Telecommunications equipment installation and cable television service technicians
Career Overview
Telecommunications equipment installation:
- Install, test, maintain and repair telephones, telephone switching equipment and telecommunications equipment related to transmission and processing of voice, video signals and other data over a variety of media including fibre optics, microwave, radio and satellite
- Work for telephone and other telecommunications transmission service companies
Cable television service technicians:
- Install, maintain and repair cable and satellite television, internet signal and associated equipment in homes and commercial buildings
- Work for cable and satellite television companies
Job Titles
Duties
Telephone installers and repairers:
- Install, arrange, remove and maintain telephone equipment, wiring and associated hardware
- Test installed telephone systems to locate transmission faults
- Repair or replace defective and damaged telephones, wire and associated equipment
Switch network installers and repairers:
- Install electromechanical, analog and digital trunking systems, circuits and equipment in telecommunications central offices and switching centres
- Inspect and test trunking systems, circuits and equipment
- Analyze test results and adjust, change or repair switching system, network, associated equipment and software
Telecommunications service testers:
- Operate computerized testing systems to conduct service tests on customer lines and equipment
- Determine the nature, cause and location of service trouble
- Initiate the dispatch of appropriate repair personnel
- Complete test reports and maintain test and service records
- May assist repair personnel to test lines, circuits and systems, isolate and clear cable faults and verify records
Telecommunications equipment technicians:
- Install, remove and maintain various telecommunications equipment and related systems such as telex and facsimile machines, teletypewriters, mobile radios, cellular telephones, pagers and other related telecommunications equipment
- Configure operating systems and install software for access to the internet
- Inspect and test operation of telecommunications equipment
- Diagnose and locate equipment faults
- Adjust, replace or repair telecommunications equipment
Cable television service technicians:
- Communicate with subscribers and company employees to determine work assignments
- Connect, disconnect and relocate cable outlets, install splitters, converters, decoders, satellite and pay TV equipment, and install other cable hardware and systems at subscriber's premises
- Install cable modems and software to enable Internet access at subscriber's premises
- Inspect, test and repair cable and satellite television signals and associated equipment at subscriber's premises
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
2,120% Employed Full Time
70%Key aspects of the work in this occupation:
- Work takes place in a normal inside work environment
- Work can also takes place outdoors so workers may be exposed to various weather conditions
- Working with equipment, machinery or power/hand tools may be a source of injury
- Exposure to electrical circuitry, high tension wires, transformers or other equipment in the workplace may be a source of electrical shock
Career Pathways
Progression to supervisory positions for cable television service technician is possible with experience.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
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For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- Completion of secondary school is required.
- Telephone and switch network installers and repairers require completion of an apprenticeship program ranging from three to four years
or
A combination of over three years work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry related courses. - Cable television service technicians require completion of a college program in electronics
or
A combination of college, correspondence or industry courses related to electronics and electrical systems and on-the-job training
or
Completion of a four-year cable television technician apprenticeship program - Telecommunications equipment technicians usually require completion of a college electrical and electronics program and several months of on-the-job training
or
Completion of a three- or four-year apprenticeship training program. - Trade certification for communication technicians is available, but voluntary, in Nova Scotia, Alberta, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut
- Experience as an installer and repairer (telephone and switch network) is usually required for service testers
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Electrical, Electronic & Communications Engineering
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
2,120Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 105 | 5.0% |
| Kootenay | 50 | 2.4% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,355 | 64.1% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 35 | 1.7% |
| Northeast | 10 | 0.5% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 210 | 9.9% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 350 | 16.5% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
820Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 30 | 0.7% |
| Kootenay | 20 | 3.9% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 600 | 1.2% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 0 | -1.7% |
| Northeast | Not available | Not available |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 60 | 0.7% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 100 | 0.1% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Information, Culture and Recreation | 430 |
| Construction | 240 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 60 |
| Public Administration | 20 |
| Retail Trade | 20 |
Resources
-
Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC (ASTTBC)www.asttbc.org
-
Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists (CCTT)www.cctt.ca
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