Telecommunications Engineer
Key facts
Telecommunications engineers design, build, test and maintain telecommunication systems and networks, including radio and broadcasting equipment. They analyse customer needs and requirements, ensure that the equipment meets regulations, and prepare and present reports and proposals on telecommunication-related problems. Telecommunications engineers design and oversee the service delivery in all it's phases, supervising the installation and use of telecommunications equipment and facilities, preparing documentation and providing training for company staff once new equipment has been installed.
Telecommunications engineers are vital in ensuring seamless communication across various platforms. Your work involves a blend of technical expertise and problem-solving, from understanding client needs to ensuring equipment adheres to regulations. You'll be involved in every stage of a project, from initial design and installation to ongoing maintenance and staff training. This role is ideal for individuals who enjoy a combination of analytical work and practical implementation.
- • Analyzing customer requirements and translating them into effective telecommunication solutions.
- • Designing and overseeing the installation and maintenance of telecommunication systems and networks, including radio and broadcasting equipment.
- • Ensuring equipment complies with relevant regulations and industry standards.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Deeper colour: reported the same way in more consecutive years.
Figures cover Science and engineering professionals — 274 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Italy, Luxembourg and 4 more.
Longest-running shortage: Bulgaria, 2 years.
Where it is regulated, your qualification would need formal recognition before you could practise.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
What these words mean
The four things this section reports
- Reported demand
- Whether employers report needing people in this job — a judgement published by a national or EU body, not a count.
- Where it is heading
- Which way employment in this job is expected to move over the coming years, from an official projection.
- Openings
- Roughly how many openings arise — from growth and from people leaving the job.
- Typical pay
- What people in this job typically earn where the source publishes it. Blank does not mean unpaid; it means nobody publishes it for that place.
A measure is left out when nobody publishes it for that place, rather than shown as zero.
Which way the market leans for you
- In your favour
- More openings than people looking — employers are competing for candidates.
- Balanced
- Openings and candidates are roughly matched.
- Competitive
- More people looking than openings — expect to compete.
- Mixed evidence
- Sources disagree, or the same occupation group is short in one part and oversupplied in another.
Every source resolves to one of these four, so there is a single vocabulary to learn. What differs is the evidence behind it, which is printed underneath each verdict — a measured ratio of openings to jobseekers, or an assessment published by a national body.
How this job compares with other jobs in the same country
- Strong
- Among the strongest in that country
- Good
- Stronger than most jobs in that country
- Mixed
- About typical for that country
- Weak
- Weaker than most jobs in that country
This is a rank within one country, not a score you can carry across borders — the registers behind two countries count different people, so the same number means different things in each. It is also why a job can be among the strongest in a country and still show as Competitive: it leads the field in a market that is crowded overall.
Where these come from
Every figure is published by a national statistics office, a public employment service or an EU body, and each card names its source and the period it covers. Some places are counted monthly, others assessed once or twice a year, so two places on the same map can be describing different moments — the date is always shown.
None of this predicts one person's chances. It describes a market.
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Could telecommunications engineer fit you?
Answer three quick questions. This is not a full assessment — it is a teaser to help you decide whether to compare your profile.
Do you enjoy tasks that require Attention to Detail?
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Future Outlook for telecommunications engineer
The outlook for telecommunications engineer reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could telecommunications engineer change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How could telecommunications engineer change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- provide ICT system training
- support ICT system users
- define technical requirements
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- implement a virtual private network
- adjust ICT system capacity
- analyse network bandwidth requirements
Tasks most exposed to automation
- log transmitter readings
- estimate costs of installing telecommunication devices
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Supply Chain & Transportation
A typical day as a telecommunications engineer
09 09:00 · Morning design computer network
10 10:30 · Mid-morning adjust ICT system capacity
12 12:00 · Midday analyse network bandwidth requirements
14 14:00 · Afternoon estimate costs of installing telecommunication devices
15 15:30 · Late afternoon implement a virtual private network
17 17:00 · Wrap-up interact with users to gather requirements
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
- 1electronics principles
The study of electric energy, more specifically electron, control and its prominent principles regarding integrated circuits and electrical systems.
- 2ICT communications protocols
The system of rules which allow the exchange of information between computers or other devices via computer networks.
- 3ICT network routing
The processes and techniques for choosing the best paths within an ICT network through which a packet can travel.
