You were the kid spelling out VoIP and PBX with your breakfast cereal. Instead of earning your mom's death stare by coming home covered in mud and grass stains, you earned it by taking apart the family computer and almost putting it all back together again. Connecting electronic stuff and getting it all to speak the same language got you jazzed, and it still does. If that sounds like you, you have the makings of an excellent telecommunications technician.

New and changing technology has been the hallmark of your generation. Telecom techs are forever riding the crest of that continuous wave, keeping apprised of all the new gadgets and operating systems and network configurations that come about. However, what you'll do as a telecom tech depends on your level of education and specific expertise.

Some entry-level telecommunications techs only need an aptitude for electronics and a high school diploma to get a job. With some training and a two-year degree, though, you could earn an average of $50,000 per year (source). 

 

The latest in Data Diva wear. (Source)

If you want to make more, the field of telecommunications offers many ways to make it to a position as Senior Data Diva or Senior Data Dude (official terms), where you could end up making a cool six figures. Of course, you need a four-year degree to qualify for those upper-tier jobs. But if you keep following your techie dreams and avoid operator error, you should be able to work your way to a comfortable living.

Entry-level telecom techs may work for a company that services the technology needs of other businesses on an as-needed basis. You might fix point-of-sale (POS) systems in the morning at one place, install a wireless router at another, test a voice over IP (VoIP) phone system, and upgrade software, all in a single day.

Some telecom techs begin their careers working for cable or satellite dish companies doing installation and repair, moving on from there when they've picked up a bevy of necessary knowledge. Luckily, there are tons of technological innovations emerging all the time, so that means lots of potential for jobs.

Don't mistake that potential for a guarantee, though. Living the life of a technician can be tough, and not only because you have to learn a whole bunch of jargon. 

If you're working as an installation technician, setting up satellite dishes and security and fire alarms, the job can be physically tough. Climbing ladders, squeezing into crawl spaces, and being on the go for most of your day is pretty taxing. Other techs may find themselves working in an office all day doing diagnostics testing, writing reports, and repairing equipment.

 

Staring at a reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer never gets old. (Source)

The good news? You have plenty of options. The same goes for schooling in telecommunications work. There are tech schools that can train you for entry-level positions in as little as six weeks, as well as two-year colleges that, combined with on-the-job training, give all you need to become a telecommunications analyst or to land a similar job.

If you decide to earn a four-year degree in telecommunications technology, you'll have even more access to prestigious job opportunities working as a telecommunications engineer or IT specialist for a larger company. And, of course, with the bigger jobs come the bigger bucks.

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