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Alamo Colleges DistrictCareer Explorer

Telecommunications Engineering Specialists

Part of Information Technology, in the Network Systems pathway.

Bright outlookJob zone 3: medium preparationO*NET 15-1241.01

What the work is

Design or configure wired, wireless, and satellite communications systems for voice, video, and data services. Supervise installation, service, and maintenance.

On a typical day

  • Keep abreast of changes in industry practices and emerging telecommunications technology by reviewing current literature, talking with colleagues, participating in educational programs, attending meetings or workshops, or participating in professional organizations or conferences.
  • Estimate costs for system or component implementation and operation.
  • Develop, maintain, or implement telecommunications disaster recovery plans to ensure business continuity.
  • Review and evaluate requests from engineers, managers, and technicians for system modifications.
  • Provide user support by diagnosing network and device problems and implementing technical or procedural solutions.
  • Prepare system activity and performance reports.

What it pays

$128,260
Median pay per year, San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX metro
New workers start near $80,030
Experienced workers reach $169,670
  1. $80k10th
  2. $104k25th
  3. $128kMedian
  4. $158k75th
  5. $170k90th
Wage percentiles: 10th $80,030, 25th $104,010, Median $128,260, 75th $157,630, 90th $169,670

About 720 people do this job in the San Antonio area.

Job outlook

Alamo region (Bexar and 12 surrounding counties), Texas Workforce Commission projection 2024 to 2034. U.S. figures from the BLS for comparison.

+30.3%

employment change in the Alamo region, 912 to 1,188 jobs · U.S. +12%

78

openings a year in the Alamo region, from growth and people leaving · U.S. 11,200

912

employed in the Alamo region in 2024 · U.S. 179,200

Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree · Experience: 5 years or more

Skills this career uses

The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.

  1. Reading Comprehension3.9
  2. Active Listening3.9
  3. Critical Thinking3.8
  4. Active Learning3.8
  5. Writing3.8
  6. Speaking3.6
  7. Complex Problem Solving3.4
  8. Systems Analysis3.3

Education people in this job have

Share of workers by highest education, from O*NET surveys. It shows what others did, not what you must do.

  1. High school or less5%
  2. Certificate24%
  3. Some college14%
  4. Associate degree14%
  5. Bachelor's degree33%
  6. Master's degree5%
  7. Doctoral or professional5%

Job zone 3, medium preparation: Training, an associate degree, or a few years of related experience.

Alamo programs that lead here

  • Northeast Lakeview
  • Northwest Vista
  • San Antonio
  • Alamo Institutes
  1. Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Level 1 Certificate

    Certificate · Online option · Science & Technology

  2. Cloud Computing, A.A.S.

    Degree · Science & Technology

  3. CompTIA Linux+ Certification Preparation (OSA)

    Certificate · Online option · Science & Technology

  4. Network Administration Technology, A.A.S.

    Degree · Online option · Science & Technology

  5. Cloud Computing - Bachelor of Applied Technology

    Degree · Online option · Science & Technology

  6. Cybersecurity and Information Assurance

    Degree · Certificate · Online option · Science & Technology

  7. Network Administrator

    Degree · Certificate · Online option · Science & Technology

  8. Network and Cloud Architecture

    Degree · Certificate · Online option · Science & Technology

  9. Computer Information Systems

    Degree · Certificate · Online option · Science & Technology

  10. Information Assurance and Cybersecurity

    Degree · Certificate · Online option · Science & Technology

  11. Cisco Certified Networking Associate

    Workforce course · Online option · Science & Technology

  12. Fundamentals of Networking Technologies

    Workforce course · Online option · Science & Technology

Showing 12 of 13 programs.

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