If you want a life devoted to continual change and involvement in cutting-edge technology, consider a career in telecommunications. It’s a huge, highly competitive and rapidly changing industry which offers varied career options for graduates.

Advances in telecommunications

Over the next few years there will be a move away from circuit-switched voice networks to a system that works completely through the internet.

With voice, data, images, television and the internet all now available from mobile phones, the industry will require highly innovative people to take the next steps forward in this competitive environment.

At the same time, broadcasting is also going digital as all of these technologies gradually merge.

Graduate jobs in telecommunications

The main graduate employers in this vast global industry are the telecommunications companies, internet service providers and equipment manufacturers.

As well as the technical jobs on offer, graduate opportunities are also available in planning, sales, marketing, customer service, finance and human resources.

Because of our dependency on telecommunications, when things go wrong users demand a speedy and efficient response. So the industry needs hard-working people in all departments.

Technical jobs cover design, manufacture (although much of this is done outside the UK), installation, testing and maintenance. Some engineers devote their efforts to developing and designing new services.

Graduates who work in the commercial side of the business must sell novel systems to their business and personal customers in the face of strong competition.

Security systems provide important opportunities, with cameras linked to telephone systems and mobile phones being used to track potential criminals. It’s also a challenging area, with problems such as the theft of mobile phones, computer hackers and spam merchants.

The number of jobs that relate to telecommunications security are rising: the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) is one significant recruiter.

Companies that maintain and develop their own telephone networks, such as international banks, have also recruited more people in to their technology departments over the past few years, and this is set to continue.

Graduate-job descriptions

• Electronic designer
• Field manager
• Hardware designer
• Network designer
• Network engineer / manager
• Product manager
• Radio frequency engineer
• Telecoms researcher

Skills you will need

Much of the work in this sector is project-based and recruiters are particularly keen on soft skills like teamwork, communication problem-solving and commercial awareness.

All applicants are expected to demonstrate evidence of these skills, so prepare to show that you have them when you complete your application forms and be ready to expand on this at interview.

Many companies in the telecommunications industry offer internships to students still completing their studies, and some provide broad training for new graduate recruits.

A growing number, however, insist that when you apply you have a clear idea of the job function in which you wish to start.