Telstra points to telecoms skill shortages
Telstra has sounded a warning about what it believes is a dangerous skill shortfall in the local and regional telecommunications sector.
In a recent column for Telstra Exchange, Telstra senior technology services executive Darrin Webb says that concerted action is needed if skills are to keep pace with the unprecedented rate of change in technology and the ever-increasing demand for data and connectivity, on both a national and regional basis.
For instance, some forecasts are predicting that demand for capacity on regional subsea cable network will quadruple over the next five years.
“This means we will need more people – engineers, developers and network architects – in more places around the world to ensure the demands of a connected world can be met, “ says Webb.
“At the same time, we need this workforce to have new capabilities in areas like software, automation and security.”
Webb says Telstra is already addressing the skills gaps through a number of initiatives, including its Graduate Programme in Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore and its three year Business Technology Services (BTS) Academy programme which is designed to produce network and security specialists.
The company has also partnered with the Box Hill Institute in Melbourne to train around 500 of its technologists, engineers and network planners in software-defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualisation (NFV).
Source: Telstra Exchange