- 4ICT network security risks
The security risk factors, such as hardware and software components, devices, interfaces and policies in ICT networks, risk assessment techniques that can be applied to assess the severity and the consequences of security threats and contingency plans for each security risk factor.
- 5ICT system user requirements
The process intended to match user and organisation's needs with system components and services, by taking into consideration the available technologies and the techniques required to elicit and specify requirements, interrogating users to establish symptoms of problem and analysing symptoms.
- 6microwave principles
The technologies used in transmission of information or energy via electromagnetic waves between 1000 and 100,000 MHz.
- 7procurement of ICT network equipment
The products available from network equipment providers and methods for selecting and procuring the equipment.
- 8signal processing
The algorithms, applications and implementations that deal with the processing and transferring of information through analog or digital frequencies.
- 9telecom regulations
Code of rules to protect telecommunication consumers, ensuring high standards of communication services such as equivalent and affordable access, connectivity, transparency of contracts or security against malware. The regulation covers web-based and traditional services.
- quality assurance methodologies
- systems development life-cycle
- telecommunication industry
-
provide ICT system training
Plan and conduct training of staff on system and network issues. Utilise training material, evaluate and report on the learning progress of trainees.
-
support ICT system users
Communicate with end users, instruct them on how to progress with tasks, use ICT support tools and methods to solve problems and identify possible side effects and provide solutions.
-
implement a virtual private network
Create an encrypted connection between private networks, such as different local networks of a company, over the internet to ensure that only authorized users can access it and that the data cannot be intercepted.
-
use session border controller
Manage calls during a given voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) session and ensure security and quality of service by operating a session border controller (SBC).
-
adjust ICT system capacity
Change the scope of an ICT system by adding or reallocating additional ICT system components, such as network components, servers or storage to meet capacity or volume demands.
-
analyse network bandwidth requirements
Study the requirements on the transmission capacity of an ICT network or other telecommunication system.
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use a complex communication system
Install and operate complex communication systems.
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design computer network
Develop and plan ICT networks, such as wide area network and local area network, that connect computers using cable or wireless connections and allow them to exchange data and assess their capacity requirements.
-
design process
Identify the workflow and resource requirements for a particular process, using a variety of tools such as process simulation software, flowcharting and scale models.
-
log transmitter readings
Log transmitter observations such as calibrations of remote control equipment, equipment performance measurements, antenna field strength measurements, and other readings.
-
estimate costs of installing telecommunication devices
Estimate the total installation costs of telecommunication devices such as modems, routers, analogue switches, optical fibre, and landline phones.
Skill DNA
Work personality traits and values that define this role
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Scan to continue on mobilePath to become a telecommunications engineer
What it typically takes to qualify: education level, where it is a regulated profession, and where to study.
Bachelor's or equivalent level
Regulated in 6 countries on record. Minimum EQF 6–7, depending on the country.
Reflects the EU regulated-professions database. Not legal advice — confirm requirements with the relevant national authority before relying on this for a career or immigration decision.
Real programmes leading to this occupation, by country.
Ireland 4
Finland 4
Insinööri (AMK)
Diplomi-insinööri
Programmes only — this list does not include online courses.
Growth Pathways & Similar Roles
Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.
Where does telecommunications engineer fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
Frequently asked questions
- What kind of projects might a telecommunications engineer work on?
- Projects can vary widely, from designing a new mobile network for a city to optimizing the performance of an existing satellite communication system, or even implementing new broadcasting equipment for a media company.
- What skills are particularly important for success in this role?
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills are crucial, alongside a solid understanding of telecommunications technologies. The ability to communicate technical information clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences is also essential. Attention to detail and a commitment to ensuring regulatory compliance are key.
- What is the typical career path for a telecommunications engineer?
- Starting as an associate professional (Career Band 3), you'll likely gain experience across different aspects of telecommunications. Progression may involve specializing in a particular area like network security or wireless communications, or moving into project management or engineering leadership roles.
- Telecommunications Engineer — what does it pay in the United States?
- $130,390 a year at the median, as of 2025-05. State medians run from $78,200 to $168,070. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is a United States figure and not a projection for Europe.
- Telecommunications Engineer — is it a regulated profession?
- It is listed as a regulated profession in 6 European countries: Portugal, Italy, Spain, Poland and 2 more. The lowest qualification level required among them is EQF 6. Where a profession is regulated, a qualification earned elsewhere has to be formally recognised before you can practise. Source: EU Regulated Professions Database.