jobfacts

Telecoms and related network installers and repairers

SOC 2020 5242

Telecoms and related network installers and repairers install, maintain and repair public and private telephone systems and maintain, test and repair telecoms cables.

Also calledTelecoms engineerTelecoms technicianTelecommunications field engineerSatellite installerRepairerTelephone mechanicand 96 more titles
Typical full-time pay£40,0002025 Provisional
People in the job37,000across the UK
Demand for workersNot high
New adverts a month692↑ 12%on last year · 229th of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025

Half of full-time telecoms and related network installers and repairers earn between £34,500 and £46,500 a year.

What full-time telecoms and related network installers and repairers earn, 2025
£40,000 typical£29,000lowest 10%£34,50025%£48,800top 20%n/ptop 10%
Middle half (£34,500–£46,500)n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less than£29,000
Lowest 20% earn less than£33,500
25%£34,500
Median£40,000
75%£46,500
Top 20% earn more than£48,800
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
Typical pay by regionUK median £40,000
London!£41,100
West Midlands!£40,300
Wales!£39,800
North East!£39,600
East of England!£38,200
Scotland!£38,200
Yorkshire and The Humber!£37,900
North West!£36,900
East MidlandsNot published by ONS–
South EastNot published by ONS–
South WestNot published by ONS–
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £40,000
London£41,100 (small sample)
West Midlands£40,300 (small sample)
Wales£39,800 (small sample)
North East£39,600 (small sample)
East of England£38,200 (small sample)
Scotland£38,200 (small sample)
Yorkshire and The Humber£37,900 (small sample)
North West£36,900 (small sample)
East MidlandsNot published by ONS
South EastNot published by ONS
South WestNot published by ONS
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £34,200
  • 2024 £36,700
  • 2025 Provisional£40,000
↑ 17% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 692 jobs for telecoms and related network installers and repairers are advertised each month. The Department for Education rates demand for workers as not high.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (2 in all)
Show as table
Aug 2026678
Jul 2026579
Jun 2026Not published
May 2026684
Apr 2026706
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 2026695
Jan 2026713
Dec 2025483
Nov 2025830
Oct 2025693
Sept 2025857
Aug 2025590
Jul 2025669
Jun 2025664
May 2025675
Apr 2025645
Mar 2025947
Feb 2025654
Jan 2025632
Dec 2024352
Nov 2024602
Oct 2024650
Sept 2024700
Aug 2024706
Jul 2024836
Jun 2024721
May 2024812
Apr 2024632
Mar 2024537
Feb 2024580
Jan 2024733
Dec 2023546
Nov 2023669
Oct 2023598
Sept 2023563
Aug 2023836
Jul 2023762
Jun 20231,128
May 20231,150
Apr 20231,010
Mar 20231,260
Feb 20231,270
Jan 20231,384
Dec 20221,352
Nov 20221,215
Oct 20221,444
Sept 20221,454
Aug 20222,308
Jul 20221,729
Jun 20221,248
May 20221,464
Apr 20221,138
Mar 20221,571
Feb 20221,265
Jan 20221,307
Dec 20211,057
Nov 20211,121
Oct 20211,139
Sept 20211,069
Aug 20211,185
Jul 20211,185
Jun 20211,129
May 20211,782
Apr 20211,293
Mar 20211,548
Feb 2021923
Jan 2021910
Dec 2020826
Nov 2020866
Oct 2020972
Sept 2020842
Aug 2020837
Jul 2020840
Jun 2020633
May 2020429
Apr 2020654
Mar 20201,010
Feb 20201,094
Jan 2020908
Dec 2019693
Nov 2019951
Oct 2019934
Sept 2019886
Aug 2019924
Jul 20191,078
Jun 2019944
May 2019869
Apr 2019601
Mar 2019648
Feb 2019660
Jan 2019742
Dec 2018493
Nov 2018630
Oct 2018773
Sept 2018702
Aug 2018752
Jul 2018776
Jun 2018744
May 2018813
Apr 2018804
Mar 2018873
Feb 2018851
Jan 20181,042
Dec 2017734
Nov 2017918
Oct 2017954
Sept 2017811
Aug 2017963
Jul 2017817
Jun 2017970
May 20171,105
Apr 20171,059
Mar 2017999
Feb 2017806
Jan 20171,034
Is there a shortage of telecoms and related network installers and repairers?
Not high

The Department for Education rates demand as not high, elevated or critical, using five indicators. This is its 2025 assessment.

  • Visas grantedAbove usual
  • Online job advertsAbove usual
  • Wage growthUsual
  • Pay against similar jobsUsual
  • Hours workedAbove usual
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
51%against 27% for all jobs
Broader groupFigure for electrical and electronic trades, which includes telecoms and related network installers and repairers. DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London325
Birmingham53
Glasgow City48
Bristol, City of47
Leeds42
Manchester36
Reading33
Oxford28
Cambridge23
Nottingham23
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where telecoms and related network installers and repairers are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. 14 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026, most to people from Pakistan, South Africa, Jamaica, ranking it 201st of 313. Home Office

