Life As a Telecommunications Line Installer or Repairer

Telecommunications Line Installer or Repairer Example Install and repair telecommunications cable, including fiber optics.

Telecommunications Line Installer or Repairer Responsibilities

• Dig holes for power poles, using power augers or shovels, set poles in place with cranes, and hoist poles upright, using winches.
• Explain cable service to subscribers after installation and collect any installation fees that are due.
• Fill and tamp holes, using cement, earth, and tamping devices.
• String cables between structures and lines from poles, towers, or trenches and pull lines to proper tension.
• Splice cables, using hand tools, epoxy, or mechanical equipment.
• Use a variety of construction equipment to complete installations, such as digger derricks, trenchers, or cable plows.

Qualities of a Telecommunications Line Installer or Repairer

These are the skills Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers say are the most useful in their careers:

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Types of Telecommunications Line Installer or Repairer Jobs

• Network Cabler
• Installer
• Aerial Installer
• Reel Worker
• Buried Wire Technician

Is There Going to be Demand for Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers?

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 106,100 jobs in the United States for Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers.

New jobs are being produced at a rate of 1.5% which is lower than average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,600 new jobs for Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers by 2026. The BLS estimates 10,700 yearly job openings in this field per year.

The states with the most job growth for Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers are Texas, Florida, and Maryland.

Watch out if you plan on working in Kansas, New Jersey, or Illinois. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Salary for Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers

Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers Make between $30,950 and $92,440 a year. The median salary for this occupation is $58,280.

How much do Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers make in each U.S. state?

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
New Jersey	$84,130
Massachusetts	$81,030
District of Columbia	$74,360
Delaware	$73,920
New York	$72,840
Alaska	$70,140
Pennsylvania	$69,530
Connecticut	$68,460
Hawaii	$66,430
California	$66,200
Maryland	$65,060
Washington	$64,440
Vermont	$63,520
North Dakota	$62,740
New Hampshire	$62,570
Virginia	$61,070
Maine	$60,600
Kansas	$60,160
Rhode Island	$60,040
West Virginia	$59,350
Illinois	$57,400
Arkansas	$56,520
Oklahoma	$56,350
Oregon	$55,670
Wyoming	$55,100
Wisconsin	$54,430
South Carolina	$54,320
Montana	$53,970
Iowa	$52,460
Texas	$52,220
Colorado	$51,790
Missouri	$50,950
Arizona	$50,800
South Dakota	$49,710
Mississippi	$49,370
Utah	$48,620
Kentucky	$47,930
Idaho	$46,410
Michigan	$46,280
New Mexico	$46,210
Minnesota	$45,420
North Carolina	$44,740
Tennessee	$44,290
Ohio	$43,740
Nebraska	$43,360
Georgia	$43,120
Alabama	$42,940
Indiana	$42,450
Nevada	$41,700
Florida	$40,860
Louisiana	$40,200

What Tools & Technology do Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers may use on a daily basis:

• Workforce management system software
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft Excel
• Autodesk AutoCAD

Becoming a Telecommunications Line Installer or Repairer

Are there Telecommunications Line Installer or Repairer education requirements?

What work experience do I need to become a Telecommunications Line Installer or Repairer?

Where do Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers Work?

Other Jobs You May be Interested In

Those thinking about becoming Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers might also be interested in the following careers:

• Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
• Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
• Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers

Career changers with experience as a Telecommunications Line Installer or Repairer sometimes find work in one of the following fields:

• Meter Readers, Utilities
• Motorboat Operators

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons