We get seamless service on our mobile device, access 3G or 4G data and download apps. However, do we ever wonder about the high level back-end infrastructure that makes all this work or the people involved in running this infrastructure or laying the telecom cables through which we access this network, who test the networks and ensure there is no latency? However, some telecom experts feel that as we are moving to faster networks such as 4G or even 5G, a lot of reskilling is required to ensure that the telecom infrastructure is up and running and maintained well so that there is lesser downtime, call drops etc in the system.
“Our telecom industry is well into the 21st century and today's telecom jobs are vastly different than they were a generation ago,” said Ninad Desai, district chair, Building Industry Consulting Service International (BICSI) India. “A telecom professional having knowledge and understanding of only a specific area could survive easily around a decade back. However, it’s a different story altogether in this changeable and unpredictable world. Most of the telecom service providers these days are just interested in launching new services such as 4G or are looking forward to 5G. They are least bothered about the back-end infrastructure as they have outsourced it to third party service providers. For such service providers, it is just a business and they are also not worried about the skill sets or improving the efficiency of their infrastructure.”
Apparently, BICSI is a professional association that supports the growing Information and Communications Technology (ICT) community and covers the spectrum of voice, data, electronic safety and security, project management and audio and video technologies. It provides information, education and knowledge assessment for individuals and companies in the ICT industry serving professionals, including designers, installers and technicians.
This telecom expert feels that medium and high skilled jobs in the telecom sector are expected to grow and are not really facing the same challenge although they would grow marginally. “The telecom jobs that are available today are for professionals who understand and build the telecom infrastructure for the 21st century. In telecom field, whether one is a fiber optic splicer, a technician, sales professional, project manager or a network infrastructure auditor, one thing is certain―job security lies in acquiring new skills throughout ones telecom career,” added Desai.
This expert is also of the viewpoint that if we have skilled telecom professionals they will be able to maintain telecom networks better and would efficiently lay the telecom cables and test them and do trouble shooting so that they provide optimum service to the end consumers.
“An efficient telecom infrastructure being run by skilled telecom professionals will result in lesser downtime and lesser call drops and would help the telecom service providers to offer more additional services on the same infrastructure,” said Desai.
