Telecommunications Specialist: Bridging Man and Machine Together...

Introduction
While no specific degree is required, a background in some sort of engineering does help. If a degree in telecommunications isn't available at your university, then I'd recommend network engineering, because it'll give you an understanding of different systems and how to network them together. Being skilled in math and having great communication skills will also give you a leg up on the competition. Beyond this, expect to do company-specific training working with a mentor that will teach you the "ropes". Oh, and you'll have to constantly keep up-to-date on the latest technological advancements. The field is always changing, and so, you need to keep up!

Job Function
As a telecommunications specialist, your basic job functions are to design communication systems, oversee the installation of these systems and provide maintenance for them whenever necessary. These systems may include: information databases that need to be networked between different locations, setting up voicemail services, providing unique phone lines for different executives or simply setting up e-mail accounts for people. You are the Jack-of-All-Trades in the communications field, more or less. What I like most is the early planning phase. Sitting down with the client and designing a system's architecture based on what they want is pretty fun to me. The worst is troubleshooting. Since you are working with intricate networks, things can go wrong. If they do, you have to work quickly to get it back, because companies depend on communication systems being functional at all times. Advertisement
Lifestyle
Lots of work. Not much play, and the hours last as long as the office is open. You're usually the first person in and one of the last out (think 50-60 hrs a week), because you have to supervise the systems constantly. Personality-wise, be a people person for sure. You'll be communicating with the staff all day, and be playing the middle-man between them and the technology.

Additional Information
Not much else to say. The pay is mediocre when starting, but after 5-10 years, you start banking about 60k. Not too shabby.