Telecommunications line installers and repairers: Salary, career path, job outlook, education and more
Telecommunications line installers and repairers install and maintain the lines and cables used by network communications companies. Depending on the service providedlocal and long-distance telephone, cable television, or Internettelecommunications companies use different types of cables, including fiber optic cables. Unlike metallic cables that carry electricity, fiber optic cables are made of glass and transmit signals using light. Working with fiber optics requires special skills, such as the ability to splice and terminate optical cables. In addition, workers use specialized equipment to test and troubleshoot cables and networking equipment.
Because these systems are complicated, many line workers also specialize by duty:
- Education Required
- Most companies require line installers and repairers to have a high school diploma or equivalent. Employers prefer candidates with basic knowledge of algebra and trigonometry. In addition, technical knowledge of electricity or electronics obtained through military service, vocational programs, or community colleges can also be helpful.
- Training Required
- Electrical line installers and repairers often must complete apprenticeships or other employer training programs. These programs, which can last up to 3 years, combine on-the-job training with technical instruction and are sometimes administered jointly by the employer and the union representing the workers. For example, the Electrical Training Alliance offers apprenticeship programs in four specialty areas. The basic qualifications to enter an apprenticeship program are as follows:
- Job Outlook
-
The projected percent change in employment from 2016 to 2026: 8% (As fast as average)
(The average growth rate for all occupations is 7 percent.) - Advancement
- Entry-level line workers generally begin with an apprenticeship, which includes both classroom training and hands-on work experience. As they learn additional skills from more experienced workers, they may advance to more complex tasks. In time, experienced line workers advance to more sophisticated maintenance and repair positions in which they are responsible for increasingly large portions of the network.
- Licenses/Certifications
- Although not mandatory, certification for line installers and repairers is also available from several associations. For example, the Electrical Training ALLIANCE offers certification for line installers and repairers in several specialty areas.
- Median pay: How much do Line Installers and Repairers make?
- $62,650 Annual Salary
- $30.12 per hour
Careers for Line Installers and Repairers
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- Cable splicers
- Electric powerline examiners
- Electric utility line workers
- Electrical high tension testers
- Electrical line workers
- Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Fiber optic cable technicians
- Fiber optic technicians
- Line erectors
- Line installers
- Line repairers
- Powerline workers
- Telecommunications line installers
- Telecommunications line repairers
- Telephone line installers
- Underground conduit installers