Career file: Telecommunications engineer

Telecommunication engineers ensure that communication facilities are in good working order.
What will I do?

Tele is Greek for distant. A telecommunications engineers main responsibilities thus revolve around facilitating the communication of information between two locations over distances, both large and small. Telecommunications engineers, in the course of their work, can be involved in various mediums such as fibre optics, copper wire and radio waves. The tasks youre entrusted with will depend on the medium you choose to specialise in. Many telecommunications engineers are also involved in network planning. Essentially, their job is to ensure that everyone wanting to make a phone call using mobile phones or land lines will be able to get a strong signal strength that will last for the entire duration of the call. With new technological developments, the boundaries between engineering fields continue to blur. Data communications, for example, is a field that includes both telecommunications and computing. If youre involved with data communications, you may be responsible for the planning of a companys networking needs. This may range from establishing a companys intranet to planning the companys Internet connections, which may even involve planning for WiFi hotspots within the companys offices.

Is it for me?

What subjects would I need to be good at to become a telecommunications engineer? Mathematics, physics and perhaps information technology. You should also have fairly good language skills. What type of personality is best suited to this profession?

You should enjoy a good technical challenge, and be willing to work within a team to solve these challenges. Strong communications and leadership skills will be required in order to be successful in this field.
How much will I earn?

How much you earn will depend on the type of company you work for. Average starting monthly salaries for fresh graduate engineers in Malaysia would be approximately RM 2,200-RM3,200. However, engineers do not remain on the technical side of the business forever. Many move up the ranks into managerial positions, and these positions will naturally command higher pay packets.
Who will employ me?
In Malaysia, telecommunications engineers work for various mobile service providers (like Maxis, Celcom and DiGi), and fixed line service providers (like Telekom Malaysia). Some engineers will also find work at broadcasting companies like RTM, private television stations (like 8TV and NTV7) and also ASTRO. Other engineers may work in companies that produce electronic equipment for communications (like Motorola, ON Semiconductors and Intel) or even in computer networking equipment companies (like Cisco).

Interesting facts! Marchese Guglielmo Marconi (1874-1937) was a famous telecommunications engineer. He pioneered radio frequency telecommunications and is often credited as being the father of wireless communications. Telecommunications engineers work in one of the fastest developing areas of technology. The birth of modern telecommunications started with the invention of the telegraph. Today, telecommunications includes interplanetary communications, like those between the Mars Rovers and antennas on Earth.
A word of advice

Dr Sashigaran Sivathasan, senior lecturer at Curtin University of Technology (Sarawak Campus) advises students to learn more about this exciting career by talking to practising telecommunications engineers. It is a rewarding career, both financially and professionally.