It must be noted that the majority of the equipment installers are employed by the equipment manufacturers, not by the telephone companies. There are a few installers, however, who do work for local telephone companies as private-branch-exchange installers or for private firms specializing in installation work. Complex switching and dialing equipment is found in the central offices of all local telephone companies. The work of the central office equipment installer in telecommunication jobs is to assemble, wire, adjust, and test this equipment, making certain that it conforms to the manufacturer’s standards. Among their duties, central office equipment installers may set up equipment at a new central office, make additions to existing facilities to meet expansion needs, and replace outdated apparatus at existing central offices. In this work the installer must follow diagrams and blueprints and use a variety of hand and power tools. Note that each central office equipment installer has an assigned territory, usually covering several states, in which to work. On small installations or replacement jobs the worker will work with only one or two other installers. On large projects in big cities one may work in a crew of several hundred other installers.
Furthermore, part of their telecommunication careers; the work of the central office craft worker is to keep this mechanical and electronic equipment in functioning condition. They concentrate on locating potential trouble and seeing that it does not develop into breakdowns in any part of the system that would cause an interruption of service.
Likewise, the frame wirers’ telecommunication job is to work at the distributing frames or panels where customers’ lines come into the central office. Their job is to string wires and cables to these frames, following printed diagrams, and then to solder the connections. They also remake connections to change circuit layouts. In this work they use a soldering iron and other hand tools. Moreover, the central office repairers analyze defects and test and repair, switches and relays used in telephone circuits. They also make
final adjustments on equipment through the use of special tools and gauges. In this work they use telephone switching equipment, wall meters, and capacity meters, as well as many hand tools.
Furthermore, jobs in telecommunications of the trouble locators or transmission testers involve the testing of customers’ telephone lines within the central office to find causes and locations of possible malfunctions. They then report the nature of the trouble to inside and outside maintenance crews and direct and coordinate their trouble-clearing activities. In addition, they may contact customers to arrange service calls and then dispatch the repairers. The trouble locator’s work is at a switchboard equipped with audiovisual alarms. They also use electrical testing devices such as voltmeters and resistance meters. If repairs are needed, the trouble locator directs the crews.
Educational Requirements
As to telecommunications employment, workers with some college education, especially engineering training, are in increasing demand when filling equipment installer positions. Naturally, mechanical aptitude and good physical condition are also important, as is willingness to travel. To qualify as an installer, however, the new employee must successfully complete an eighteen-month program that combines on-the-job training with formal classroom instruction. When filling central office craft positions, most telephone companies give preference to current employees such as operators, line installers, or clerical workers. Trainees are occasionally hired, however, from outside the company. Telephone companies conduct their own training programs, which include classroom instruction and on-the-job training. Instruction includes courses in electricity and electronics, as well as in the maintenance of the kind of equipment used by the central office. Sometimes someone is hired who has had applicable training and experience in another trade, in trade schools or in the armed forces; and is then started above the usual entry level. In addition to the requirements already mentioned, those considering communication equipment mechanics jobs for telecommunication career should have a perfect color vision. Telephone equipment uses many color-coded wires, and workers must be able to identify each color accurately.
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