Telecommunications Technologist

In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.

The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used. Here is how this occupation has been classified over time:

• 2006 NOC: Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technologists (2241.1) 
• 2006 NOC-S: Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technologists and Technicians (C141) 
• 2011 NOC: Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians (2241) 

Telecommunications technologists work with devices and systems. These systems involve the transmission and reception of information and include:

• the coming together of voice, digital data, and video (broadcast and cable)
• fibre optics and optical networking
• wireless communications (such as radio, television, satellite, microwave, cellular)
• voice-over internet protocol or VOIP (a method of moving voice conversation over the internet)
• computers and associated devices
• local and wide area networks (LANs and WANs)
• broadband technologies
• traditional telephone systems (switching, transmission, and multiplexing technologies)
• power supplies (for use with IT and telecommunications products).

Telecommunications technologists may:

• manage and maintain IT networks
• design, install, and maintain fibre-optic communication networks
• manufacture telecommunications devices and systems
• do technical sales and represent telecommunications systems products (to learn more, see the Technical Sales Representative occupational profile).

Duties vary. In general, telecommunications technologists:

• research, design, study, introduce, manage, and integrate telecommunications systems and equipment
• plan, draw, and study analog and digital electronic circuits related to telecommunications systems
• assist in the production and quality control of telecommunications systems and products
• roll out software upgrades and hardware expansions for telecommunications and information processing networks
• prepare and present business and technical reports and plans.

Telecommunications technologists may work in offices, workshops, or production departments. Some work in equipment areas that may be in sheltered or unsheltered settings. Some may have to travel (when commissioning or maintaining equipment).

They may have to lift equipment weighing up to 20 kilograms.

Technologists’ hours of work vary. They may have to work evenings, weekends, and holidays. They may have to work overtime to meet deadlines or deal with emergencies.

Telecommunications technologists need to possess:

• aptitude for math and science
• analytical and problem-solving skills
• leadership ability
• patience and persistence
• the ability to manage time well
• speaking and writing skills
• fine-motor skills and good hand-eye co-ordination
• the ability to work on their own and as part of a team
• the ability to work under deadline pressure
• customer-service skills
• a commitment to lifelong learning.

They should enjoy:

• working with tools, equipment, instruments, and machinery at precise tasks
• studying problems and finding creative solutions
• taking a step-by-step approach to building and testing systems
• supervising others.

Telecommunications technologists work for:

• cable and satellite communication companies
• wireless and fibre optic companies
• public and private telecommunications companies
• federal, provincial, and municipal governments
• colleges, universities, and technical institutes
• companies in the oil and gas industry
• private contracting and consulting organizations
• personal consulting services
• IT manufacturers, service providers, and data centres
• telephone common carriers.

With time on the job technologists may advance to become supervisors or managers.

Telecommunications technologists are part of the larger 2011 National Occupational Classification 2241: Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians. In Alberta, 75% of people employed in this classification work in the following industries:

• Professional, Scientific and Technical Services [pdf]
• Manufacturing [pdf]
• Construction [pdf]
• Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction [pdf]
• Utilities [pdf]
• Information, Culture and Recreation [pdf]
• Public Administration [pdf].

The employment outlook [pdf] in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including:

• trends and events that affect overall employment (especially in the industries listed above)
• location in Alberta
• employment turnover (work opportunities that come up when people leave existing positions)
• occupational growth (work opportunities that come up when new positions are created)
• size of the occupation.

In Alberta, the C141: Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technologists and Technicians occupational group is expected to have a below-average annual growth of 1.3% from 2016 to 2020. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 77 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.

Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.

Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) website: www.apega.ca

Association of Science and Engineering Technology Professionals of Alberta (ASET) website: www.aset.ab.ca

For more information on career planning, education and jobs call the Alberta Supports Contact Centre toll-free at 1-877-644-9992 or 780-644-9992 in Edmonton, or visit an Alberta Supports Centre near you.