So you want to be a Telecommunications Engineer?You must be crazy!

About the Job

1. The pay...

Pay for telecommunications engineers varies depending on responsibility, experience and area of specialisation.

• Graduate telecommunications engineers usually earn between $40,000 and $50,000 a year.
• With two to five years' experience they usually earn between $50,000 and $70,000 a year.
• After five years, telecommunications engineers usually earn between $60,000 and $90,000 a year.
• As a senior specialist you may earn between $85,000 and $120,000

So here's the breakdown...at the time I was posting this, the shilling was quite stable. Which is regardless to say it held well against the dollar. So anyway...1 dollar retailed at Ksh.83.98 buying in the NSE.  So I broke it down and this is how much we are talking about:-

• Graduate telecommunications engineers usually earn between Kshs.3,357,600 and Kshs 4,199,000 a year.
• With two to five years' experience they usually earn between Kshs 4,199,000 and Kshs 5,878,600 a year.
• After five years, telecommunications engineers usually earn between Kshs 5,038,800 and Kshs 7,558,200 a year.
• As a senior specialist you may earn between Kshs 7,138,300 and Kshs 10,077,600

I took the liberty of further breaking that down to monthly income, and these are the figures as they stand:-

• Graduate telecommunications engineers usually earn between Kshs.279,800 and Kshs 349,917 a month.
• With two to five years' experience they usually earn between Kshs 349,917 and Kshs 489,883 a year.
• After five years, telecommunications engineers usually earn between Kshs 419,900 and Kshs 629,850 a year.
• As a senior specialist you may earn between Kshs 594,858 and Kshs 839,800...

Unbelievable!! Right? So my dear friends in this field, there is light at the end of the tunnel...but unfortunately the tunnel is 5 years long. The rewards, however, are worth every step we take in this journey.


2. What you will do...

Telecommunications engineers may do some or all of the following:-

• Analyse customer needs and requirements.
• Design telecommunications equipment and systems, and keep them up to date.
• Test equipment for faults, and repair faulty equipment.
• Make sure new equipment meets government regulations.
• Build and test prototypes of new equipment.
• Advise on building materials and costs.
• Prepare and present reports and proposals on telecommunication-related problems.
• Supervise the installation and use of telecommunications equipment.
• Provide training for company staff once new equipment has been installed.

3. Skills and knowledge...

 Telecommunications engineers need to have:

• Knowledge of electronics, communication systems and mechanics.
• Up-to-date knowledge of engineering methods, technology and industry trends.
• An understanding of telecommunication rules and standards.
• Design skills, and skill in interpreting drawings and designs.

4. Working conditions...

Telecommunications engineers:-

• Work regular business hours, but due to deadlines they often have to work evenings and weekends. They may be on call, depending on the company they work for.
• Work in offices and laboratories, and outside on sites supervising the installation of equipment or performing tests.
• May travel locally to fix faults and maintain network equipment.

So get yourselves on the go engineers....this is what you have to be to thrive and survive in today's and tomorrow's competitive world.