than £100,000 a year.
Network planner
You'll take care of the planning and
design of telecoms networks for business
customers, bringing in projects on time
and on budget. Liaising with business
customers, you'll visit their premises
and arrange surveys to make sure their
connectivity needs are met, and devise
solutions to help their businesses grow
and run more smoothly. You'll also be
providing information to internal
colleagues to help them devise better
services for your company's customers.
What qualifications and skills do I need?
Ideally, you'll have five GCSEs, including
maths, English and science, at grades 9-4
(A*-C). A Level 2 diploma in a related
field, such as IT, telecoms or electrics,
or previous experience working with
HFC or fibre networks, is a bonus when
applying for an apprenticeship, but
is not essential.
How much can I earn? Starting salaries
for graduate or assistant planners are
typically in the range of £18,000 to
Telecoms engineer
Engineers are responsible for installing
and maintaining infrastructure and
networks services and are key to any
telecoms business. They prepare
technical documentation, build and test
equipment and deliver services to
businesses. You can focus on fixed-line
or wireless technology - or become an
expert in both - and at a higher level, you
can specialise in the development and
design of new devices and hardware.
What qualifications and skills do I need?
You will be able to start at a higher level
if you have a degree in engineering or
a related subject, but you certainly
don't need one to be a success. You can
do an apprenticeship as a technician or
cable installer, and companies offer lots
of on-the-job training to ease your entry
into this industry. Computer literacy is
essential, and you'll need to demonstrate
initiative and analytical thinking - and be
good with people.
How much can I earn? Around £21,000
at entry level. If you become a chartered
engineer, you can earn at least £40,000,
and as much as £70,000.
Find out more
* BCS: The Chartered
Institute for IT
bcs.org
* Federation of
Communication Services
fcs.org.uk
* Technical Resources
technicalresources.co.uk
jobsandcareersmag.com /// JOBS & CAREERS /// 297
SERVICES & TECH
http://bcs.org http://fcs.org.uk http://technicalresources.co.uk http://jobsandcareersmag.com
Jobs and Careers Summer 2023

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