Who does it

ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
WomenToo few in the survey to give a reliable figure
Age of telecoms and related network installers and repairers
n/p
43%!
11%!
19%!
17%!
n/p
!Small sample: treat with cautionn/p: too few in the survey to publish
Show as table
16–24Not published
25–3443% (small sample)
35–4411% (small sample)
45–5419% (small sample)
55–6417% (small sample)
65+Not published
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent!23%
Higher education below degree!9.3%
A levels or equivalent34%
GCSEs or equivalent!25%
Other qualifications–
Not published
No qualifications!5.4%
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalent23% (small sample)
Higher education below degree9.3% (small sample)
A levels or equivalent34%
GCSEs or equivalent25% (small sample)
Other qualificationsNot published
No qualifications5.4% (small sample)

Main employers: electrical installation (23%), wireless telecommunications activities (14%), wired telecommunications activities (13%), installation of industrial machinery and equipment (12%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
23%
as their highest qualification
Most common qualification
A levels or equivalent
held by 34%
Apprenticeships
7
from level 3
Apprenticeships take
15 months to 4 years
typically
T Levels
1
college courses for 16 to 19 year olds

Routes in

You can get into this job through:

College

You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills needed for the job and might help you to find a trainee position with a telecoms company.

Relevant courses include:

  • communications cabling
  • electrical and electronic engineering
  • competence for IT and telecoms professionals
  • T Level in Maintenance, Installation and Repair for Engineering and Manufacturing
  • T Level in Engineering, Manufacturing, Processing and Control
Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do an apprenticeship with a telecoms company. These include:

  • Hardware, Network and Infrastructure Level 2 Foundation Apprenticeship
  • Telecoms Field Operative Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
  • Wireless Communications Rigger Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
  • Network Cable Installer Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
  • Radio Network Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
  • Cellular Network Field Engineer Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • no specific qualifications or experience to apply for a foundation apprenticeship
  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
More about this route
Foundation apprenticeship

You can apply for a foundation apprenticeship if you're aged 16 to 21.

If you're aged 22 to 24, you can apply if you:

  • have an education, health and care (EHC) plan
  • are in care or have been in care
  • are in prison or have been in prison

Other ways in

Apply directly

You can apply directly to installation companies if you have experience or qualifications in:

  • telecommunications
  • electronic or electrical engineering
  • electrical equipment servicing
Other routes

You can do introductory courses in satellite dish and aerial installation through the Confederation of Aerial Industries. These could be useful if you want to get started in the industry.

What you’ll need

  • have a full driving licence

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

Employers will expect you to be well organised, good at solving problems and able to manage your time.

Professional and industry bodies

You could join the Institute of Telecommunications Professionals (ITP) for industry news, networking and professional development opportunities.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for telecoms engineer. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Apprenticeships

7 for this job
Level 3About 2 years

Radio network technician

Leads to
The Institute of Telecommunications Professionals.
Details on Skills England
Level 3About 2½ years

Power industry substation fitter

You gain
Emergency first aid 1 day course
Leads to
Institution of Engineering and Technology
Employers may ask for
Typically, applicants do not need specific pre-requisite qualifications. They will need to demonstrate the ability to pick up new knowledge and skills, and to…
Details on Skills England

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Other qualifications

QualificationTypeLevel
Hardware, network and infrastructure foundation apprenticeshipFoundation apprenticeship2
Digital Support and SecurityT Level3

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • installs internal cabling and wiring for telephone systems and networks and fits and wires junction and distribution boxes
  • fixes connecting wires from underground and aerial lines to premises and connects cable terminals to inside wiring
  • installs telephones, switchboards and coin operated phone boxes
  • uses testing equipment to locate defective components of circuitry and makes any necessary repairs
  • tests installation and makes any further necessary adjustments
  • assists with the erection of wooden poles or steel towers to carry overhead lines
  • connects cables and tests for any defects
  • locates and repairs faults to lines and ancillary equipment
  • erects and maintains mobile telecoms infrastructure

Skills

  • adjust ICT system capacity
  • analyse network bandwidth requirements
  • define technical requirements
  • design computer network
  • design process
  • estimate costs of installing telecommunication devices
  • interact with users to gather requirements
  • provide ICT system training
  • support ICT system users
  • use session border controller
  • analyse business requirements
  • apply technical communication skills
  • assess ICT knowledge
  • build business relationships

Knowledge

  • electronics principles
  • ICT communications protocols
  • ICT network routing
  • ICT network security risks
  • ICT system user requirements
  • microwave principles
  • procurement of ICT network equipment
  • quality assurance methodologies

Suits people who like

  • Practical, hands-on work
  • Organising and following procedures

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for skilled metal, electrical and electronic trades, a group of 23 jobs that includes telecoms and related network installers and repairers.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↓ 6.5%about 72,000 fewer jobs
Workers needed by 2035338,000including people replacing those who retire or leave

Sources

Pay
ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
People in the job, who does it
ONS, Annual Population Survey, April 2025 to March 2026
Job adverts
ONS, online job adverts (Textkernel), to Aug 2026
Demand, skill shortages
Department for Education and Skills England, Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey
Outlook
The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE
Routes in
National Careers Service job profiles
Apprenticeships, qualifications
Skills England occupational maps
Skills, interests
ESCO classification of the European Commission; O*NET data, U.S. Department of Labor (CC BY 4.0, modified)
Visas
Home Office, immigration system statistics

Figures as of 10 October 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Source: The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE.

This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.

This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.

jobfacts is independent. It is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by the Office for National Statistics, the Department for Education, Skills England, the National Careers Service, the Home Office, the European Commission or the U.S. Department of Labor.