• Completion of secondary school is required.
  
• Telephone and switch network installers and repairers require completion of an apprenticeship program ranging from three to four years or a combination of over three years work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry related courses.
  
• Telecommunications equipment technicians usually require completion of a college electrical and electronics program and several months of on-the-job training or completion of a three- or four-year apprenticeship training program.
  
• Trade certification for communication technicians is available, but voluntary, in Nova Scotia, Alberta, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
  
• Experience as an installer and repairer (telephone and switch network) is usually required for service testers.
  

High School Diploma
Diploma

Apprenticeship

Test installed telephone systems to locate transmission faults
Repair or replace defective telephone equipment
Install, arrange, remove and maintain telephone equipment, wiring and associated hardware
Inspect and test trunking systems
Analyze test results and adjust, change or repair switching system, network, associated equipment and software
Install electromechanical, analog and digital trunking systems, circuits and equipment in telecommunications central offices and switching centres
Initiate the dispatch of appropriate repair personnel
Determine nature, cause and location of trouble
Complete and maintain test and service reports
Operate computerized testing systems to conduct service tests on customer lines and equipment