Cabling jobs in the telecommunications industry range from basic cable pulling/laying to data engineering, and there are many other related jobs besides.
Job opportunities and key skills
The most basic of these is cable pulling, which entails winching a cable into existing ducting for installation purposes. Staff who take part in this type of employment should be able to read technical diagrams and must hold a CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) card. Wages for this type of job are around the £9-£11 per hour mark. Cable laying has similar pay, but involves laying lines of cable into a trench in the ground.
Data engineers are expected to be able to install cables using different types of installation methods, to terminate cables, perform tests and labelling as well as diagnose issues in conjunction with other telecommunications equipment, and perform fault rectification. Customer service skills are also useful for this type of role. They should also usually hold a CSCS card. Salaries for this type of job are normally between £21,000 p.a. and £28,000 p.a.
Qualifications and entry requirements
Although cable pulling and laying requires no formal qualifications beyond the CSCS card, data engineers should have at least a BTEC in Electronics/Telecommunications Engineering, and in any related jobs, recruitment agencies and employers would look on this in a positive light.